Zooming in on Media and Information Literacy: A Survey-based Typology of Young Media Users

"Media and Information Literacy has come to the fore as one of the most important fields in current media related development work."

Based on a 3-country study in Jordan, Moldova, and Uganda, this paper presents 5 profiles of potential beneficiaries to help media and information literacy (MIL) practitioners envisage the needs of their clientele. The profiles or personae are based on research conducted by Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie in 2017 and 2018 using the Media and Information Literacy Assessment (MILA) instrument for measuring digital and news literacy. The aim of the study was to identify MIL needs of 15- to 35-year olds and to gain insights into the level of MIL in those countries.

As explained in the report: "Each of these countries presents specific challenges in terms of MIL: Jordan is characterized by a media landscape under strong political influence and subject to strict licensing practices. In Moldova, television is the predominant medium, with stations run either by the state or by oligarchs with their own agendas. Uganda has seen several laws restricting freedom of expression and there is a growing hostility towards the media and journalists. These deficits across the three countries make focusing on empowerment of citizens all the more pertinent, in order for them to be able to put their freedoms (access to information, expression) into practice and for them to come to terms with the problems arising from such challenging media environments."

The persona method used in this research was developed within marketing practices as a method of consumer segmentation. The personae are meant to help picture clients - in this case, trainees - as well as their wants and needs when developing products - in this case, training programmes. The survey found that respondents fall into one of 5 categories of media and information literates, each of which have specific strengths and/or weaknesses when it comes to digital literacy and news literacy: The MIL Novice, the MIL Intermediate, the MIL Veteran, the Digital Literacy Veteran, and the News Literacy Veteran.

The report describes each of the 5 personae, outlining their media ownership, their media use, their media attitudes, digital literacy, and news literacy. The prevalence of each persona type in the 3 countries, including a breakdown by gender, is also included, and the capacity-building needs of each persona are explored.

For example, Media and Information Literate Novices have low digital literacy and low news literacy skills. They predominantly live in rural settings and are less educated than the average respondent, using traditional rather than digital media less out of choice than out of necessity. The proportion of MIL Novices varies starkly from country to country. While over half of the Ugandan respondents turned out to be of this type, around one-quarter of Moldovan and one-sixth of Jordanian respondents were MIL Novices. Regarding capacity building, the report recommends basic MIL training, focusing on the fundamentals in mass media consumption, fostering a critical attitude towards problematic forms of communication, and creating opportunities for them to voice their concerns.

Digital Literacy Veterans, the second persona, have high digital literacy skills accompanied by low news literacy competencies. They do not use social media or the internet in general as often as the MIL Veterans or even the MIL Intermediates (discussed below) do. Social media are used more for personal interaction than for news and information. The report recommends classic news literacy courses for this group. They should be also be encouraged to reflect on traditional news sources: How is journalism created? What is good journalism? What are the effects of news bias, propaganda, and hate speech on society?

News Literacy Veterans have high news literacy skills but low digital literacy skills. They tend to be older than the other MIL types and are less educated. Nevertheless, every fifth member of this group says newspapers and magazines are an important source of information to them. News Literacy Veterans are the type of respondent with the least exposure to digital media. In this case, capacity building should focus on digital literacy skills, from the technical side, across questions of navigation and privacy, to the more fundamental negative phenomena of disinformation and hate speech.

The MIL Intermediate persona has an intermediate level both of digital literacy and news literacy. Overall, more than two-thirds of all MIL Intermediates are city dwellers, and one-third are between 30 and 35 years old. They are also more educated than average. There is an even balance between male and female respondents and a strong affinity to all things digital, but traditional media (especially television) are still used frequently. The report suggests that this group does not need training in the MIL basics but, rather, more advanced MIL training focusing on reflection of issues such as disinformation and hate speech in the local context and development of coping and/or combatting strategies.

The fifth persona, the MIL Veterans, is characterised by both high digital and high news literacy. They are familiar with the traditional world of television, radio, and print, as well as with the digital realm. They feel comfortable in both settings, are able to access and critically judge media and information sources, and can create their own accounts of events. They have the highest online consumption and are very active on social networks and internet-based messengers, but they also watch television more often than any other group and are amongst the most frequent readers of the printed press. MIL Veterans tend to live in cities and have the highest level of education amongst all MIL groups. The report suggests that this group could act as MIL champions and play a role in peer-to-peer learning.

The report concludes by reiterating that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy to MIL. "It is important to know which group you are targeting. Trainers should be sensitive to the needs of beneficiaries and be flexible in determining the focus and intensity of MIL training. Groups need not be homogeneous, so within-course differentiation and drawing on the strengths of certain participants is key."