Approved 5/5/02
MEDIA LITERACY
Level I
RATIONALE: In this age of high technology, most of our information about
other people, different cultures, and social events comes to us via the mass
media. These have expanded to include print (newspapers, magazines, newsletters),
audio (broadcast and cable radio, streaming audio), video (broadcast and cable
television, streaming video), music (cassettes, CDs, music videos, MP3 files),
film, and the internet (world wide web, email, listservs, chat rooms, discussion
groups). As a result, the mass media have become powerful tools of education,
socialization, and indoctrination, able to shape our perceptions of others,
influence our understanding of social events. Mass media also play a major
role in determining social policy. Given the power of the media, it is important
to examine the meanings conveyed by the words, sounds, and images they project
and to examine situations in which they may be prone to certain biases. These
might include: inaccurate and/or incorrect information, under-reportage about
certain groups and events, and differential treatment of the groups and events
that are covered. Even where information is accurate, media can have a tendency
to frame complex issues and events as simple "sound bites" (short
comments).What is gained and/or lost in this tendency? Does this tendency
make it more difficult to place facts in a larger social context that might
give the reader/listener/ viewer a broader understanding of the issue at hand?
What are the social forces which influence the media one way or the other
in this regard? It is therefore important to approach the media critically,
to be able to determine where inaccuracies and exclusions exist, to be able
to find alternative sources of information to compensate for deficiencies,
and to begin to think of ways of using the media for positive social ends.
COMPETENCY: Can read, view, and/or listen to a range of mass media critically
in order to determine how words, sounds, and images are used to convey meaning
and/or to persuade, and can use this knowledge to describe how the media shape
our perceptions of others and influence our understanding of the social events
and phenomena that comprise our daily lives.
CRITERIA:
1. Survey and explain how particular issues and/or social groups are covered in a range of mass media.
2. Discuss how words, sounds, and images are used to convey meaning and/or to persuade.
3. Identify and discuss examples of biases in the media.
4. Critically examine data and sources of information.
5. Locate and discuss a mainstream source and an alternative source of information/ entertainment/ education for one of the issues/social groups selected for Criterion 1 and reflect on the differences between the two sources.
STANDARDS:
1. Criterion 1 should include consideration of the following:
a. The student should select a minimum of two topical issues and/or particular groups or individuals to focus on in demonstrating the criteria of this competency.
b. The range of mass media addressed in this competency should include some combination of three or more of the following – print (newspapers, magazines, newsletters), audio (broadcast and cable radio, streaming audio), video (broadcast and cable television, streaming video), music (cassettes, CDs, music videos, MP3 files), film, internet (world wide web, email, listservs, chat rooms, discussion groups).
c. Summarize in writing the media coverage of the issues or groups selected for 5-7 consecutive days.
2. The discussion of the creation of meaning and mechanisms of persuasion should include consideration of how verbal and non-verbal messages are used not just to convey information, but also to construct emotions, values, and ideologies. Given the range of media under consideration, this might include some combination of variables such as: choice of words, graphics and numerical measures, writing style, manipulation of data/information, tone, volume, image and sound quality, grain of the voice, camera angle, lighting, editing, pacing, tempo, phrasing, contextualization, etc.
3. The discussion of bias should include consideration of the following in both quantitative and qualitative terms:
a. who is represented in the media, who is not represented, and whether people are represented as individuals, members of a group/organization, and/or participants in a social movement;
b. whether people of different classes, races, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, ages, disabilities, and/or sexual orientations are represented in a biased way and, if so, how;
c. whether and/or how different kinds of organizations/social movements are represented differently;
d. what kinds of stories/issues are usually covered (including crime, human interest, individual profiles, topical issues, and investigative pieces, among others), and what kinds of stories/issues are not covered;
e. whether the student's assessment of media biases is in agreement with that of others in the field who have studied the issue. Discussion should include at least two sources, which are approved by the evaluator.
4. Examination of data and sources should address the following:
a. Data. What data (including qualitative and quantitative) are presented? Is it useful? relevant?
b. Sources. Who is quoted by the media? Are they presented as experts? What are their qualifications? Do they appear reliable and/or credible? What is the range of alternative viewpoints that are offered?
5. Discussion should include a written comparison of the mainstream and alternative coverage of the issue/social group selected.
EXAMPLES OF DEMONSTRATION:
1. Prior Learning: A student who has had experience in running media campaigns for elected officials and/or labor or community organizations and wants to complete the competency from prior learning, uses that experience to demonstrate (either in writing or orally with supporting written documentation of relevant campaign materials) a knowledge of which media are the most appropriate for a given campaign and why, how to pitch a story for maximal effectiveness and to get around known media biases, and what kinds of data are likely to be the most persuasive.
2. Independent Study: A student who wants to demonstrate this competency through independent study may proceed by reading an introductory text on communications or mass media, as well as a number of specific studies of bias in the media to be determined in consultation with a CPCS evaluator. The student should conduct two small media studies. Described below, and submit a series of short papers on the thematic topics of the competency and a review of the bias studies comparing mainstream and alternative media.:
a. Study 1. monitoring the mass media — the students select a daily newspaper, a daily television show, and a daily radio program and monitor each for one week, to determine the kinds of stories/issues covered/not covered, who is represented/not represented, and what supporting data is presented.
b. Study 2. comparing alternative sources of information - the students select one or more controversial issues relevant to public and community service and write papers comparing the coverage of these issues in mainstream and alternative media.
3. Course: Complete a CPCS course addressing the competency or an appropriate transfer.