Stages of media literacy in Europe

Attention to film (1960s/ 70s)

In France, this orientation coincided with the promotion of the nouvelle vague, a trend in which film makers themselves became concerned with theoretical discussion, pedagogy and the spread of aesthetics; in the United Kingdom with the free cinema, although the creation of the British Film Institute had done a lot for media education since 1933; in Italia, with the appearance of cinematographic neo-realism; and in Germany and Poland, in relation to the cinematographic trends of the time.

Television and advertising ( 1970s/80s)

Media education became more critical and took advantage of the critical experience of French semiology (based on Barthes and the magazine Communications), as well as the suggestions of critical ideology derived from the movements of May 1968 - in particular those related to criticism of the consumer society – and proposals made in British cultural research (Hoggart, Williams, Stuart Hall).

Alternatives to mass communication ( 1980s)

It was during this time that the video appeared - and with it many types of popular video – and the development of local or close communication began. This trend was particularly strong in France, Italy, Spain, etc.

De-regulation of TV ( 1980s/90s)

Talks about violence, influence on young people of advertising, etc. The unprecedented strength of electronic media and the need to connect schools with  current information led to the first systematic links being formed between schools and the media.

Digital literacy ( 1990s)

The novelty of these new media, and the need for digitalisation that they brought, changed the focus of literacy to the need to acquire instrumental skills, and above all to combat the digital divide, which developed into serious levels of inequality in access to new media.

Media Literacy ( 2000s)

The media convergence began with force, and calls began for a synthesis of digital literacy and the tradition of audiovisual literacy (media education), which began to be known as media literacy.

Since the 1970s, the focus of media education has developed from a perspective centred basically on the educational context, using pedagogical methods, to another focused on the civic context.

In recent times, interest has been shared between mass media and digital media and is based around concern for the new digital environment, including both digital and new media.

Three basic models stand out. One of them is dominated by the objective of protection against possible harm from the media, a model in which mistrust and suspicion of the media are evident. In the second model, promotion, mistrust and suspicion are replaced by the objective of taking advantage of the benefits offered by new media. Finally, the third model is more eclectic, combining protection and promotion, and adding creative production.

 

Three models can be distinguished:
a) Critical reading: related to semiotics and critique, and with cultural studies;

b) Creative production: related to active pedagogy, alternative communication theories and the establishment of communication policies; finally,

c) Cooperative production: this model is related to policies promoting information society and communication theories in cooperative and community work.

The following countries have recently modified their curriculums to include digital and media skills: the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Finland, Italy and Portugal. Only in certain countries, is the promotion of skills related to digital literacy extended to the mass media and general communication, that is, to media literacy. Such countries include Germany and Finland.

Media convergence

The media convergence and multiplication of media screens and platforms is creating a new multimedia environment in which citizens are going about their lives.

Shift from a focus on protection to a focus on promotion

This is leading to a gradual reduction in the attention paid to policies focused exclusively on protection.

Within the protection stage, a distinction can be made between moral protection, characterised by the ethical, rejection of the media and their excesses, and the need to protect the population. Ideological protectionism stems from an ideological-political commitment and criticises and condemns messages and media opposed to this commitment.

Growing sensitivity of citizens to commercial communication

The emerging trends of the situation are increased sensitivity among citizens and businesses to the area, higher levels of public participation and a need for new media literacy schemes in the areas of marketing and advertising, and the new types of commercial communication.

Increasing presence of media literacy in the compulsory education curriculum

Many countries have included the acquisition of media and digital skills as among the final objectives of their curriculum (Finland, Slovenia, France, Spain); and some have linked these skills to civic education and active citizenship (France, Spain).

Some have created optional subjects (Some in Spain and France) on the media. Others have established evaluation systems for such skills (France).

In general, there is a clear trend for linking skills related to new digital media with critical and creative skills related to mass media (film, radio, television and press).

The trend in Europe is to separate skills related to media education and to digital skills.

For example, in early 1996, the Finnish Ministry for Education published a report by a small committee on cultural and media literacy; there are a lot of different activities in the German Laender to raise awareness on the importance of media literacy and to integrate media education into the different curriculums; in all four UK nations there are requirements for learning about the media as part of mother tongue. Less attention in Spain and Portugal.