Defining News Literacy

Goals

1. Describe news literacy

2. Excel at this.

What?

News literacy is the skill set that equips a person to:

1. Get accurate and trustworthy news.

2. You have confidence that your news is accurate and can be trusted.

3. Communicate it clearly and accurately to others with minimal bias.

Analysis (Breakdown of Main Ideas)

Skill Set

A collection of related skills a person uses to perform a task effectively. By assumption, a skill set requires relevant knowledge.

Accurate

Information is accurate when it reflects the way things are without without errors or distortions.

Trustworthy

Worthy of confidence; likely to be honest, reliable, and free from deception.

Clear

Clear information is easy to understand, with no confusion or ambiguity.

Bias

A tendency to favor or oppose something in a way that is unfair or not based on balanced evidence.

Why?

New literacy provides several benefits.

1. You get an accurate view of current events.

2. You present news to others in ways that are accurate, clear, and that minimize bias.

How ?

Here is how to get accurate and low biased news and how to communicate it to others.

Getting Accurate News from the Media

1. Identify multiple news sources that are accurate and low in bias.

2. Skim these sources regularly and compare them to find areas of consensus.

Creating Accurate News (e.g., as a journalist or student of journalism)

1. Gather information using ethical and professional standards (e.g., verifying sources, avoiding distortion, fact checking).

2. Present the information clearly, fairly, and in line with professional standards.

Sharing News with Others

1. Select news that is accurate, trustworthy, and easy to understand.

2. Share the news in a way that is honest, fair, and minimizes personal bias.