Siok Sian Pek-Dorji

Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, 2009

Media and youth in Bhutan

Media impact study 2008 ( MoIC)2003 - media for news/ information

2008 - media for entertainment

Most popular:—Radio—TV—Newspapers—Phone—Internet

More mobiles less landlinesMobile2008=250,000 users

Mobile Use: —22.8% for radio—25% listen to music—38% SMS—27.5% play games

Source: MIS2008

What youth read/watch/listen

Do not like in media

PoliticsGovernmentDevelopment –type storiesEconomy

Like in media

SportsEntertainmentRobbery and sensational eventsStars

Source of entertainment -16-24 yr (MIS’08) 16-24 year olds - Source: MIS2008

Attention to TV -16-24 years (MIS ‘08) Source: MIS2008

Attention paid to radio – 16-24 yrs. (MIS) MIS2008

Attention paid to newspapers –(MIS ‘08)

No of hours children spend on TV –MIS ‘08

Impact on children – (MIS ’08)

Children & media

-Respondents – TV viewing affected children’s speech, -Children like cartoon characters- young children aping older persons in dress and movements-Lack of content for children

• Children TV viewing• Affected school work • But built confidence

and exposure• Families place very

little limitation on TV viewing.

People’s perspectives on Children & TV

• Worried about somepictures

• Lack of content for children

• Children growing up on TV and on adult fare

• TV influenced children’s speech,behaviour

— Cartoon/wrestling

• TV babysitter

• Worried about sexualisation of children in some local music videos

• Want media to educate children and youth more

Media influence on culture media opening up society

• Behaviour – People’s views -— Youth more aggressive— More open— Boy-girl friendships

• Thinking and ideas – many believe TV had the most impact on mass thinking.

• Helping culture evolve, therefore shaping new identityYouth culture Creating new identity•Language – dzongkha promoted Dzonglish and slang on FM radio• Dressing – looking good, being slim

New forms of media entertainmentEntertainment media - new culture— Fast talking Radio

Jockeys— Rigsar music— Informality— New identities— Reality Programmes

- popular seen as ‘cruel’ and unfair

— Games and cyberworld -youtube

Why media matters in Bhutan

Learn to consume media – not be consumed by media• Access must be fair to rural Bhutan

and not be urban centric.

• Content - more Bhutanese and not just imported ideas.

Foundations for media developmentConstitutional provisions Article 7Section 2: A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech, opinion and expression.

Section 3: A citizen shall have right to information

Section 5: Freedom of press for radio, TV & other forms of dissemination of information including electronic press.

People and Media in a DemocracyPeople’s responsibility in democracy - —formal - electing representatives— informal –

by keeping watch and giving feedback by learning about issues to make informed decisions by learning about issues to engage

Media are important elements in democracy• Media’s responsibility

provide the essential news/information

provide the ‘space’ for discussion and feedback• Also called the 4th estate after executive, legislature

( parliament) and judiciary – hold public offices accountable• “Watchdog”

Media and people

• We need reliable information on which to base our decisions and judgement.

• Media serve the people, people need reliable media.

• Need to differentiate between news media and other types of media – entertainment, advertising etc.

What is changing in the way we get our news and information?• Now

• Word of mouth• TV• Newspapers• Radio• Internet• Through SMS etc.• Magazines• Blogs

• Old days• Word of mouth• Leaders e.g. gups• Parents/• Teachers

TV bringing up children

More information than we can handle

• 10,000 new websites are being created

every hour

Source: Columbia Journalism Review, Nov./Dec. 2008

• 210 billion e-mails are sent every day

• In 2006, the world produced the equivalent of three million times the information contained in all the books ever written

Thinking skills

Media literacy educationhelps individuals of all agesdevelop thehabits ofinquiry and skills ofexpression that they needto be critical thinkers,effective communicatorsand active citizens intoday’s world.

— It is not enough to know how to press buttons on technology – thinking is more important

What is Media literacy?

• Media Literacy is the ability to use critical thinking skills to

judge the reliability and credibility of news reports,

and media messages whether they come via print,

television, radio or the Internet

Media literacy focuses on news, advertising and how media messages are created.

