MEDIA LITERACY IN A DIGITAL WORLD Resolution of the European Parliament MEP Christa Prets Media Literacy Conference Prague, 19th of March 2009

MEDIA AS CHANCE THE MEDIA Offer opportunities to engage in worldwide communication Adopt cosmopolitan attitudes Impart knowledge Advance the development of democracy → BUT: also entail a danger of greater manipulation

MEDIA AS CHALLENGE Rapid development of the information and communications sector (ICT) Innovative technologies and mass media Rapid technological change Flood of information → Media Literacy: help people responding to these challenges and turning them into self- confident media users

DEFINITION OF MEDIA LITERACY Ability to use the media Understand, and bring critical assessment to bear on, the various aspects of media as such and media content Communicate, regardless of the context Access to new information technologies Discerning attitude to the content that they transmit

RESOLUTION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Adoption of the resolution with vast majority in Strasbourg, December 2008 Resolution addresses a range of modern communication tools and types: television, film, video, radio, images, newspapers, magazines, music, computer games, Internet, advertising Target groups = all media users children, young people, adults, older people, people with disabilities

MAIN AIMS OF THE RESOLUTION Giving access to information and communications technologies Analysis, and a discerning attitude to, media content and the media culture, and independent thought, Production of media texts by users themselves and security in the use of new technologies

1) Giving access to information and communications technologies Narrowing the digital divide between Member States, but also between town and country Every citizen should have the possibility of using an inexpensive broadband connection

2) Media education in schools and as a component of teacher training MEDIA EDUCATION as an element of formal education as interdisciplinary approach combined with out-of- school projects is a matter of particular importance in special schools TEACHER TRAINING Compulsory media education during teacher trainings for all school levels Regular exchange of information and good practices

3) Media education for older people Work has to be done at places where older people are to be found:  old people‘s and nursing homes, assisted living facilities, senior citizens‘ groups, … Digital networks → important for the independence of older people

CONCLUSIO: Outlook Media Literacy has to be recognized as one of the key competences Strengthening and promoting the topic on European Level European Parliament urges the Commission to adopt a recommendation and develop an action plan on media literacy

Thanks for your attention!