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Media literacy is a critical thinking skill that is applied to the source of much of our information: the channels of mass communication.  As such, media literacy has emerged as a survival skill that empowers individuals to decipher media messages.

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Greetings, Media Literacy Proponents and Enthusiasts,

Well, we survived the analog-to-digital-television switch…the anticipation of which was probably almost as thought-provoking as our passage to the new Millennium, almost a decade ago.  After having learned that many citizens called 911, June 12th, regarding their  programless televisions, I wondered how many folks called 911back then, when the clock struck midnight and we were into the year 2000.  We didn’t feel the Earth shake and our computers survived; we all breathed a sigh of relief.

But this?  No TV?  OMG.  Get help.

Seems to me the tariff on 911 is general enough, yes?  …“the three digit number designated for public use throughout North America is expressly to report an emergency or request emergency services assistance, such as police, fire-department or ambulance.”   Yeah, gee, if fire personnel can climb trees to rescue cats…yada yada yada.  And, I’ve heard those wonderful 911 operators on TV calm the caller with nice reassuring words: “Stay calm,”  Please, stop crying.” Sir!,” help is on the way.”

So—missing your favorite programs and your only antidote for sleeplessness—that’s surely a reason to call 911.  I can’t imagine a more confidence building experience than to talk to a 911 operator who would have this conversation with me: “Have you ordered your digital converter?”

“No,” the caller replies.

“Were you on vacation when the notices went out?”

“No,” the caller replies.

“OK, it’s ok, it’s ok.  Please stand by.”  (a familiar, reassuring television phrase.)   “Yes, I know you’re missing your favorite program, and you can’t sleep, but it’ll all be ok, help is on the way.”

I, myself, love television….don’t get to watch it as much as I would like, but I love it.  I understand the feelings, believe me.  And, I think back to the great inventors responsible for television—Nipkow, Zworykin and Farnsworth…would they have ever believed  what has transpired as a result of their work?

We ARE a television culture, a people who have learned traditions and values and behaviors from it… not to forget that we learn good, bad, attractive, unattractive and so on.

While we either love it or hate it—and some of us do both—we’re talking about our most ubiquitous and culturally powerful mass medium…one that  creates a strong relationship, like none other, with its audience. 

I ‘m not surprised some of our neighbors called 911.

Cheers,

Jessica Z. Brown

Click the TV above to view videos of partners sharing how they integrate media literacy.

Our Most Recent Program:

Social Entrepreneurship and

Media in the Digital Age

...a Discussion with:

Chris Miller

Skandalaris’ community outreach coordinator

Nicole Hollway

General Manager, St. Louis BEACON

Bill Densmore

Journalist  and director/editor  Media Giraffe Project, and a Mizzou Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow

Don Corrigan - Webster U. journalism professor and editor and co-publisher of two suburban weeklies,  Webster- Kirkwood Times and South County Times

Keeping Up with the Field

Our first featured author is

Ruth Litman-Block,

Cooperating School Districts.

Board of Directors

Harriette Arkin, Consultant, Ladue School District

Tom Atwood, freelance producer, Edwardsville, Ill.

Edie Barnard, Midwest Center for Media Literacy

Melinda C. Bier, U. of Mo. – St. Louis

Ruth Block, Cooperating School Districts

Steve Brawley, ARCHS

Jessica Z. Brown, founder, GMLP (President)

Ron Carr, Webster U. / artist / consultant

Tom Cornell, Webster University

Marteana Davidson, Ladue School District

Larry Grieshaber, Maryville University

Amy Kosberg, graduate student, Webster University (Secretary)

Lynne Lang, BJC HealthCare

Chris Miller, Skandalaris Center/ Washington University

Patrick D. Murphy, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Jill Falk, Lindenwood University

Art Silverblatt, Webster University (Vice-President)

Committees

Governance

Jessica Z. Brown, curtjes@swbell.net

Education

Edie Barnard, ediebarnard@sbcglobal.net   

Melinda Bier, bierm@msx.umsl.edu

 

Publications

Art Silverblatt, silveram@webster.edu

Communications

Jill Falk, JFalk@lindenwood.edu

                    

Development

Jessica Z. Brown, curtjes@swbell.net

                    

Recruitment

Steve Brawley, brawleys@stlarchs.org

 

Program Committee

Lynne Lang, lml1435@bjc.org

Webmaster

Ron Carr, me@thecarrs.biz

The GMLP Mission

1. Promote media literacy in the STL region
   

2. Promote community partnerships & collaborations
   

3. Provide support for media literacy projects
   

4. Act as a conduit for national initiatives
   

5. Initiate a sustained education campaign that defines & clarifies the need for & value of media literacy
   

Social Entrepreneurship and

Media in the Digital Age

GMLP hosted a program, March 23, at Washington University’s Skandalaris Center, where business entrepreneurship is one of its key focuses.  We drew a diverse audience that was highly inquisitive and curious about the evening’s fare… and showed it.  (the podcast of the evening’s program is our most recent gmlpTV show - link below) 

The hot topic was social entrepreneurship and media in the digital age, and despite the newspaper business being  in turmoil, the evening actually brought numerous positive notes to consider despite the numerous assumptions that newspapers and journalism are dying.

GMLP  board member, Chris Miller, Skandalaris’ community outreach coordinator, led a lively discussion  relating to innovations in media at a time when news media are experiencing great changes and trying to define what works and what doesn't.  He introduced to the discussion his expertise on the potential application of the L3C (low-profit corporation) as an anchor of a new business model for media outlets of all types.

Further, Nicole Hollway - General Manager, St. Louis BEACON, a woman who has spent her entire career applying new media to products and communication in industries ranging from Broadway to finance, talked about the BEACON”S evolution, the experimentation with local news, and how the online news outlet intends to grow.  Bill Densmore,  visiting-  journalist  and director/editor  Media Giraffe Project, and a Mizzou Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow, gave us the highlights of the unfolding Information Valet Project  that has brought together a national group of professionals from many fields working on a new business model for journalism and journalists, at the same time trying to define what the consumer will like and trust; and Don Corrigan - Webster U. journalism professor and editor and co-publisher of two suburban weeklies,  Webster- Kirkwood Times and South County Times,  during a time that is testing newspapers,  Corrigan’s words brought hope to journalism and newspapering as he described some of the positive news about his community papers and their role/survival during tough economic times.

The opportunity to educate audiences on media’s business models represents GMLP’s commitment to strong programming, and an  integral part of GMLP’s mission  to present media literacy education to the community.  We appreciate GMLP program chair, Lynne Lange’s efforts.  If you have any programming ideas for GMLP, please be in touch with Lange at lml1435@bjc.org.

View Board Member News

1. Art Silverblatt is Among This Year’s Quest Awardees.
   

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3. Congratulations to GMLP board member Ruth Litman-Block.
   

Mark your calendar -

GMLP Media Literacy Week, October  4-10, 2009