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Journalist Discusses the Importance of Media Literacy

USINFO Webchat transcript, September 18

Antonio Lopez, of World Bridger Media, responds to questions in a September 18 USINFO Webchat about media literacy and do-it-yourself values in journalism and the media.

Following is the transcript:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
USINFO Webchat Transcript

Guest:     Antonio R. López
Date:      September 18, 2006
Time:      8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT)

Media Literacy Webchat Kicks Off UNESCO Conference

WEBCHAT MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Antonio López of World Bridger Media to our chat today.

Mr. López would you like to start off with some opening remarks about media literacy?

QUESTION [Tim]: What effect has the Internet had on the DIY community?  

ANSWER [Antonio López]: I think I answered this above, but when I was into the punk scene (early '80s) all we had was the phone, photocopiers, glue, pens and paper. Given the tools kids have these days, they are way ahead and I think a lot more media savvy. The difference, though, is that there is a willingness to "sell out" very quickly, which back in my time that was the taboo thing you could do. These days everyone wants to be famous. You can thank Warhol for that, but he's one of my heroes too, so I don't think it's entirely his fault. It's just that we live in such a mediated culture these days, and to me, media space is what "legitimizes" identity, so unless you are represented in it, you don't really exist.

Q [Tim]: Are the bands more DIY now or when you were covering the scene for Punk Planet?

What popular bands are practicing DIY?  

A: I'm not up on a lot newer bands that call themselves "punk" but I've noticed that the term "DIY" or do-it-yourself is more popular these days. It's a sign of legitimacy. Unfortunately there are some cases where it is used to make things like a certain type of porn cool, because it has a DIY aesthetic, but in name only. That is the danger of our era: that words and signs are used outside of their initial context with no real meaning. But with that said, the whole new Internet and Web 2.0 is evolving as very DIY. I think MySpace is a good example. A lot of bands are no longer using record companies because they realize they can do everything themselves and keep all their profits. A band that resembles this model is Spearhead. I also like Ozomatli. These are more in the mode of world music, but they all came out of punk and have the attitude that artists should be self-sufficient.

Q [Tim]: Are the bands more DIY now or when you were covering the scene for Punk Planet?

What popular bands are practicing DIY?  

A: I'm not up on a lot newer bands that call themselves "punk" but I've noticed that the term "DIY" or do-it-yourself is more popular these days. It's a sign of legitimacy. Unfortunately there are some cases where it is used to make things like a certain type of porn cool, because it has a DIY aesthetic, but in name only. That is the danger of our era: that words and signs are used outside of their initial context with no real meaning. But with that said, the whole new Internet and Web 2.0 is evolving as very DIY. I think MySpace is a good example. A lot of bands are no longer using record companies because they realize they can do everything themselves and keep all their profits. A band that resembles this model is Spearhead. I also like Ozomatli. These are more in the mode of world music, but they all came out of punk and have the attitude that artists should be self-sufficient. [September 18, 2006 08:13]

Q [Tim]: What is media literacy?

I've seen the term many times, but don't know the exact definition.  

A: Sorry for the delay- I had a little technical problem.

Hi, good morning from New York. Media Literacy is not the greatest term because it implies taking a literate approach, that is, one based on reading and writing, and applying it to media, which has many different elements such as sound, photography or moving images. But, we lack a better term. A media literate person is one who can "read," evaluate and communicate those ideas concerning a particular sample from the media pool. Educators believe these days its better to use new media as a tool for critiquing new media, i.e. make a video to respond to video, or print ad to respond to a print ad. 

Q [d]: Media literacy, information literacy, and technology literacy.

Are these the same thing or are there differences?   

A: Very different. To me the big problem is that what we call literacy has no wisdom. There is the saying, if information were knowledge, we'd all be geniuses. Just because you know how to edit a movie also doesn't make one an artist. What is lacking in our education, in my opinion, is art, creativity and wisdom (philosophy, if you will) 

Q [ceemajo]: Good morning.

