MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
• Literacy - The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute,
using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a
continuum of learning, wherein individuals are able to achieve their goals, develop their
knowledge and potential, and participate fully in their community and wider society.
• Media - The physical objects used to communicate with, or the mass communication through
physical objects such as radio, television, computers, film, etc. It also refers to any physical
object used to communicate messages.
• Media Literacy - The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of
forms. It aims to empower citizens by providing them with the competencies (knowledge and
skills) necessary to engage with traditional media and new technologies.
• Information - A broad term that covers processed data, knowledge derived from study,
experience, instruction, signals or symbols.
• Information Literacy - The ability to recognize when information is needed, and to locate,
evaluate, and effectively communicate information in its various formats.
• Technology Literacy - The ability of an individual, either working independently or with
others, to responsibly, appropriately, and effectively use technological tools. Using these tools
an individual can access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and communicate information.
• Media and Information Literacy -The essential skills and competencies that allow
individuals to engage with media and other information providers effectively, as well as
develop critical thinking and life-long learning skills to socialize and become active citizens.
Other Definitions
Media - physical objects used to communicate including mass media (radio, television,
computers, film, etc.). Traditionally, media are source of credible information in which contents
are provided through an editorial process determined by journalistic values and where editorial
accountability can be attributed to an organization or a legal person. In more recent years the
term ‘media’ is often used to include new online media.
Information Literacy - includes the competencies to be effective in all stages of the lifecycle
of documents of all kinds, the capacity to understand the ethical implications of these
documents, and the ability to behave in an ethical way throughout these stages.
Evolution of Media
Pre-Industrial Age (Before 1700s) - People discovered fire, developed paper from plants, and
forged weapons and tools with stone, bronze, copper and iron.
Examples: • Cave paintings (35,000 BC) • Clay tablets in Mesopotamia (2400 BC)
• Papyrus in Egypt (2500 BC) • Acta Diurna in Rome (130 BC) !20
• Dibao in China (2nd Century) • Codex in the Mayan region (5th Century)
• Printing press using wood blocks (220 AD)
Industrial Age (1700s-1930s) - People used the power of steam, developed machine tools,
established iron production, and the manufacturing of various products (including books
through the printing press).
Examples: • Printing press for mass production (19th century) • Newspaper- The London
Gazette (1640)
• Typewriter (1800)Telephone (1876) • Motion picture
photography/projection (1890) • Commercial motion pictures (1913)
• Motion picture with sound (1926)
• Telegraph
• Punch cards
Electronic Age (1930s-1980s) - The invention of the transistor ushered in the electronic age.
People harnessed the power of transistors that led to the transistor radio, electronic circuits, and
the early computers. In this age, long distance communication became more efficient.
Examples: • Transistor Radio • Television (1941)
• Large electronic computers- i.e. EDSAC (1949) and
UNIVAC 1 (1951)
• Mainframe computers - i.e. IBM 704 (1960)
• Personal computers - i.e. HewlettPackard 9100A (1968), Apple 1 (1976) •
OHP, LCD projectors
Information Age (1900s-2000s) - The Internet paved the way for faster communication and the
creation of the social network. People advanced the use of microelectronics with the invention
of personal computers, mobile devices, and wearable technology. Moreover, voice, image,
sound and data are digitalized. We are now living in the information age. Examples: • Web
browsers: Mosaic (1993), Internet Explorer (1995)
• Blogs: Blogspot (1999), LiveJournal (1999), Wordpress (2003)
• Social networks: Friendster (2002), Multiply (2003), Facebook (2004)
• Microblogs: Twitter (2006), Tumblr (2007)
• Video: YouTube (2005)
• Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality
• Video chat: Skype (2003), Google Hangouts (2013)
• Search Engines: Google (1996), Yahoo (1995)
• Portable computers- laptops (1980), netbooks (2008), tablets (1993)
• Smart phones
• Wearable technology
• Cloud and Big Data
Roles and functions of media in a Democratic Society
• Channel - provides opportunities for people to communicate, share ideas, speculate,
tell stories and give information
• Watchdog - exposes corrupt practices of the government and the private sector.
