Media literacy: a challenge adult citizen
Developing media education is an imperative adult citizen. Indeed, free and independent media are the guarantors of democracy through freedom of expression. Of course, some media are limited in their freedom of expression, because the large groups that hold them. But the whole purpose of media education is to make citizens aware of these underlying issues behind this pseudo-independent media. Attention, I do not want to demonize any media, but on the contrary, I emphasized the need for them. However, given the power they are (as the 4th power could define an American journalist, Burke, 1787), we need to know to step back on the information they provide, their functioning and relationships as they may have a point the political-social qu'économico.
1) Media and Democracy
The media is a key guarantor of the preservation of our democracy and the exercise of freedom of expression. Their role is indeed to analyze events occurring in France, Europe, worldwide. However, media can not be totally objective, it is natural, a journalist always chooses an approach angle and can not always have all the information that would allow it to be totally objective.
This notion of objectivity in the media is very interesting. Indeed, media can be objective? This leads us to the notion of media pluralism. Each media whatsoever, adopts an editorial line, approximates this or that opinion, a particular point of view. What is commonly called and a very ugly shortcut media right "or" liberal media. " Also, the fact that there are a multitude of media promotes this diversity of views. Nevertheless, we must not lose view that behind the media who seem different, hide large media groups. It is therefore a serious delusion concerning media pluralism! Indeed, several different media which seems in fact meet the same guidelines of a media group that addresses itself to the economic, financial and political
2) Media and political
policy is the first power. And of course, facing the media, politicians do everything to try to spread their ideas (or even their ideology!). The media are not fooled, people generally either. However, from political power, sometimes the media is becoming more "malleable". It is those I would call "opportunistic media. In my opinion, having regard to power and influence posed by the media, they should necessarily and must be independent of all financial issues, economic, social, political, etc.. But the media are just businesses. And they must make profits. And for this they need to attract consumers (the term has always surprised me, how can we speak of "consumer" of media? Do you realize what that implies? Can we be passive in the face to the media ? Aberrant!). Thus, face a highly competitive market and very popular (which does not know the famous saying "that holds the information holds the power), some media are influenced ... or worse yet fall into démogagie: do everything possible to attract a maximum people at the expense of real wealth of information, fair, impartial and not influenced.
3) Educating the media: what is it?
From what we just saw, educate the media is to raise citizens and future citizens of the status of passive consumers of media than active citizens.
This means firstly that citizen or future citizen is aware of all the underlying issues that have just been listed. Media can be influenced, because economic interests. A concrete example: advertising. Do you see a large company which distributes a multitude of advertisements objectively criticized in an article in the same media? This would mean for this media's loss of a major customer, revenue and therefore a significant risk to the survival of the media.
Then this means that the (future) citizen not only of information disseminated by individual media, but will check it, cross it with other sources of information: in Clearly, trying to cross the diversity of approaches and points of view, to form his own opinion knowingly. Finally
be educated to the media is to ensure a continuous watch throughout his life, perfecting his knowledge of media, follow trends, keep abreast of the debates through the media. Indeed, by understanding how they work, what are the problems that citizens will identify all the problems of media now.
4) Educate the media: how?
Educating the media is an ongoing work that is displayed throughout the school a student but also throughout his life. Indeed, every person is confronted daily for many hours at a variety of media. It should therefore be aware of their ubiquity and learn to live with. It does not actually know them, but also how to use them wisely knowing.
The role of parents is essential here: it is they who are the front line to help train their child. Equally important, if not more, the role of the school. Long, the school neglected the media was afraid. But in recent years, all policies both at national and European level underscore the need for such a media education.
5) The Media: A brief assessment
I could talk for hours and hours of media as the subject is inexhaustible. Also, here is a short summary of quotations of everything I just wrote.
- The more the media in society, the more it means that democracy is healthy. Nevertheless, vigilance that this diversity of independent media are well apart
- more a citizen vigilance operates in all media diversity, the better the democracy is alive
- The media, politics, constitute a major power. It is essential that citizens do everything to preserve the independent media to not let the stranglehold of major media groups on the media ... Democracy is at stake
- The media are not intended to manipulate the public. However, if the public was not formed, then it is necessarily manipulated.
- Parents and schools have a key role in shaping the future citizens of a world of ubiquitous media
- Media literacy is a work that begins from birth and continues until our death . Be
citizen, expand democracy, preserve the media while keeping an eye on their independence and veracity of the information they disseminate!
