Media literacy provides essential skills for understanding and critically analyzing media messages. It involves developing independent judgments about media content, understanding the process of mass communication and its impact, and employing strategies to analyze and discuss media messages. The goal is to appreciate media while understanding the obligations of its creators and how content provides cultural insights.

1. Media LiteracyMedia Literacy

2. Why bother?Why bother?
If we’re not media literate,If we’re not media literate,
we can’t understand whatwe can’t understand what
the media are doing for usthe media are doing for us
and to usand to us

3. SENDER RECEIVER
SENDERRECEIVER
CHANNEL
CHANNEL

5. Animal HouseAnimal House

6. The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show

7. Elements of Media LiteracyElements of Media Literacy
Art Silverblatt (2001)Art Silverblatt (2001)
1.1. A critical thinking skill enabling audienceA critical thinking skill enabling audience
members to develop independent judgmentsmembers to develop independent judgments
about media contentabout media content
2.2. An understanding of the process of massAn understanding of the process of mass
communicationcommunication
3.3. An awareness of the impact of media on theAn awareness of the impact of media on the
individual and societyindividual and society

8. 4. Strategies for analyzing and discussing media4. Strategies for analyzing and discussing media
messagesmessages
5. The ability to enjoy, understand, and appreciate5. The ability to enjoy, understand, and appreciate
media contentmedia content
6. Development of effective and responsible6. Development of effective and responsible
production skillsproduction skills
7. An understanding of the ethical and moral7. An understanding of the ethical and moral
obligations of media practitionersobligations of media practitioners

9. 8. An understanding of media content as a text8. An understanding of media content as a text
that provides insight into our culture and ourthat provides insight into our culture and our
liveslives
This one we’ll save for last.This one we’ll save for last.

10. A critical thinking skill enablingA critical thinking skill enabling
audience members to developaudience members to develop
independent judgments aboutindependent judgments about
media contentmedia content

11.  Most people just veg out when interacting withMost people just veg out when interacting with
the mediathe media
 Sit in front of tubeSit in front of tube
 Leaf through magazines and newspapersLeaf through magazines and newspapers
 Radio in the backgroundRadio in the background
 Surf the net at randomSurf the net at random
 Text and tweet ad nauseumText and tweet ad nauseum

12. Kate Moore – texting champKate Moore – texting champ
 Sends an average ofSends an average of
14,000 text messages a14,000 text messages a
monthmonth
 ““Let your kid text duringLet your kid text during
dinner! Let your kid textdinner! Let your kid text
during school! It paysduring school! It pays
off!”off!”

13. A critical thinking skillA critical thinking skill
enabling audienceenabling audience
members to developmembers to develop
independent judgmentsindependent judgments
about media contentabout media content

14. An understanding of theAn understanding of the
process of massprocess of mass
communicationcommunication

15. An awareness of theAn awareness of the
impact of media on theimpact of media on the
individual and societyindividual and society

16. Strategies for analyzingStrategies for analyzing
and discussing mediaand discussing media
messagesmessages

18. The ability to enjoy,The ability to enjoy,
understand, andunderstand, and
appreciate media contentappreciate media content

19. Terry PratchettTerry Pratchett

20. The Daily Show w/ John StewartThe Daily Show w/ John Stewart

22. Development of effectiveDevelopment of effective
and responsibleand responsible
production skillsproduction skills

23. An understanding of theAn understanding of the
ethical and moralethical and moral
obligations of mediaobligations of media
practitionerspractitioners

24. Glenn BeckGlenn Beck

25. Media Literacy SkillsMedia Literacy Skills

26. Ability and willingness toAbility and willingness to
make an effort tomake an effort to
understand content, tounderstand content, to
pay attention, and to filterpay attention, and to filter
out noiseout noise

27. An understanding ofAn understanding of
and respect for theand respect for the
power of mediapower of media
messagesmessages

28. Third Person EffectThird Person Effect

29. The ability toThe ability to
distinguish emotionaldistinguish emotional
from reasoned reactionsfrom reasoned reactions
and to act accordinglyand to act accordingly

30. Develop a heightenedDevelop a heightened
expectation of mediaexpectation of media
contentcontent

31. Know genreKnow genre
conventions and learnconventions and learn
to recognize whento recognize when
they’re being mixedthey’re being mixed

32. Think critically aboutThink critically about
media messages, nomedia messages, no
matter how crediblematter how credible
the sourcethe source

33. An understanding ofAn understanding of
media content as a textmedia content as a text
that provides insight intothat provides insight into
our culture and our livesour culture and our lives