Creating a space wherein governance is challenged or scrutinized by the governed. It also
guarantees free and fair elections
• Resource center - acts as a gateway of information for the society’s consumption.
Also, it becomes a keeper of memories of the community, preserver of heritage and
source of academic knowledge.
• Advocate - through its diverse sources or formats, it bridges the gap of digital divide.
MEDIA INFORMATION LITERACY
Handouts No. 3
MEDIA LANGUAGES
• Language - pertains to the technical and symbolic ingredients or codes and conventions that
media and information professionals may select and use in an effort to communicate ideas,
information and knowledge.
• Media Languages - codes, conventions, formats, symbols and narrative structures that
indicate the meaning of media messages to an audience.
Codes - are systems of signs, which create meaning
3 Types of Codes
1. Technical codes - include sound, camera angles, types of shots and lighting. They may
include, for example, ominous music to communicate danger in a feature film, or high-angle
camera shots to create a feeling of power in a photograph.
2. Symbolic codes - include the language, dress or actions of characters, or iconic symbols that
are easily understood. For example, a red rose may be used symbolically to convey romance, or
a clenched fist may be used to communicate anger.
3. Written Codes - use of language style and textual layout (headlines, captions, speech
bubbles, language style, etc. )
• Convention - In the media context, refers to a standard or norm that acts as a rule governing
behaviour.
• Messages - the information sent from a source to a receiver.
• Audience - the group of consumers for whom a media message was constructed as well as
anyone else who is exposed to the message.
• Producers - People engaged in the process of creating and putting together media content to
make a finished media product.
• Other stakeholders - Libraries, archives, museums, internet and other relevant information
providers.
Legal, Ethical, and Societal Issues in Media and Information Literacy
•Copyright - a legal device that gives the creator of a literary, artistic, musical, or other creative
work the sole right to publish and sell that work. Copyright owners have the right to control the
reproduction of their work, including the right to receive payment for that reproduction. An
author may grant or sell those rights to others, including publishers or recording companies.
Violation of a copyright is called infringement.
•Plagiarism - an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of
another author without authorization; the representation of that author's work as one's own, as
by not crediting the original author.
•Cyber Bullying - bullying that takes place online, or using electronic technology such as cell
phones, computers, and tablets over communication tools including social media sites, text
messages, chat, and websites. Examples of cyber bullying: text messages or emails composed to
insult or demean; rumors or false statements spread by email or posted on social networking
sites; and humiliating photos, videos, websites, or fake profiles deliberately shared across social
media.
•Computer addiction - the excessive use of computers to the extent that it interferes with daily
life. This excessive use may for example interfere with work or sleep, result in problems with
social interaction, or affect mood, relationships, and thought processes.
•Digital divide - an economic inequality between groups in terms of access to, use of, or
knowledge of ICT. The divide within countries (such as the digital divide in the United States)
can refer to inequalities between individuals, households, businesses, and geographic areas at
different socioeconomic (and other demographic) levels. The Global digital divide designates
countries as the units of analysis, and examines the divide between developing and developed
countries on an international scale.
Fair Use – is the privilege given to users who wish to use copyrighted materials without prior
permission or remuneration, if the benefit of a work to society outweighs the cost of the
beholder. It applies to practices with the purpose of criticism, comments, news, and teaching
and academic research. The fair use policy helps ensure that people have access to the
information essential to them in order for them to become functional and knowledgeable
citizens.
Infringement – it is an encroachment or trespass on a right or privilege. Violation or
infringement of IP rights is subject to sanctions around the world. In the Philippines, IP rights
are protected by RA8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IP
code).Plagiarism and piracy (unauthorized downloading or distribution of copyrighted
materials)are the most common grounds of copyright infringement.
Cybercrime Law RA10175
• Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is a law in the Philippines approved on September
12, 2012. A n act defining Cybercrime Providing for Prevention, Investigation and
imposition of penalties therefor and other purposes.
Among the cybercrime offenses included in the bill are;
• Illegal access
• Data interference
• System interference
• Cyber squatting
• Cybersex
• Child Pornography
• Libel
