LSE Media Policy Project:

Expert meeting on media literacy

LSE, 12 April 2011

Timetable

10.00   Arrival and coffee

10.30   Introduction to the Media Policy Project: Zoe Sujon

10.40   Media literacy: key issues facing UK policy and research: Sonia Livingstone

10.55   Research trends: is the promotion of media literacy effective? Yinhan Wang

11.10   Q&A

11.30   Panel discussion: media literacy – policy, practice and prospects

Monica Bulger, Oxford Internet Institute

John Newbigin, Chairman of Creative England

Sophie Jones, Channel 4

Cary Bazalgette, Chair of the Media Education Association

11.50   Q&A

12.30   Conclusions and next steps: Zoe Sujon

NB Chatham House rules + record the discussion

The LSE Media Policy Project

The Media Policy Project aims to establish a deliberative relationship between policy makers, civil society actors, media professionals and relevant media research.  We want policy makers to have timely access to the best policy-relevant research and better access to the views of civil society.

Policy

ResearchCivil society

The Mediated Public SpherePolitical communication,civic engagement and journalism ethics

Transnational Media Cultures Global, comparative anddiasporic perspectives

Innovation and Governance Policy and regulation in the information society in the global ‘north’ and ‘south’

Media and Communications

Critical andengaged social

science

Mediation and Digital LiteraciesAudiences, representations and identities in everyday life

Polis

LSE Media Policy Project

Organized thematically Media Policy Briefs

– 1: ‘Creative Destruction and Copyright Protection: Regulatory Responses to File-sharing

– 2: ‘Media Literacy and UK Policy’– 3: ‘Digital Participation and Universal Service’– 4: ‘Media Plurality’– 5: ‘UK Media Policy and the LSE Media Policy

Project’

Project overview – September 2010 – July

2011

Deliberative strategy– Social media

– Expert meetings and events

– Media policy network

– Media Policy Briefs

Concluding event (June)

Media literacy:Key issues facing UK policy

and research

Sonia Livingstone

Media literacy – a long past and a short history

The long past

Especially media education for children (cf. work of BFI and others in the UK)

Developed curriculum materials though uncertain place in the curriculum

Variable but mounting support and initiatives internationally (e.g. Unesco, OECD)

Unresolved debate over purposes (empowerment, protection)

The recent history

Burgeoning new initiatives for adults (all, disadvantaged) and children

UK Communications Act 2003 (section 11)

EC Communication (2007) & Recommendation (2009); AVMS Directive (2007), High Level

Expert Group (2008), Digital Agenda (2010, following the Lisbon Agenda, 2000)

A popular concept (health literacy, financial literacy, information literacy, ethical literacy)

Communications Act 2003

Section 11: Duty to promote media literacy -

to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public understanding of the nature and characteristics of material published by means of the electronic media;

to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public awareness and understanding of the processes by which such material is selected, or made available, for publication by such means;

to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which access to material published by means of the electronic media is or can be regulated;

to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which persons to whom such material is made available may control what is received and of the uses to which such systems may be put; and

to encourage the development and use of technologies and systems for regulating access to such material, and for facilitating control over what material is received, that are both effective and easy to use.

Definitions and tensions

Definitions

‘The ability to access, analyse, evaluate and communicate messages in a variety of forms.’ (National Leadership Conference on Media Literacy, Aufderheide, 1993)

‘The ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts.’ (Ofcom)

‘Media literacy relates to the ability to access the media, to understand and critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media content and to create communications in a variety of contexts.’ (EC)

Tensions

Minimal and maximal expectations of the population – how much is enough?

Competitive society (workplace skills, consumer choice) or social inclusion/participation

Protection against media harms and/or engagement with media opportunities

Individualisation of risk to lighten the regulatory burden?

A matter of individual skill or environmental design and provision?

Relevance to familiar and new media

Media literacy for all? For the disadvantaged? Children only?

