20. 11. 2013

Media literacy as mandatory subject in schools

Belgrade, November 20, 2013 (Beta) "Media literacy should be introduced as mandatory subject starting even in elementary schools, so young people could be educated to look critically at media, instead of having blind faith", it was said today at the gathering within project "Campaign for media literacy" in Novi Sad.   

Maja Vasic from Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) said the Media coalition's long term goal is to have media literacy as separate subject at schools and short term is to make it integral part of some subjects, like mother tongue.   

Snjezana Milivojevic, Professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences supported the Media coalition's initiative and said that children should be educated about the media from an early age.   

"By talking about media, we talk on future of democracy" she said and estimated that, people do not discuss enough on this topic in Serbia.   

"In other countries, tabloids bring public lives to sensationalism and introduce the concept of celebratization. In our countries, politicians looked up more to starlets and folk scene," Snjezana Milivojevic said.   

She accused tabloids of spreading aggression and militant speech, which is a result of very difficult recent past and undermining any kind of standard in public speech.   

"Tabloids exist everywhere, but they do not dictate standard in public speech as it is case in our country", Snjezana Milivojevic said.   

Deputy President of Press Council's Managing Board Petar Jeremic said that this body solved around 60 complaints. In half of these cases, the decision was made that the Code of Ethics of Serbian journalists was breached.   

"We are facing drastic examples of ignorance when it comes to journalists' ethics, but in the past six months, journalists and editors show more interest in the Code. That is a small step forward, but still a step forward", Jeremic said.

According to him, tabloids breach journalists' standards, but even newspapers "we have considered as serious until recently" do the same.

"Tabloids do not serve to inform citizens, but to convey messages of politicians, economic tycoons etc", Jeremic said.

Ivica Smit, ANEM representative estimated that tabloids make users of media content "stupid". "Therefore, media literacy is of key importance in order to raise awareness of citizens and create critical relation towards media content" Smit said.

"Campaign for media literacy" project is implemented by the Media coalition and supported by USAID.

The Media coalition is informal partnership of NUNS, UNS, NDNV, ANEM and Local Press.

INVITATION only in Serbian