Media Literacy Policy NEWS PUBLIC ACCESS FACTS DIGITAL ACCESS DEMOCRATIC RADIO TECHNOLOGY INCLUSION PARTICIPATE MEDIA INCLUSIVE TVSOCIAL www.bai.ie Media literacy is the key to empowering people with the skills and knowledge to understand how media works in this changing environment NEWS PUBLIC ACCESS DIGITAL ACCESS DEMOCRATIC RADIO TECHNOLOGY INCLUSION PARTICIPATE MEDIA INCLUSIVE TV Introduction Our changing technological, media and social It is against this backdrop that the BAI environments are providing new possibilities has developed this Media Literacy Policy. for everyone to participate in their society The policy has been developed as part and engage with broadcast, digital and of our statutory obligation to undertake, other media content and services. This can encourage and foster research, measures result in greater contributions to the digital and activities which are directed towards and creative economies, reductions in social the promotion of media literacy. To that end, isolation, and improvements in civic, cultural, the policy details a set of media literacy economic and democratic participation. competencies, namely, the range of media However, these changing environments can literacy skills which have been identified also facilitate easy distribution and access to by the BAI as essential for navigating the material likely to threaten social cohesion by current and emerging technological, media NEWSinciting hatred of particular groups of people and social environment. These competencies (e.g., on grounds of race/ethnicity, gender, have been developed with a broad range of PUBLIC sexuality), or promoting extremist views. stakeholders, including audio-visual content ACCESS providers, public authorities, academia, civil Media literacy is the key to empowering society organisations and those involved in DIGITALpeople with the skills and knowledge online activities. to understand how media works in this changing environment, to interrogate the The implementation of the policy will be accuracy of information, to counter unfair supported by the BAI, in a variety of ways and inaccurate representation, to challenge including: extremist views and, ultimately, to make better — the development of an annual media informed media choices. This is especially ACCESS literacy work plan; significant for those who might otherwise struggle to navigate an increasingly noisy — the provision of support for the DEMOCRATIC media landscape and sound-bite orientated development of a National Media Literacy Network; RADIO society. In addition, media literacy can help people develop much-needed skills in the — the provision of ongoing support areas of creativity and of problem solving in for media literacy through our technology-richTECHNOLOGY environments – an area that core activities, including the Ireland scores below average compared to complaints handling process, INCLUSION other developed nations.1 research commissioning, sectoral development activities and MEDIA programme-making grants, awarded PARTICIPATE as part of the Broadcasting Funding INCLUSIVE TV Scheme. 1 The OECD survey PIAAC adult skills survey assesses proficiency in three main areas: literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments. It defines literacy as “understanding, evaluating, using and engaging with written texts to participate in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential”. Digital and print text are both included here. 1 Policy Objective 1 Objective 2 To provide leadership To describe and Objectives and facilitate a promote media coordinated approach literacy among to the promotion citizens, consumers of media literacy in and stakeholders, Ireland. in a manner that The overarching policy is relevant and objective for the BAI’s meaningful. Media Literacy Policy and By its very nature, associated work plan is: media literacy is a life- long learning journey The term ‘media To empower Irish that requires different literacy’ has its origins people with the stakeholders to provide in academia and is often skills and knowledge support to people at understood differently by to make informed different stages of their different stakeholders in choices about the learning journey. different sectors, which media content and No one organisation can can lead to a lack of services that they achieve this in isolation. clarity. consume, create and This policy is anchored This policy, and the disseminate. in the statutory media literacy framework requirements outlined detailed within it, Supporting this in the Broadcasting Act specifically avoids using overarching policy 2009, but also strives a definition of media objective are five strategic to reflect the current literacy. Rather, it focuses policy objectives: thinking about media on creating a set of literacy at international competencies, skills level by organisations indicators and success such as the European indicators in language Commission, EPRA (the that will be widely European Platform of understood by citizens, Regulatory Authorities) society and stakeholders and the EBU (European from varying sectors and Broadcasting Unit). In that will help to improve addition, the policy and media literacy awareness the framework for the and education. cross-sector promotion of media literacy included within it, are designed to reflect the interests and activities of a growing number of stakeholders within Ireland. 2 Objective 3 Objective 4 Objective 5 To encourage a wide To foster media To develop a policy range of stakeholders literacy research and that is strategically to participate in the development of aligned to other key the promotion of a comprehensive learning frameworks media literacy, knowledge base. and policies. in line with their specific business and There already exists This policy is designed strategic priorities. a significant amount to complement a range of research in relation of existing formal Traditionally, the to various aspects of and informal learning promotion of media media literacy. This frameworks and policies literacy has fallen to the policy is intended to help such as the National media industry and to stakeholders disseminate Digital Strategy (DCCAE), the educational sector. existing and future the Digital Strategy However, just as the research to a broader for Schools (DES), scope of media literacy range of stakeholders. the Further Education is evolving, so too are and Training Strategy In addition, the policy the sectors with a role to (SOLAS), the National is intended to be used play in promoting media Skills Strategy (DES), the to identify future areas literacy. National Framework of for research, potential Qualifications (QQI), the This policy and its research partners, Junior and Senior Cycle associated media with the possibility of Curriculum (NCCA), literacy framework are developing national and the Prohibition of intended for use by a baseline measurements Incitement to Hatred Act, wide range of media for skills indicators. 1989. Where possible, literacy stakeholders this policy uses similar in the manner that is language, to help most appropriate to their maintain consistency, objectives and their work. facilitate coordination, It is designed to help reduce fragmentation and stakeholders to recognise minimise duplication. where they fit in, and how (and with whom) they might develop media literacy projects that will contribute to their own strategic objectives, while at the same time contributing to the BAI’s overarching objective as outlined above. 3 By its very nature, media literacy is a life-long learning journey NEWS PUBLIC ACCESS DIGITAL ACCESS DEMOCRATIC RADIO TECHNOLOGY INCLUSION PARTICIPATE MEDIA INCLUSIVE TV 4 Understanding Media A framework for the promotion By its nature, media literacy covers a of Media Literacy very broad range of skills. Consequently, stakeholders are not expected to address The core of this policy is a framework each competency or its associated skills for the promotion of media literacy. and success indicators. This framework is This framework consists of three core specifically designed to allow stakeholders media literacy competencies and a set of to adopt a ‘pick and mix’ approach, where associated skills and success indicators. they can identify which media literacy This framework will be used to prioritise skills most closely align with their core and organise the BAI’s own portfolio business and their own strategic priorities. of media literacy work. It is anticipated Similarly, the competencies and their that this framework may also be useful associated indicators are not in any NEWS in helping a wide range of stakeholders order of priority and some indicators are shape their own media literacy activities, applicable across multiple competencies. PUBLIC in line with their own strategic and ACCESS business objectives. As a result, the BAI The three competencies and associated has chosen to publish this document skills and success indicators are set out in DIGITAL in the spirit of collaboration and in the the following pages. hope that the framework will help all stakeholders recognise what role they can play and identify opportunities for collaboration. ACCESS DEMOCRATIC RADIO TECHNOLOGY INCLUSION PARTICIPATE MEDIA INCLUSIVE TV 5 Core Competency 1 Understand and critically evaluate broadcast, digital and other media content and services, in order to make informed choices and best manage media use. Skill indicators for individuals Success indicators / collective impact — Recognise