Media and information literacy in journalism

The manual is based on the principle of integrating the education and practice of journalism. The first part of the book is focused on explaining the basics of media and information literacy. The use of the term “media” throughout this document refers to two dimensions. Firstly, there is the news media as an institution, the “fourth estate”, having specific professional functions that its constituents pledge to fulfil in democratic societies and which are necessary for good governance and development. This includes radio, television and newspapers, whether online or offline, as well as journalistic content on the Internet. 

Secondly, there is media as the plural of the term “medium”, and which here refers to multiple communication modes such as broadcast and cable television, radio, newspapers, motion pictures, video games, books, magazines, certain uses of the Internet etc. MIL encompasses engagement with all these modes. For its part, UNESCO is particularly concerned with information and news, but recognise that there is other content such as entertainment, interpersonal communications, and advertising.

The use of the term “Information providers” throughout this document refers to the information management, information agencies, memory, cultural and Internet information organisations. It includes libraries, archives, museums, documentation centres, information management institutions, not-for-profit and for-profit information providers, networks, and companies which provide a range of services and content online and others.

Sections such as “Media as a MIL Development Partner,” which analyses how journalists can perform the role of media literacy integrators for the public can be considered as the new topics included in the manual.