⮚ describe how communication is influenced by media and information; and

⮚ identify the different types of Media and its functions.

Hello Jmarians! This module will tell you more about the world of media and what are the types of
media. It will surely widen your horizon as a student. Are you excited? Come on, let's get started!

Direction: Read the caption below and classify whether it’s a fact
or fake news. Justify your answer.

Justify your answer.

1.
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2.
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1. What is the relevant function of media in our society?

2. How will you imagine a world without media?

When people talk about media, they often refer to its journalistic arm: the newspapers, the news
reports on television, and more accurately, the news reporters and journalists involved in the
production of daily news. However, as a concept, media is vaster and more diverse. The term media
comes from the word medium which is defined as “channel,” “means,” or “method.” As an avenue or
method, media is used to communicate information. This “information” goes beyond what we call
news or events that are of public interest.

David Buckingham points out, however, that the definition of medium as a channel tells us something
fundamental about the media... The media do not offer a transparent window on the world. They
provide a channel through which representations and images of the world can be communicated
indirectly. The media intervene: they provide us with selective versions of the world, rather than direct
access to it. (2013)

This means that media do not merely communicate information; they also filter and shape information
for specific purposes. They decide which information the audience receives and in what manner. In a
metaphorical sense, rather than being a window to the world, media act as distorted mirrors to reality
(Graaf, 2013). This proves that the transparency of media is a false notion. Consider the news shown
on television every day: what type of news are they?

What are they about? Who do you think chooses what is important to the audience or the public?

Media can also be tied to what we call mass media, or the media that reach large audiences (Danesi,
2009). Because media reach a large number of people at the same time, and because people rely on
media for the way they perceive their surroundings and the world around them, media are a powerful
force in shaping society. This makes media literacy a necessary aspect of life.
FORMS OF MEDIA

As mentioned earlier, media exist in many forms, the three main categories being: print, broadcast,
and new media. These differ mainly in the platform that they use.

1. Print media refers to paper publications like newspapers, books, magazines, newsletters, and
journals. It also includes brochures, posters, flyers, banners, and billboards. Print media is considered
the oldest form of media as it is closely tied to the emergence of the printing press.

According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Philippine press “played
[a] critical role in the nation’s quest for freedom and independence” (Tuazon, 2015). Among the most
notable nationalistic newspapers during the 19th century were the La Solidaridad, Kalayaan, La
Independencia, and La Libertad. All of these served as “official organ[s] of the revolutionaries”
(Tuazon, 2015). During the post- war era, the Philippine press became known as “the freest in Asia”
(as cited in Tuazon, 2015). This freedom was challenged during Martial Law as the government
started taking control of the press.

However, alternative press, xerox journalism, and campus publications paved the way for activism
and aided in the People Power Revolution. Today, the print media that have the biggest daily
circulation in the country are Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Philippine Star (Tuazon,
2015).

2. Broadcast media includes radio and television—media that initially used the airwaves to reach
their audience. Nowadays, radio and television both use direct satellite broadcasting, which helps
them reach audiences worldwide (“Broadcasting,” 2016). One example of this is the sample weather
report presented in the first part of the lesson.

3. New media is composed of media that use digital technologies like the Internet to distribute or
exhibit content (Manovich, 2006). Under this category are social media, blogs, websites, and
streaming media. Producers of print media and broadcast media have increasingly relied on new
media as a platform because it helps them gain a wider audience and because more and more
people are now using new media as a means of communication. Some examples of new media are
Facebook, YouTube, and WordPress.

FUNCTIONS OF MEDIA

Media are more than just channels for disseminating information. The United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) identifies the following functions (“Unit 1:
Understanding Media and Information Literacy — An Orientation,” n.d.):

1. “Media act as channels of information and knowledge through which citizens communicate
with each other and make informed decisions.”
2. “Media facilitate informed debates between diverse social actors.”
3. “Media provide us with much of what we learn about the world beyond our immediate
experience.”

4. “Media are means by which a society learns about itself and builds a sense of community.”

5. “Media function as a watchdog of government in all its forms, promoting transparency in public
life and public scrutiny of those with power through exposing corruption, maladministration,
and corporate wrong-doing.”
6. “Media are essential facilitators of democratic processes and one of the guarantors of free and
fair elections.”
7. “Media are a vehicle for cultural expression and cultural cohesion within and between nations.”
8. “Media function as an advocate and social actor in its own right while respecting pluralistic
values.”

WHAT IS MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY?

Why, then, is it necessary to be media and information literate? Media and information literacy is
defined by UNESCO as:
a set of competencies that empowers citizens to access, retrieve, understand, evaluate and use,
create, as well as share information and media content in all formats, using various tools, in a critical,
ethical, and effective way, in order to participate and engage in personal, professional and societal
activities”
(“Media and Information Literacy,” 2013).
Because media play a significant role in knowledge, identity, and community formation, we must learn
how to interact with them in a critical manner. Since we “cannot escape the ubiquity of media,” it is
necessary for us to learn how not to be passive consumers (Wilson et. al, 2011). In terms of media as
educational tools, we must also learn how to discern the information they present to us and be vigilant
about the messages that they relay. Apart from enabling us to engage with media in a critical manner,
a key factor in media and information literacy is the creation of media materials, which you will learn
in the latter parts of the book.
A. Direction: Complete the phrases and sentences below.

1. The term media comes from the word ______________ which is

defined as “channel,” “means,” or “method.”
2. In a metaphorical sense, media act as ___________________ to
reality.
3. The three forms of media are ______________________, ______________________, and
______________________.
4. Media act as channels of ________________ and _______________ through which citizens
communicate with each other and make informed decisions.
5. Media function as a _________________ of government in all its forms.
6. Facebook is an example of ___________________.
7. Investigative journalism is a perfect example of media as the __________________________.

B. Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. What was your perception of media before this lesson? What is your view of media now?
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2. How does communication influence by media and information?

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3. What is the most relevant function of media to you? Why?

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 Direction: Make a YouTube channel. Work on the first part of your portfolio by creating a media
and information literacy vlog. Consider the following questions in “Let’s Practice B” as your
content. Make sure to upload the video to your group’s YouTube Channel. (40 Points)

Excellent 10 Good 8 Need practice 5

CONTENT The student The student has good The student gave
presented new and data but the analysis very little good data,
competent data and is lacking, or the which limited the
was able to analysis is good but it capacity to make a
intelligently analyze lacks sufficient data. competent analysis.
the data.

RESEARCH The student dug The student showed The student did not
deeper into the topic the capacity to cite sources to
by citing various discuss a topic further support their
credible sources that but not enough arguments.
include scholarly scholarly works and
works and interviews. interviews were cited.

WRITING Ideas are presented Good ideas are The report is hard to
clearly, with no evident but are not understand due to
glaring grammar and conveyed well. poor grammar and
spelling errors. Crucial grammar and spelling errors.
spelling errors were
made.

CREATIVITY Work is engaging and There is an effort No effort was made in

neat. The effort was to make the report making the report
made to make the engaging but the more engaging.
report entertaining execution is lacking. The output seems
without sacrificing haphazardly done
content.

Reference: Media and Information Literacy, Transforming Society Through Student Empowerment;
Fernando Aboga Jr. , Rey Christopher N. Agapay

--End of Module 1-