Extract from Paper for Westminster Media Forum on Local Government Broadcasting Licences, 9th September 2003.

Media Literacy, Local Licences & Local Government
I’d like to throw into the ring an analysis of one of the functions of the regulator Ofcom as outlined in the Communications Act 2003. I think this particular section of the new Act offers some scope for community broadcasters to flesh out one of the roles local authorities might perform in assisting broadcasters - possibly by working closely with community and local broadcasters – to address media literacy. I refer to Section 11 and the Duty of Ofcom to promote media literacy

(1) It shall be the duty of OFCOM to take such steps, and to enter into such arrangements, as appear to them calculated-

(a) to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public understanding of the nature and characteristics of material published by means of the electronic media;

That is, media literacy is clearly to be thought of as a practical issue – requiring an understanding of the nature and characteristics of broadcasting 'electronic media'. The public need opportunities to be involved in these processes, to understand both the limitations and potential through the experience of broadcasting or 'publishing electronic media' by becoming practitioners. Without ‘practice’ any media literacy would be like encouraging ‘reading’ without permitting ‘writing’.

(b) to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public awareness and understanding of the processes by which such material is selected, or made available, for publication by such means;

That is, media literacy as theory, study through analysis, critique – and again, some ‘doing’ will assist and reinforce an understanding of the processes involved.

(c) to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which access to material published by means of the electronic media is or can be regulated;

That is, media literacy in law/regulation – for the public to be involved in how broadcasting is – or can be - regulated. If we move outside the UK and look at available (and possible) systems by which access is permitted and encouraged. In North America and Northern Europe - we often see that through open channels freedom of expression underwrites if not secures their public service broadcasting.

It is therefore important – in the spirit of bringing about media literacy - for the citizen in broadcasting to become a stakeholder in the policy regulating media and especially media access.

To this end, the grander project in schools, communities, colleges is to explore how media regulation might be developed on the principle of subsidiarity, of realising an involvement in local and community (of interest) media policy.

What media might could be more locally regulated? Local channels, local electronic publishing. In the form of access channels we might consider abolishing altogether the broadcaster’s responsibility for what is broadcast in favour of the programme makers’ or producers responsibility to stay within the laws of liable, race, etc. Open channels (common in Northern Europe) provide access to broadcasting for social and democratic expression – and provide a neutral platform of delivery in broadcast media: as with telecoms and the internet. In these open channels the broadcaster is transparent – in particular, the Offener Kanals in Germany provides own-language programming for ethnic and religious minorities, the gay community, schools and student broadcasting opportunities.

(d) to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which persons to whom such material is made available may control what is received and of the uses to which such systems may be put;

Available systems are not solely the extant systems in the UK – this is not a descriptive limitation but rather an open description. Control implies ownership and empowerment - and systems of ownership, collective, domestic or individual. All certainly need exploration – and this section of the Act is open to very generous interpretation, a fulcrum on which a wider understanding of the media process might leaver new forms: control of the relationship of exchange that is represented through broadcasting. This section strives for a broader objective than examination or understanding of the control since it points to the viewer/listener or user’s influence upon the systems which offer what we choose to listen to or to watch.

That is ……. an understanding of media literacy will lead to greater transparency and openness in some media and offer ways to ensure that media ownership and public service broadcasting becomes more accountable and accessible through informed and democratic regulation. The BBC’s recent decision to open its archive recognises that their programming is already collectively owned by the licence fee payer. Awareness of the available systems is not static, but an awareness of how to change and influence.

So media literacy is not a passive understanding but an engagement.

Here the academic/local/experimental and small-scale awareness is transformed through 'social broadcasting' into community interaction and involvement. Local authorities are well placed to encourage and utilise small-scale locally focused media, whether to represent and demonstrate local accountability or to deliver culturally sensitive and informative radio or TV programmes, address social inclusion through representation of good practice, deliver literacy and numeracy through TV and represent in audio visual form all manner of responsibilities the local authorities are required to deliver.

(e) to encourage the development and use of technologies and systems for regulating access to such material, and for facilitating control over what material is received, that are both effective and easy to use.

That is, to encourage the viewer or listener to exert some control over what they receive by knowing how, what and why they are receiving it and in turn to be informed how they might influence and contribute to or respond to what they receive.

(2) In this section, references to the publication of anything by means of the electronic media are references to its being-

(a) broadcast so as to be available for reception by members of the public or of a section of the public; or

(b) distributed by means of an electronic communications network to members of the public or of a section of the public.

The agencies best placed to deliver this education are local, close to the communities – geographic communities and communities of interest – probably educational charities. I have suggested before that one way to harness local authority involvement with community broadcasting expertise and ambition would be through establishing local Broadcasting Trusts charities with a remit to develop local public service broadcasting and greater media literacy.

DR © Institute of Local Television, Sept 2003