You talk about cultural literacy. I saw a book about that a long time ago, saying that people more and more DO NOT share cultural concepts, so communications is more difficult. The only cultural connections among Americans are TV commercials and the song from Gilligan's Island.

In a diverse country like the U.S., and an even more diverse world, is it possible to have a common cultural literacy?  

A: Good question. "Cultural" literacy tends to mean literacy in elitist culture. What I think cultural literacy, in my sense, is including the world that kids live in as part of their education. Native Americans for example should be taught that their lived world is also a legitimate "text." That said, kids should also be exposed to great works from many cultures. I am a believer in multiculturalism, even though that is a bad word these days. 

Q [Andrew]: When I was in the US I thought the evening news was infotainment.

Am I way off or does the US lack the objective news I'm used to at home? 

A: Yes, compared to Europe, our news to me is very entertainment oriented. In my opinion, it is quite awful, but I think most people here feel the same, left and right. I don't think there is such a thing as objectivity, even in Europe because news is always produced with an institutional bias, and institutions have filters. And every country has its blind spot. The reason I think we lack good news is because the audience doesn't demand it, and we don't demand it because our education system doesn't promote critical engagement with the outside world (in my opinion, at least). 

Q [Andrew]: What software applications should I learn to be media literate?  

A: I think it is a good idea to learn a few programs such an image editor like Photoshop, an HTML editor to make basic Web pages, a movie editor to learn how to make a simple video, and presentation program like PowerPoint, to learn how to combine these materials to tell a story or make an argument. A lot of teachers think Flash is a good program for kids, but I find it too complicated. 

Q [Petra]: Should media literacy have a popular culture bias?   

A: I think it should apply to all media, including fine art. I would teach kids first how to read fine art, then how to read film, starting with early film, and also how to read photography. I'm a big fan of using two different type of media and compare them, such as a clip from a serious documentary with something like the Ali G Show. Popular culture does need to be engaged, for sure. 

Q [christoph]: Does media literacy require student media production activities?  

A: Absolutely. I don't think it is sufficient to just write about new media because the forms are alien to each other. Print is not adequate to describe new media, but can only approximate it. But, new media does have print in it, so I'm not saying let's stop reading books, but we have to realize that we are not in the 19th century anymore. I think there is a tendency for people to think that books are high culture and everything else is low culture. I don't feel that is the case.

Q [Duyan]: Should media literacy have an agenda? How do you make your media literacy workshops culturally specific?  

A: An example of culturally specific media workshop would use hip-hop as a legitimate example worthy of cultural production and analysis. I also, respecting local culture and trying to incorporate examples that are relevant to the community. My concern is the homogenizing effects of mass media and culture. 

Q [Ute]: Should media literacy become part of school curricula?  

A: Yes, yes, yes, and tripple yes. It has to; otherwise we are doomed to become a culture of mindless consumers. 

Q [Book1]: Greetings from Frankfurt, Germany.

How do you reach out to multicultural audiences? 

A: I go to conferences sponsored by regional health organizations and work with a lot of NGOs and nonprofits. I suggest going to community organizations because they are the ones doing outreach and know where people are. 

Q [d]: Is there a difference between media literacy and media education?  

A: I think I responded to this already, but very quickly again because it is an important point. The difference is wisdom. An educated person can civically engage the society. The literate person only learns how to read. 

Q [jonson]: There is a very sophisticated information and entertainment media around the world.

Do you think that kids are being taught enough critical thinking skills to separate information from entertainment?  

A: No, kids are not. Though I find that they are sophisticated in that they already practice the language of new media, they are just not conscious of it. I like to think of it as the difference between being mindless and mindful. It is our job to help them be critical, especially with the Internet and with sources like Wikipedia.

Q [jonson]: Who is teaching people media and technology literacy skills today? Is this being taught in US public schools? 

