New public media platforms require new skill sets

Efforts to create media that are both for and by the public are moving beyond traditional broadcast platforms and into social and mobile media. Producers realize that people — especially children — will need digital and media literacy training to navigate the new media world, yet national support for such initiatives is lacking. Renee Hobbs, professor of mass media and communication at Temple, advocates for the development of standard tools for assessing baseline literacy skills. "[T]here are so many dimensions of media and digital literacy that it will take many years to develop truly comprehensive measures that support the needs of students, educators, policymakers and other stakeholders," she said.
April 21, 2011 | PBS