Media Literacy

This website is dedicated to Media Literacy and the work of the Community Media Sector. The website is intended to be used as a resource for community media organisations. The site contains information about Media Literacy including definitions, publications and articles, information on the pilot projects and downloadable public service announcements and programs for Community Radio stations. If you follow the links at the top left of this page you can access resources, publications and the work of the Community Radio pilot project and the Comliteracy Project.


What is Media Literacy?

Media Literacy is defined as: ‘the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts’. This definition was produced by OFCOM who have a legal duty to promote Media Literacy under the Communications Act 2003.


Why is Media Literacy important to Community Media?

The majority of Community Media organisations engage with disadvantaged groups and offer media access and training initiatives. The Community Media sector is at the forefront of media literacy practice enabling members of the public to directly engage with, produce and understand the media.

Community Media organisations are unique in that they involve members of the public in both media production and capacity building. They encourage awareness and understanding of all stages of media literacy; producing, selecting, interpreting and contextualising material. Community Media projects enable members of the public to build their own websites and make their own video and radio programmes. Where the facility is available, Community Media organisations also involve citizens in the broadcasting of material. This experience enables a more profound engagement with the messages that people receive from broadcasters and new media platforms.

Perhaps the sectors biggest strength is its ability to engage with target groups. Not only does Community Media actively encourage participation in media literacy but it also has the ability to reach those who are often marginalised or excluded from the mainstream.

Community Media projects provide a unique environment with an informal atmosphere, peer to peer training and a diverse mix of people. With the growth in the Community Media sector there is a unique opportunity to deliver effective media literacy to the masses.

The CMA believes that the Community Media sector should be viewed as OFCOM’s most significant stakeholder in fulfilling the regulator’s duty to promote media literacy. The sector is well placed to deliver effective capacity building initiatives in media literacy to all members of the public. The Community Media sector also has greater personal reach into UK society than do other broadcasters, educational institutions and media agencies.