A: Media literacy is mainly taught in after school programs, or outside the school. This is the fault of states who set the standards. They need to make media literacy part of their standards. New Mexico has done a good job of making media literacy part of public education. I'd also like to see the Federal government take a greater interest in it.

Q [Book1]: What ideas do you have to incorporate geographical literacy into media and multicultural literacy? It seems to be entirely missing in mainstream media.   

A: Yes, good point. I'm not an expert on this, but I know the national geographic society is concerned about this. They did a survey and found that more people knew where the show "Survivor" was staged than where Iraq is. Again, I think it is a matter of the quality of education and state standards.

Antonio López: Hi everyone, I've been so busy responding to your questions I didn't have a chance to make an introductory remark, so I'll just say I'm happy to be here and you all are asking great questions. I'm just going to jump back in and get to the heart of your inquiries. (I apologies in advance for my typos!)

Q [Anna]: How much, in your opinion, media shapes up the audience behavior?

Do you think media produces its own consumers or it reflects the audience's behavior?

A: It's a feedback system, so it goes back and forth. I think mass media generally has more power to advance certain cultural attitudes because it's just everywhere, but most studies I've seen show that person-to-person communication is still the most powerful way to influence and exchange ideas. Also, there is a lot of new research that shows that cognition plays a big part in how information travels. Ultimately, I think as consumers we have the most power, but only if we are educated.

Q [Tim]: Hi Mr. Lopez, Do you think the relationship between the Internet and newspapers is similar to the relationship between Broadway and cinema in 1920?

Initially people looked down on cinema as low culture, but over 10-15 years it became legitimate. It seems that newspapers and television are now embracing the Internet.

A: I haven't studied the '20s, but it sounds like a good analogy. I think the Internet has a stronger pull because it is very interactive. It is popular because it can be personalized and edited. I believe this is a good situation for consumers. The problem, though, is that investigative reporting is very costly and I don't know yet how Internet companies can sustain a budget for regional offices and research staff. There is way too much rumor as news, but that is not necessarily a new reality. Also, I don't think we can isolate media forms anymore. Everything now is a hybrid.

Q [Tony]: What is the most important type of media to learn? Is the Internet now more important than television?

A: It's all important, and tools for one can be applied to the other. Film and TV should be taught, but also the issue of "credibility" on the Web. Kids really need to learn how to question the source of the information they are seeing on the Web. There is a new phenomena of hate groups using "cloaked" sites that look legitimate, but when you probe you see the information is completely false. For example, there is a site that is supposed to be on the history of Martin Luther King, but when you examine the content, you discover that it is produced by a racist group.

Q [Tony]: There was a US study a couple of years ago that said that kids who learn on computers at school are dumber than those who study directly from books.

Based on your experience, what is your opinion on this?

A: I find that very suspicious. "Dumb" is a loaded term. There are different types of intelligence. I think book literacy makes people dumb in certain ways, but smarter in others. The same is true with computers. Some are visual learners, some are not. This is why I oppose standardized tests. I happened to score very badly on standardized tests, but I did very well in school and have been successful in my work. A lot of kids I work with are bad test takers and so when they score badly they think they are dumb or less intelligent when that is not the case. That's what happened to me when I was a kid, and it was a terrible sensation. Neil Postman has written some great commentary on this subject. I recommend Technopoly.

WEBCHAT MODERATOR: We would like to thank all of our guests from around the world for their participation this morning.

Mr. Lopez thanks for taking time out of your busy day to discuss this very important topic with us. Would you like to add any closing remarks?

Antonio López: If anyone feels like they want me to follow-up on anything, please let me know. These are big issues and it's hard to adequately respond in short bursts. But these are awesome questions! 

Thanks! I had fun.

A transcript of today's Webchat will be available on our USINFO Webchat Station within one business day.

WEBCHAT MODERATOR: (While guests are chosen for their expertise, the views expressed by the guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State.)