The project aims at strengthening the participative democracy through enabling an environment for free, independent and plural media in Macedonia in which media literate citizens will actively participate.
The goal of the project “Media Literacy in the Age of News Overabundance” is to raise awareness about the importance of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) for all citizens as a prerequisite for participative democracy and a plural society. The action is to connect media, civil society organizations and citizens in a coalition promoting MIL and putting professional journalism into practice through production of media content focused on the citizens’ rights and inclusiveness. The action will empower citizens with MIL skills and knowledge inevitable for understanding the function and the role of media as prerequisite to become actively involved in the public sphere. Within this three-year project (2016-2018), SJPR and its partners will put a special attention to promoting MIL among young people and high school students.
Key activities:
- Research on MIL practices in Macedonia
- Establishing of MAMIL, the first Macedonian Media and Information Literacy Coalition
- Trainings for civil society organizations, journalists and editors
- Developing educational resources
- Straightening MIL among youth and high school students through Media Literacy Day and publishing the high school newspaper “Medium”
- Organising high school contest “Express yourself through media” in spring 2018
- Organising Media Literacy Camp “Youth in Digital Age”.
Objectives:
- Media literate citizens are able to understand the functions of media, who know how to differ ethical and non-ethical journalism and who know how to participate in the public life by using the media.
- The media will regain their almost lost credibility, through providing pluralism and enriched offer of media content focused on citizens and marginalized social groups, presenting investigative stories that seek (un)accountability, transparency of the public authorities and good governance.
- Civil society organizations will obtain needed knowledge and skills for more efficient communication with the public and the media, thus contributing to positive changes in society, presenting themselves as an influential factor in the decision making process.
- Media literate high school students and teenagers with a developed ability for critical thinking, who, by wisely usage the media, will be prepared to actively participate in the public sphere.
Country: Macedonia
Timeframe/dates: 2016 – 2018
Funder: European Union
Partners/affiliates: The School of Journalism and Public Relations (SJPR, lead partner), Media Diversity Institute (MDI), Nova Makedonija daily
