Community Media organisations are unique in the Communications landscape in that they involve the members of public in both media production and capacity building. Throughout the UK Community Media projects enable members of the public to build their own websites and make video and radio programmes. Where the facility is available, Community Media organisations also involve citizens in the broadcasting. This experience enables a more profound engagement with the messages that people receive from broadcasters and new media platforms.

Community Media projects also support members of the public in getting to grip with new technologies in a friendly environment. Many Community Media organisations have specially trained staff, specially adapted equipment and offer training in languages other than English to meet the needs of socially excluded groups.

The CMA shares the view that media literacy is becoming ever more important in an age where the technology for delivering electronic media is becoming more complex and the amount of media channels is rapidly increasing.

It is also important note that the new Communications environment has introduced further relaxation of media ownership laws, allowing for greater concentration of ownership and editorial control of seemingly unrelated channels. A media literate society is even more important if the range of perspectives needed to make an informed decision is not available in the immediate media landscape.

A media literate society is able to engage critically with the information that it is presented with. Media literacy contributes to a more astute electorate and as a consequence it supports a more vibrant democracy.

Media literate people can also improve their standard of living because they are better able to engage with the technology that enables them to access information, services and the means to purchase goods.

The Community Media Association believes that media literacy is important for everyone. The capacity to understand and engage with electronic media adds value to the lives of people who have this set of skills. This principle is central to the ethos of Community Media and it lies behind the numerous media literacy initiatives run by Community Media organisations throughout the United Kingdom. These initiatives involve all members of the public at grassroots level and are run on a daily basis.