-Access -Analyse-Evaluate-CommunicateMessages

5 core questions – from Centre for ML • Who created this message?• What creative techniques are used to attract my

attention? • How might different people understand this

message differently?• What values, lifestyles/ points of view are

represented in, or omitted from, this message? • Why is this message being sent?

How to evaluate mediaNews Propaganda Advertisement Publicity Entertain

mentRaw info.

Goal To inform

To persuade To sell To enhance an image

To divert, arouse, or move emotionally

Entertainment, personal expression, bypass 3rd party verification

Client The public

Govts, political party, ideology

Businesses Celebrities, public officials, companies

The public

Anyone

Practitioners

journalists

Govt / political movements

Advertising agencies, copywriters etc

Public relations agencies

Singers, actors, writers, directors

Anyone

How to evaluate media

News Propa-ganda

Advertisement

Publicity Entertain-ment

Raw info.

Methods Verification & independence

Manipulation of info to deceive

Persuasion through imagery and words

Positive info and “spin”

Drama, humour, drive emotions through creativity

Direct, unfilteted info with no value added

Outcome Reliable info. An informed society

Political support and action

Products bought

Greater public approval

Provide another reality, $,personal gratification

Adds no. of voices to the info. environment

Media literacy promotes intelligent media use

• BCMD media literacy activities- emphasise the importance of media in a democracy and how we can engage in media more effectively.

• Watch carefully• Write responsibly• Think critically

• ML raises questions about the impact of media and technology

Why Bhutan needs media literacy• Limited discussion in

schools• Newspaper reading

not a habit esp among youth

• from oral to visual society, bypassing reading phase

• People moving from news to entertainment

• Limited attempt to educate public in media

• People weaned themselves on media ( provided as a service)

• Rural communities rarely question media

Why Bhutan needs media literacy• TV overtaking daily

lives.• Need to have betterfilters with which to use,read, watch media

• Need to learn to speakup and be accountable

•Need to encourageactive, healthyengagement in media

• More media choices than ever

• Need to learn to cope with this deluge of info

• In a media saturated environment, people’s ability to assess the value of news is an essential skill

Why ML? Benefits

• ML – leads to civic engagement.

• Provides “lifelong empowerment of the learner and citizen.”

• Empowers youth to engage in a global world with understanding and responsibility.

How to use media “critically”

Provides youth with tools to understand the role of informa-tion in media saturated world.

Critical thinking• "Today's definition of literacy is more than reading and

writing. In order to be functionally literate in our media-saturated world, children and young people—in fact, all of us—have to be able to read the messages that daily inform us, entertain us and sell to us. As the Internet becomes a fact of life, the critical thinking skills that help young people navigate through traditional media are even more important."

(Jane Tallim, Center for Media Literacy, US)

GNH & media

• Media are businesses

• ML and critical thinking are essential in 21st century learning and can help promote understanding of GNH

• Media challenges GNH• Media today promotes

a largely material (GDP) world

• Global advertising a major challenge to children

• Media more entertainment oriented

Media literacy’s many benefits

• Prepares youth for responsibilities as citizens Gives people the tools to be active citizens

• Creates a participatory culture

• Promotes critical thinking skills

• Peer-to-peer learning• Learning to learn vs

rote learning

Make our learning environment more ML

• Encourage peer review, feedback from students and parents.

• Link community develop-ments, public affairs& school

• empower youth to understand, evaluate&analyse local situations through critical thinking and examining media reports.

• Participatory• Teachers must under-

stand C. Thinking and M. Literacy.

• Include media in daily lessons across the curriculum

• Encourage youth to learn about media, to speak up and to share their messages

What can we do about media in schools?

• Deconstruct media and advertisements

• Discuss the difference between news media and entertainment media

• Use media to discuss current issues

• Promote media literacy

• use media in class…

• Encourage students to read newspapers

• To read books• To listen to radio• Provide guidance on

TV viewing

• Media literacy is a 21st century approach to education…