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Media Literacy

Media in our lives


Growing up
How many TVs were in your house?
How many computers?
How many family members had a cell phone?
Generation M

Source: www.kff.org
Source: www.kff.org
Source: www.kff.org
Media Literacy
What is media literacy?

the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate


information in a variety of forms. (etr.org, 2006)

Why is media literacy important?


Time spent with media
Young people today live media-saturated lives, spending an
average of nearly 6 hours a day with media. (www.kff.org)

TV and music are the most prevalent


Computers and video games second
Reading (books, magazines, newspapers) third

Compared to:
2 hours spending time with parents
1 hours being physically active
Less than an hour doing homework

www.kff.org
Access to media

Source: www.kff.org
Access to Media
Todays adolescents have unprecedented amount of media in
their homes, their bedrooms, and through portable media
devices.(www.kff.org, Generation M Report)

In 51% of homes, the television is on most of the time.


68% of youth have a TV in their bedroom.
31% of youth have a computer in their bedroom.

Increased access equals increased usage.


Media and Family Time
Interestingly, young people who spend the most time with
media also report spending more time with their parents,
being physically active, and pursuing other hobbies.
(www.kff.org)

However
Not necessarily positive
Media and Family Time

Source: www.kff.org
Parental Guidelines

Source: www.kff.org
Parental Guidelines
Only about half of the families had some guidelines and rules
regarding television watching.
Less than half of those actually enforced the guidelines.

Content is likely to be regulated by parents.


Computer usage was the most widely regulated content.
New vs Old Media
Media is constantly changing.
New media computers, video games, instant messaging,
text messaging, etc
Old media television, music, magazines, newspapers

New media is not replacing old media


What exactly does this mean?
Television
Television is still the most dominant form of media for
todays youth.
How they watch is changing though.

Cable vs broadcast
DVRs
Online television shows
Television & Sex

Source: www.kff.org
Television & Sex
Sexual content is increasing
About 70% of all shows now have some sexual content

Among the top 20 most-watched shows by teens, 70% include


some kind of sexual content, and nearly half (45%) include
sexual behavior. (www.kff.org, pg 4)
The number of sexual scenes is increasing

Shows are less likely to reference safer sex


More likely to show riskier behavior
Computers
Almost every adolescent has used a computer and gone
online.

About an hour a day is spent online (outside of homework).


Media & Advertising

Advertising is a growing industry, especially for children &


adolescents.

Approximately $15 billion is spent annually


80% of all global brands currently use a tween strategy.

(www.newdream.org)
Media & Advertising
Youth have more influence & dispensable income than ever.

The Nag Factor

Where do you typically encounter advertising?

How does all of this impact health?


How do we promote media literacy?
Communicate!
Deconstruct the message
Who paid for it? Why?
Who is the target audience?
What message is being sent?
What lifestyle is promoted?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/vie
w/

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