Media Literacy Month at NCTV

September marks the 3rd annual Media Literacy Month at Norfolk Community Television (NCTV). The station will host a series of workshops and drop-in activities for Norfolk and surrounding communities with the goal of educating people about media literacy, and to highlight the services available at the station every day. All ages are welcome.
According to the Center for Media Literacy, media literacy is “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.” Media Literacy Month at NCTV attempts to do just that.
Accessing Media with NCTV’s Tech Help
Do you have a new iPhone, Kindle, tablet, or PC? NCTV staff can help you figure out how to use it. The Pew Research Center estimates that close to 70% of Americans own a smartphone, and almost 50% of adults own a tablet computer. Those expensive electronics have a lot of capability, but not everyone is comfortable using them.
During Media Literacy Month, NCTV will emphasize its “tech help.” Many people are unaware that the station offers this resource, said Katy Woodhams, NCTV’s Executive Director. Anyone can come in and staff will assist in answering questions about the device, or help figure out how to do something. No question is too dumb, emphasized Woodhams.
“People come in not knowing how to turn on a computer, or maybe their mouse isn’t working,” she said, while other people want to learn how to send email or download photos. Woodhams and her staff have helped Kindle users access e-books from the library and people come in regularly for iPhone help, too.
“We see people starting from all different levels,” she said. Media literacy, she adds, is helping people learn the skills to use media in their daily lives, and to arm people on how to figure it out for themselves.
Jennifer Jacobs, NCTV’s Production Coordinator, agrees that NCTV is an untapped resource in the community.
“All levels of experience, all age groups, anyone at all can walk in that door with any question,” she stressed. “There’s no judgment. Showing up is half the battle. Someone coming in to ask a question, we’re happy to see that.”
People can also email questions, or call to set up an appointment to ensure someone is available to help.
Analyzing and Evaluating Media
According to Woodhams, learning to interpret what’s in print, online or on TV is an important part of media literacy. Critical thinking, she says, is a component of all forms of literacy, and making sense of the media bombardment everyone is exposed to (banner ads on phones, internet news, print and TV ads) is more important now than ever before. Internet scams are everywhere, and NCTV will touch on that too during Media Literacy Month.
Determining what is “fake news” or deliberate misinformation will also be discussed, along with net neutrality, because understanding how to get both sides of a story while searching for information is vital to becoming an informed consumer of media.
Media literacy also includes understanding what’s safe and appropriate when using social media, said Jacobs.
“Every time you post something online or read something online, you have to consider what you’re making available to the public, and what the public is making available to you. It’s not a singular experience anymore.”
The production coordinator added, “There’s not always a right or wrong answer. It’s just learning about expanding perspectives and knowing there are a lot of gray areas. We’re giving people the information to figure it out for themselves in a way.”
Creating Media
Woodhams says a common misconception about NCTV is that the station films all the events and meetings shown on its public-access channels. While they do film some things, the staff also trains members of the community to use NCTV’s equipment to film events themselves. The station will then air the videos or put them up on its YouTube channel.
“We’re a resource for the town, instead of a production crew for the town,” emphasized Woodhams.
During Media Literacy Month, organizations will be able to create public service announcements (PSA) about their groups and any upcoming events they want to advertise. Groups can also learn how to use the equipment themselves, and after the lessons, borrow the equipment to film those events. Events must not be for-profit.
Woodhams believes teaching people to use NCTV’s equipment or to film their own PSAs is simply one more way for people to control media consumption.
“We want people to feel more empowered,” she explained. “We want people to walk away from Media Literacy Month with a feeling that they are in charge of their media habits. Even if you don’t have cable, we are a resource.”
Added Jacobs, “You don’t even have to be a resident to walk in here. If you live in the surrounding communities and aren’t getting what you need from somewhere else, someone here will try to help you. We don’t want to create any barriers. We are accessible to whoever needs us.”