Media

We Can All Be Media Literate
Media literacy is necessary to
help improve the contents of mass media.

Media literacy is a must for us if we want to understand what's going on in this postmodern era. It is not difficult to be a media literate. You will even enjoy the process.

Media Literacy Education

One of the thrusts of the apostolate of the Daughters of St. Paul today is to conduct media literacy education.

Media literacy education (or MLE) is learning the skills to read, analyze, critique and evaluate media texts in all its forms: television, radio, film, newspaper/magazine, music, Internet and so forth. Each medium has its own language, which can help to understand the codes, signs and symbols of both audio and visual communication. A media literate person will have a greater appreciation of the benefits that media offer and will also become more aware of their destructive effects.

A Help for Catechists

Some catechists representing different parishes of Bacolod Diocese together with the Association of Pauline Cooperators (APC) attended the Media Literacy Education seminar last June 2005 in Bacolod City.

The eighty participants expressed great enthusiasm about MLE and commented that MLE has made them realize the importance of understanding how the media work. It will also help them guide others to become critical users, viewers, readers and listeners of media. The pervasiveness of media in the lives of individuals, families and society cannot be underscored. It has become a culture and continues to evolve as a way of life.

A Boost for Media Practitioners

Media reporters, editors, announcers and staff of commercial, government and religious media entities, who came for the celebration of World Communications Day (WCD) last May 2005 in Legazpi City, had also their chance for a media literacy seminar. As producers of media content, the discussion focused on their grave responsibility of telling the truth to their audience so as to bring about the dialogue on different levels of society.

The theme of 2005 World Communications Day, "Communications Media: At the Service of Understanding Peoples" challenged the media practitioners to seek the truth amidst risk and dangers. Among the objectives of MLE are advocacy for the good use of media and joining groups in organizing nonviolent protest against media abuses.

Useful for Christian Educators and Students

The principals, heads of early childhood, and area coordinators of the Manila Archdiocesan Parochial School Association (MAPSA) had their own chance a few months ago. The topic of their seminar was "Media: Bane or Boon in the Learning Process." Representing ninety-three parochial schools in the National Capital Region (NCR), some of the participants requested an electronic copy of the talk so that they can email it to all the member schools and use it for their respective institution.

Is media a bane or boon in the learning process? Using media can be greatly beneficial in the learning process if teachers and students are media literate. Media literacy enables one to maximize the resources with their knowledge of media language, codes and symbols, and having learned the skills to analyze, critique and evaluate.

Media on the other hand, can be a source of harm in the learning process if teachers and students do not have sufficient knowledge of media literacy. Media would tend to enslave viewers, listeners and readers with their strategic approach of making everyone hooked to their presentations. The guidance of parents and elders is necessary but not enough to ensure adverse effects. All media audience young and old, children and adults have to learn media literacy education. This has been the Church's recommendation to all peoples.

Contact Us:

Sr. Consolata Manding, FSP
Directress
Paulines Institute of Communication in Asia
Tel. No. : 831-6960 local 201
E-mail: pccenter@paulines.ph