Political support

The previous government

Inserted media literacy into the Communication Act

Included a National Media Literacy Plan in the Digital Britain agenda

Appointed a Minister and a Champion for Digital Inclusion

National Plan for Digital Participation (2010) with substantial funding

The present government

Continues to support digital inclusion activities (Race Online 2012 …)

Might see media literacy as central to the Big Society

But has cancelled the budget for the National Plan…

Is preparing for a new Communications Act

Media literacy - ‘a priority’: Ofcom’s work, digital inclusion, school curriculum,

vocational education, Bailey Review, Media Smart, BBC

What can researchers contribute?

An independent perspective on policy action – can urge ambitious aims

Expertise in measurement – media literacy poses particular difficulties

Past public knowledge initiatives – show benefits often uneven, unequal or unproven

Knowledge gap findings - media literacy won’t spread all by itself – ‘the rich get richer’

New research and analysis of the research literature - for example:

- adults more easily gain operational (functional) skills than more strategic or complex skills, and

many (older, disabled, minorities) struggle even to gain basic skills (Deursen & van Dijk, 2009)

- students from more educated backgrounds are more likely to engage in content creation and

sharing, and more digital skills enable in more creativity; gender differences no longer significant

(Hargittai and Walejko, 2008)

- people tend to evaluate the trustworthiness of websites (e.g. for health information) by features

of site design (Sillence et al, 2007)

- opportunities to learn about online civic participation results in more participation (Kahne et al,

2010)

Research trends:Is the promotion of media

literacy effective?

Yinhan Wang

Introduction

Ofcom’s Media Literacy Reports for children and adults have been carried

out since 2005.

They cover the key dimensions of media literacy: access and use, critical

evaluation, digital skills and education, communication and creation, civic

participation.

Here we offer a selective reworking and analysis of a small

proportion/selection of Ofcom’s data, in order to inform the discussion. Our

interpretation of data does not represent Ofcom’s perspectives.

Thanks to Fiona Lennox! Any mistakes are our own.

The benefits of overcoming barriers to access and use of the internet for health information

More high than low SES adults have internet at home.

Among adults with internet at home, more high SES adults search for information about an illness than low SES adults.

Among adults who search for information about an illness, there is no SES difference in using NHS Direct.

SES inequalities persist even given equivalent access to the internet.

If barriers to access and use are overcome, all can benefit.

Source: UK Adults’ Media Literacy (Ofcom 2006, 2008, 2010)

NB Base:Red lines: All internet using adultsGreen lines: All internet using adults who use the

internet for health information

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2005 2007 2009

About anillness(ABC1)

About anillness(C2DE)

Use NHSDirect(ABC1)

Use NHSDirect(C2DE)

Inequalities in critical evaluation: checking the reliability of new websites

Through experience or guidance,

adults have learned to check the

reliability of websites.

Children have also learned but

have more to learn: 87% believe

all/most information on sites

they use for schoolwork is true

(2009).

Children taught in school about

the internet do more checking

(2005).

Older (55+) and lower SES adults

are less likely to check reliability.

People are gaining critical

literacy, but gaps remain.Source: UK Adults’ / Children’s Media Literacy

(Ofcom, 2006, 2008, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2005 2007 2009

Check sites(16+)

Check sites(12-15)

NB Base:2005 All internet using adults2007/09 All internet using adults who visit new websites

Critical evaluation: the internet lags behind in public understanding of who funds the media

The public understands how

television and radio are funded.

Understanding that search

engines are funded by advertising

lags far behind.

Women, older (55+) and low SES

households give fewest correct

answers.

Without specific intervention, it

seems unlikely that critical

understanding of the internet

(which is heavily used for

information) will catch up.

Source: UK Adults’ Media Literacy (Ofcom, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2005 2007 2009

BBC TV

CommercialTV

BBC radio

Commercialradio

Searchengines

NB Base:All adults

Digital skills among adults:the same or worse in 2009 than in 2007

E-skills are central to the EC’s Digital

Agenda.

Some skills are fairly common, but

SES differences persist.

Interest and confidence in skills have

not improved since 2005:

Viruses: 57% (2005), 59% (2009)

Filter: 52% (2007), 47% (2009)

Debates: 26% (2007), 21% (2009)

Without confident skills in using

the internet, expanding the range

of online activities will be

impeded.

