By Lauren Jansen
Lauren is a junior at the University of Minnesota studying Journalism, Mass Communications, Studies in Cinema and Media Culture, and New Media Studies, and is currently a media justice intern with Main Street Project.
What is media justice? Why does it matter?
This was the topic of Main Street Project’s latest People’s Tech workshop (March 19) where we discussed how media literacy could help achieve m
edia justice. In a society where we constantly consume all kinds of media and advertisements, it is important to understand how this driving force can act as both a mirror that reflects society, and also a hammer that shapes it. People’s Tech workshops aim to reclaim technology and educate on the necessity of digital inclusion, seeing that not everyone has equal access to basic forms of communication, a fundamental right. The group consisted of all kinds of people from all walks of life, gathered to understand who owns media, how it affects all of us and how it can be used to the advantage of individuals as well as communities.
We began our discussion by establishing what kinds of questions need to be addressed when understanding media literacy. Should media be objective, or neutral? Is there anything that can be done to change it? We took sides of the room depending on whether or not we agreed, disagreed, or felt neutral about these types of media related statements. The exercise helped us realize our different backgrounds and perspectives when it comes to consuming media and led us to an activity that tested our knowledge of media ownership. It is important to understand who controls the majority of media because if it is limited to only a few major corporations, we are consuming a lot of information that is decided by a small group of people.
Why does this matter? When you consider all of the different kinds of media out there including television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies, internet, etc, you have to wonder if certain messages are being perpetuated by the few corporations who control the media and the weight those messages carry when shaping society and representations. We have to wonder whether or not it is even possible to question these messages if they have such strong placement woven throughout the media we consume. Understanding media ownership is crucial to asking the right questions, and knowing whom, in fact, has power.
We practiced how to deconstruct advertisements based on who the ad is targeted to, and what product is being sold to us. This skill is particularly important for disenfranchised people and/or people who face adversity socially and economically, because they can often be easy targets for advertisers. By understanding how advertisements use various techniques with music, text, humor, placement/location of ad and so on, we can recognize how corporations use media to directly communicate to specific groups in order to sell something. Understanding how advertisements affect and reach us is a step toward becoming active participants in media with a voice that matters.
Basic knowledge and the use of the Internet are some of the best ways to have a voice in what may seem like a world dominated by loud news anchors, celebrities, or large corporations. Equal access to Internet and knowledge of the media is crucial in giving equal opportunities to any and everyone to participate in global, national and local conversations about our future.
This workshop was both eye opening and inspiring for those who attended and helped us begin to learn how to become active consumers of media, rather than passive ones. We left with an urgency to educate others, and attend People’s Tech workshops in the future that will focus on even more specific themes related to media literacy and media justice.
And a free tamale lunch? There were no disagreements there.
Learn more about the next People’s Tech workshop on April 16: Digital Storytelling.
