Appropriate skills and confidence in using new communications and media services are increasingly important for participation in all aspects of Australian society according to research released today by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

ACMA commissioned the report, titled Media Literacy - Concepts, Research and Regulatory Issues, from consultants Dr. Robyn Penman and Associate Professor Sue Turnbull to examine media literacy in consumer education and protection activities. Broadly defined, media literacy means the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts.

‘Promoting media literacy is a really important key to ensuring that Australians are equipped with tools to make informed choices about media and communications services and to enable people to participate effectively in the digital economy,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman.

‘With an increasingly complex array of services and technologies, people need to be confident and skilled in navigating an expanding range and choice of content while at the same time understanding how they might protect themselves and their families from exposure to harmful or inappropriate material. They need to know how to manage security and privacy risks online and be able to make informed decisions between various distribution platforms and competing service providers.’

The review provides an impressive historical overview of the academic literature surrounding media literacy in both traditional broadcast and digital media environments and identifies educational and other organisations involved in promoting media literacy in Australia and overseas.

Key findings from the research are that:

• Media literacy, whether in traditional or convergent media contexts, is important for being engaged in society. Effective use of media and communications services is increasingly a prerequisite to broader citizen engagement including access to essential services.
  
  
• While the gap between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is narrowing in terms of access to information and communications technologies, there is evidence of a digital ‘use/literacy’ divide associated with socio-economic status, age, workforce participation and household type.
  
  
• The promotion of media literacy is an important prerequisite to effective regulatory intervention designed to protect consumers, particularly for online and mobile services.

An important conclusion of the research is that preparing young people to deal confidently with a range of media in their education, social life or in the workforce should be an increasing focus of media literacy initiatives.

The release of the report coincides with ACMA’s participation as a founding member in the International Media Literacy Research Forum being held in London on 14-16 May. ACMA is one of only five institutions worldwide to be invited to join the forum as a founding member.

Participation in the forum recognises ACMA’s longstanding activities in protecting and promoting participation in communications and media, through its consumer education and information functions. The forum will share research approaches for examining media and digital literacy issues with regulators and researchers from different countries and better position Australia to identify emerging issues, contribute advice and learn from international developments on media literacy.