Media literacy is a very important for the country like India. This subject is not new for the advanced countries like America like Europe, but for the India it is a new thing. We better know that in the India the media study used to start at the graduation level. 10 year before the media education where given to the people at the postgraduate level but now the scenario has changed and it is a course which is being started at the graduation level. Govt. is serious to start this course at the school level, but the success has not been achieved so far. In the developed country, the media education is imparted to the students at the high school level. So the result is very positive. They Are very sensitive towards the media content they. They are able to judge the validity, reliability, truthfulness accuracy of the content and due to this particular reason only the developed country are developed one.
Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms. It involves critical thinking skills that enable individuals to understand the messages conveyed through media and to make informed decisions about how they consume and create media.
To develop media literacy skills, individuals must understand the various concepts associated with media, such as media messages, audience, bias and propaganda, production and distribution, and ethics and responsibility. They must also be able to recognize the economic and political factors that influence the creation and distribution of media content.
Media literacy is crucial in today's digital world, where individuals are constantly exposed to a wide range of media messages. By developing media literacy skills, individuals can navigate the media landscape more effectively, become more informed and engaged citizens, and make responsible decisions about the media they consume and create.
It involves a set of critical thinking skills that enable individuals to understand the messages conveyed through media and to make informed decisions about how they consume and create media.
Media literacy involves several key concepts, including:
- Messages: Understanding the messages and ideas conveyed through media and the various techniques used to deliver these messages. It is to judge judge, whether the message is balance, data in the message is accurate or not. It is to also judge whether the message is correct or not. The credibility, the truth fullness,the accuracy of the message is very important. So media literacy helps the people to understand the message in correct manner. Today we are witnessing the cases of fake news. So message is to also to judge whether the news whether the words whether the picture whether the narratives of the message is correct or not. Media literacy enlighten the people to appropriately just the message in easier manner. Lots of software, sites are there which helps people to check out the validity of message.
- Receiver (Audience, Reader and listener): Understanding how different audiences might interpret and respond to media messages based on their cultural backgrounds, values, and beliefs. Audience has very important for the success of the media and media. Literacy helps the audience to just the content over the media. The socio-economic condition and profile of the audience is very necessary to post out the correct and appropriate content. The correct knowledge of the audience even helps the media literate people to create appropriate and exact content for the audience without fail. Nowadays, the concept of vitality of message is very important and only with the proper knowledge of audience we can create a content which is really helpful for the people and it will become viral also.
- Bias and propaganda: Recognizing the role of bias and propaganda in media and how it can influence people's opinions and behaviors. Nowadays, it is being observed that lots of news are of biased nature. They are the part of propaganda which can be of various nature. Sometimes it can be the nature of bringing some bad name for someone. Some time it can be of political nature. Propaganda is to just inflate the things which is often not as much of volume as much is said in the news. It is to enlarge and inflate the data by hook and crook. So media literacy also help out to zero such mall practises. If such case happens or is being noticed by the people then they can report it to the authority or even they can ignore that message. Which will give clear-cut ignorance to the source of the message and this is very important message that is direct and clear one.
- Content Creator from Content Consumer : Understanding the process of creating and distributing media content, including the economic and political factors that influence this process. Media literacy is again very important factor for the common people to become content creator from content consumers. Lots of people nowadays are content consumers. They are heavily dependent upon the media content for the sake of their information, entertainment, and knowledge. Media literacy will help people to correctly balance in between all the three factor. They will help the people to choose the correct content to really get help in their life. What is the people will know what to consume how to consume when to consume then ultimately, it is going to help them out to manufacture the content. Manufacturing the content will automatically turn the common people into an empowered one. So content creation is really a landmarking change, a type of revolution that will happen with proper media literacy and empowering people to correctly judge. What type of content they can manufacture for the common people. Nowadays multiple platforms are there in front of the common people. Only the challenge in front of the people is to how to create the meaningful content which has the power and potential to change the society. With the proper media literacy, a tactical transformation can happen in the society which will ultimately revolutionise the way the people used to consume the content. Because the content consumers and content creator will be from the same society.
- Ethics and responsibility: Understanding the ethical considerations involved in creating and consuming media and the impact of media on individuals, society, and culture. With the advent of digital media, the ethics and responsibility parts has become very thin. It often happens that we search for some content and we have to encounter with nudity Simi nudity, vulgar and offensive content. So really this is a challenge in front of all stakeholders. All stakeholders to think that things from tickle interview media literacy is also subject. If we teach the people how to consume and create the content which is ethically certified. The content which can be consumed by the minor and children without any ethical consideration.
- Use Of Multi Media - Media literacy is also to teach people how to properly use the multimedia. We know better that multimedia is an integral part of content creation. If you want the people to change into content creator then the proper uses of multimedia is very essential. Multimedia composed of the things like words, picture, audios, videos, animation graphics and other elements. Multimedia is the power behind the media content one who has the command and expertise over the uses of multimedia. They can produce ultimate content. This particular content will not only be popular in between the masses, but it will be able to deliver the message in a very correct and accurate way. So the proper training and knowledge about the uses of multimedia to create meaningful and valuable content is very essential. With the help of media literacy, this is also essential part of this syllabus.
Media literacy is an essential skill in today's digital world, where we are constantly bombarded with information and messages from various sources. By developing media literacy skills, individuals can better navigate and make sense of the media landscape and become more informed and engaged citizens.