Interest is also vital for the

cultivation of skills and use.

Source: UK Adults’ Media Literacy (Ofcom, 2006, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

AB C1 C2 DE

Block viruses

Install filter

Join indebates

NB Base:All internet using adults (2009)

Formal education about media: is there potential for more provision?

Children are being taught about the

internet and about TV.

As children use the internet ever

younger, more are taught about it.

2005-2009 have seen no rise in

adults’ formal learning about digital

technology, and no rise in their

interest in learning about it.

Given the time they spend on TV, it

could be argued that children

need more teaching about TV.

25% of adults say they are

interested in learning more about

digital technology – worth

providing more?

Source: UK Adults’ / Children’s Media Literacy

(Ofcom, 2006, 2008 & 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2005 2007 2009

Lessons aboutTV (8-11)

Lessons aboutTV (12-15)

Lessons aboutinternet (8-11)

Lessons aboutinternet (12-15)

NB BaseChildren aged 8-15

Understanding: the public is concerned about media content/platforms

The public is most concerned about the internet.

Those who use the internet are more concerned than those who do not.

Ethnic minority groups are more concerned about computer viruses/security, mobile

and gaming, whereas older people and disabled people are more concerned about

the television.

Levels of concern may indicate desire for regulation and/or for media literacy.Source: UK Adults’ Media Literacy (Ofcom, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Internet Television Mobile Gaming Radio

Concerned

NB Base:Adult users of each platform

Communicating and creating on the internet:adults who use the internet

Differences by age are striking.

If communication/creativity is a

goal, older people are not

benefiting.

The low take up of maintaining a

website/blogging by younger

adults belies the ‘digital native’

rhetoric.

Without improved design

and/or guidance,

communicative and creative

uses of the internet may not

become widespread.

Source: UK Adults’s Media Literacy (Ofcom, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

16-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55+

Socialnetworking

Blogging

NB Base:All internet using adults (2009)

Communicating and creating on the internet:children 12-15 who use the internet at home

Making a website slowly caught

hold but was replaced by social

networking.

Social networking sites (and

online albums) make (limited,

formatted) content creation easy.

Making and uploading a video

remains unpopular/difficult

(despite the advent of YouTube).

Without improved design

and/or guidance, creative uses

of the internet may not become

widespread.

Source: UK Children’s Media Literacy (Ofcom,

2006, 2008 & 2010)

NB Base:All children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home

Civic participation:adults who use the internet

Differences by SES are striking: if

civic participation online is a goal,

lower SES adults miss out.

The low take up of civic participation

of all, however, is also striking.

Other research shows repeatedly

than low political efficacy and trust

account for low participation (people

must believe their contribution will be

responded to).

Without improved support or,

possibly, response, civic uses of

the internet may not become

widespread.

Source: UK Adults’ Media Literacy (Ofcom, 2008, 2010)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

AB C1 C2 DE

2007

2009

Measures:2008 Finding info about public services provided by local or

national government;Looking at political/ campaign/ issues websites

2010 Finding info about public services provided by local or national government;Looking at political/ campaign/ issues websites Completing government processes online

Discussion

Has the past decade of activities improved media literacy among the public?

Have we missed out important issues or activities in this field?

Comments/suggestions on the evidence we have presented?

Will media literacy progress ‘naturally’ and do knowledge gaps matter?

What are the priorities for media literacy, what initiatives are needed?

What role (any? same?) should media literacy have in the new Comms Act?

What evidence could support a renewed media literacy agenda?

How are the demands on media (digital) literacy changing as ever more of our lives are mediated?

Panel discussion

Monica Bulger, Oxford Internet InstituteJohn Newbigin, Creative EnglandSophie Jones, Channel 4Cary Bazalgette, Media Education Association

Conclusions and next steps

LSE Media Policy Project– Policy network– Blog– Media Policy Brief

LSE Media Policy Project

Thank-you!

– Blog: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/

– Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LSEmediapolicy– Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LSE-Media-Policy-Project/154733394550955