Media literacy is intellectual freedom, emphasized prof. Dr. Marjan Tanushevski from Bitola, MIA journalist, at today’s Press Corner held at Smilevski Business Academy – Bitola, as part of the Media Literacy Days event. At an interactive meeting with students, professors and journalists, Tanushevski pointed out that if media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and send messages through the media, then one should constantly invest in media literacy because it is endangered.
– It is good that media literacy is being talked about publicly. However, it is necessary to work daily to increase the awareness of media literacy and especially to mobilize the academic community, which is insufficiently active and insufficiently dedicated to media literacy. This shortage in the public can be supplemented with clear and unequivocal support from the Ministry of Education and Science and the establishment of a regular teaching subject for media literacy at all levels of education, stressed Prof. Dr. Marjan Tanushevski.
In a SWOT analysis of the current situation with media literacy in the country, several weaknesses were noted, and the threat is frequent misinformation, fake profiles and Facebook influencers that contaminate public opinion.
– Direct harmful effects on media literacy can be removed by supporting and motivating professional journalism. Unfortunately, journalists are not paid enough and with a low standard, and therefore they rarely decide on investigative journalism, which is often under pressure. Part of the media decides to sell information, instead of transmitting information, forgetting the public interest. But the most important thing is to develop media literacy through cooperation with institutions and tame the “infodemic” with skills and knowledge, Tanushevski pointed out, at the Press Corner, which was held at the Smilevski-Bitola Business Academy.
