In the 21st century, Americans live in a world of powerful, ubiquitous media. Children and young people spend much of their time in front of the screen. According to Common Sense Media (2019), the screen time for American children (8-to-12 years) and teens were 4 hours and 44 minutes and 7 hours and 22 minutes on average, respectively. Consistently, research shows that children and adolescents are increasingly bombarded with vast amounts of information from various sources (Elmore et al., 2017). Exposure to these messages significantly influences the audience as they may interpret the content in a particular direction. For example, an image or message and how it is presented in a commercial advert can be biased and cause the audience to take a specific position on the issue depicted in the promotion. Consequently, it is imperative for students and people, in general, to consume media content objectively and to analyze the message portrayed in the news. In this context, media literature becomes integral to the active consumption of media messages.
The term “media literacy” denotes the ability to decode media messages and critically evaluate the influence of those messages on how people think, feel, and behave. The concept also entails the skill to create and use media content thoughtfully and consciously. A literate audience is able to scrutinize media content and decipher the intended message. Informed viewers analyze the content to determine whether it reflects both sides of a story or argument fairly and accurately. Media consumers need to examine the source of the information they read and understand the particular goal the creator sought to achieve. This level of keenness can help viewers to establish the authenticity and reliability of the source. For instance, it is pivotal to remain alert when reading adverts on the Internet because some sites which advocate for a certain stance firmly, especially on controversial subjects, may not present factual information. Such websites are hardly objective in their depiction, as they often seek to sell their idea, product, or opinion. It is also imperative to observe that media messages are often created with a specific audience and purpose in mind. Media literacy is the ability to understand the underlying meaning of that message.
The most essential skill needed for media literate people is critical thinking. Such people can evaluate the received information; they discern whether the content makes sense, what and why specific details are included or omitted, and the underlying ideas. They use facts to support their reasoning, and they can make a well-informed decision about the information based on prior knowledge. Furthermore, they can recognize, interpret, and construct different perspectives on real-world processes. Such people create and consume media content actively and responsibly. They can realize the author’s purpose and distinguish credible information from straight propaganda. In this context, media illiteracy is a grave danger to society. Thus, it is essential to consider the purpose of a media message and the credibility of its source to draw a fair, objective conclusion regarding the perspective or position being presented.
Finally, a media-illiterate community can be vulnerable to many serious risks. Notably, a less informed society is likely to be manipulated and misinformed by the media. Its children and young people stand a chance of being sexualized and bullied on the Internet. Moreover, such a society is vulnerable to negative racial and gender stereotypes and loss of privacy. Building media literacy knowledge and skills can provide children, teens, and even adults with some protection by empowering them to discern possible risks of bias and manipulation and make informed media usage choices. Therefore, media literacy can compromise a society’s ability to create, engage, and consume different media types and technology intelligently.
References
Common Sense Media (2019). The Common Sense Census: Media use by tweens and teens, 2019.Web.
Elmore, K. C., Scull, T. M., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2017). Media as a “super peer”: How adolescents interpret media messages predicts their perception of alcohol and tobacco use norms.Journal of youth and adolescence, 46(2), 376–387. Web.