Facing Up to Fake News
Media Literacy Ireland (an initiative of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) has launched a national campaign against fake news and disinformation.
Launched to coincide with European Media Literacy Week, the campaign encourages people of all ages to Stop, Think, Check that the information they see, read or hear across all media platforms is reliable.
I was honoured to direct the campaign creative and production, working with David Phelan on the images, and Bounce Dublin on the sound design.
This massive public awareness campaign - featuring a new TV ad, a suite of radio promos, and a range of social and digital assets - aired across RTé, Virgin Media, SKY, TG4, on Ireland's regional radio stations, across Facebook and Twitter, and across Ireland's press.
The ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign is designed to help people identify sources of information that may be unreliable, as well as identifying deliberately false or misleading information. It will enhance people’s understanding of, and engagement with media, while also empowering them with the skills to evaluate content across all platforms. Evidence supports the necessity for a media literate population:
- 83% of Europeans think ‘Fake News’ is a threat to democracy* and 73% of European internet users are concerned about disinformation in the pre-election period. **
- 68% of Europeans say they come across fake news at least once a week. ***
‘Be Media Smart’ is an initiative of Media Literacy Ireland (MLI), a network of volunteer members working together to empower people to make informed media choices about the media content and services that they consume, create, and disseminate across all platforms.
The ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign comprises a dedicated website www.bemediasmart.ie, TV and radio ads, a social media campaign and a nationwide PR campaign. A consumer leaflet will also be made available through libraries. The TV ad campaign will be launched by TG4 at half time in Croke Park during the All-Ireland Senior Club hurling and football finals on St Patrick’s Day.
The MLI network is a unique collaboration between a variety of organisations, including media (broadcast, news publishers, digital organisations), online providers, libraries,academia, and the community and voluntary sector. The formation of the network was facilitated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).
Speaking about the Be Media Smart campaign, Professor Brian O’Neill, TU Dublin and Chair of the MLI Steering Group, said:
“ Media literacy – our capacity to access, have a critical understanding of, and interact with the media – has never been as important as it is today. In a time when we are faced with a huge volume of information from a variety of sources, this campaign is a timely reminder of how important it is that people are aware of where their information comes from, and how to recognise information that might not be reliable. The Be Media Smart awareness campaign is built around bringing the same level of care to one’s information sources as one would of their food provenance or car history.”
“When the call went out to MLI members to support this campaign we were thrilled by the response - demonstrating the importance that MLI members place on helping people to Be Media Smart. We are very grateful to everyone involved in making this unique initiative a reality,” Professor O’ Neill continued.
And in case you have any questions about "sources" (which you should), here's a few questions answered ...
What is MLI? Media Literacy Ireland (MLI) is an independent unincorporated association of members which is facilitated by the BAI.
What does MLI do? MLI aims to empower all Irish people with the media literacy skills and confidence to be able to access and critically evaluate content and services across all platforms, understand and question how media and digital technologies operate, identify and manage risks, and participate in the public sphere in a responsible, ethical and effective manner.
MLI believe that no single organisation can achieve this vision in isolation. MLI acts as an enabler for media literacy stakeholders in Ireland. It facilitates the exchange of ideas and resources and encourages collaboration between stakeholders in the development of sustainable media literacy projects.
Why is Media Literacy is important? Media literacy is the key to empowering people with the skills and knowledge to understand how media works in this changing environment, to interrogate the accuracy of information, to counter unfair and inaccurate representation, to challenge extremist views and, ultimately, to make better informed media choices.
This is especially significant for those who might otherwise struggle to navigate an increasingly noisy media landscape and sound-bite orientated society. In addition, media literacy can help people develop much-needed skills in the areas of creativity and of problem solving in technology-rich environments.
How did MLI evolve? In their 2016 Media Literacy Policy, the BAI committed to facilitating the development of a media literacy network in Ireland in response to the strong appetite in the wider media literacy community for leadership and coordination around a topic that does not respect the boundaries of specific sectors or statutory remits, and is often defined differently at a sectoral and even an organisational level.
How is MLI run? MLI is its own entity with its own decision-making powers, organisational structure and responsibilities. MLI members, working on a voluntary basis, are involved in the running of MLI. MLI does not have any statutory compliance role with regard to its members. The strategic direction is set by the Steering Group which consists of 13 members representing a diverse range of sectors, including broadcast media, the arts sector, academia, information society, online platforms, and the community and voluntary sector.
How is MLI funded? As an informal association of members, there is no formal funding structure in place for MLI. As part of its statutory remit to promote media literacy, the BAI provides funding for the coordination of MLI activities. Other MLI members have also contributed to MLI activities such as conferences, seminars and the Be Media Smart campaign either in kind through their time and expertise, or with funding for specific activities.
Who can join MLI? Any individual or organisation with an in interest in and/or capacity to promote any aspect of media literacy. Membership is free of charge but members are expected to share skills, knowledge, experience and resources in relation to media literacy with other members. A list of the members actively involved in the Be Media Smart campaign can be found at www.bemediasmart.ie
Camera Operator and Graphics Operator
5 年It used to be in the past that many understood that everything you read on the internet needed to be taken with a grain of salt and Wikipedia was the worst of the worst when it came to verifiable information and facts.? Now everyone has access to computers and can create a blog or website without really too much focus on factual information because not everyone has the same access to high level information like one on one meetings with athletes or a Congressman(or woman).? It's difficult to verify sources in many cases but it typically well worth the effort, very well written article and the things one normally doesn't think about.