SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Module 1: Introduction to Media and Information Literacy
At the end of the module, I can:
1. Describe the nature of communication and the concepts related to it.
2. Describe how communication is affected by media and information.
3. Identify the similarities and differences of media literacy, information
literacy, and technology literacy.
4. Editorialize the value of being a media and information literate
individual.
5. Relate critical thinking with media and information literacy in the
production, consumption and transfer of media, and information
products by the society.
6. Identify the characteristics of responsible users and competent
producers of media and information.
7. Share media habits, lifestyle, and preferences to other people.
Without consulting other sources of information, ask yourself what the
following words mean to you:
 Communication
 Media
 Information
 Technology
 Literacy
Try to compare your own understanding of these terms to those
presented in this module. How similar or different are your ideas with those
in the discussion?
You have heard time and again the adage “No man is an island.” What
does this saying really mean to you? How do you feel when you are alone?
And you have no one else to talk to or share your thoughts with? How about
if you accidentally left your mobile phone at home, or you are not able to
connect to the internet and chat with your friends? Do you feel a sense of
distance or disconnection from the world?
Humans are social beings. Despite the few occasions of solitude, chatting
with friends either face-to-face, through a telephone, or online seems to be a
more likable situation to be in. People value the simplest opportunities to
communicate not just with themselves, but most especially with other people.
Communication is a natural and inescapable fact of life. Every individual
is born with it. This is precisely the reason why you are taught to learn how to
speak, read, write, or use communication gadgets at an early age.
Communication is all about these skills your parents would like you to learn
when you were younger.
Defining Communication
Littlejohn and Foss (2008), who are scholars and experts in the field,
regard communication as “one of those everyday activities that is intertwined
with all of human life so completely that we sometimes overlook its
pervasiveness, importance, and complexity.”
They suggest that communicating feels so natural to people that
oftentimes the act itself is taken for granted.
Whether it is through verbal or nonverbal, or at this day and age, digital,
humans are creatures of expression. This is so, by necessity and desire. People
communicate to be more closely integrated with and to the society they belong
to.
You communicate because expressing yourself means contributing ideas
for whatever purpose or cause; but first, you must understand the concept of
communication. Perhaps one good way to do so is by looking at the origin of
the word.
Communication is from the Latin term communicare, which means “to
share” or “to divide out.” It may also be thought to originate from another
Latin word communis, which roughly means “working together.”
1
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
You now begin to understand that communication has a lot to do with a
sense of sharing. As explained by Bulan and de Leon (2002) in their book
Practical Speech Fundamentals, “without speech or oral communication,
societies could not attain levels of civilization; communities could not
organize into living and working groups, mark and ritualize practices and
traditions, debate and decide difficult issues, and transform society for its
good.” Essentially, what they tell you is that communication functions in
more ways than you can imagine.
Explaining the Communication Process through Models
To understand better the process of communication, here are some
models as discussed by communication scholar Denis McQuail (2005) in his
book McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory:
1. Transmission Models. Perhaps the most popular among these is
Harold Laswell’s representation of communication as an attempt to
answer the question “Who says what to whom, through what medium,
and with what effect?”
One such revision is a model by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver
which incorporates the concept of noise that refers to anything that interferes
with the message. The model is a more mechanical look at communication.
Fig. 1.2. Shannon Weaver’s Communication Model
Another transmission model is by Bruce Westley and Malcolm Maclean,
Jr. Where they argued that instead of a having a sender merely relaying
messages, you have a communicator who relays his or her account of a
selection of events or views/voices in society. Westley and Maclean, Jr. Also
said that communication is “guided by interests and demands of an audience
that is known only by its selections and responses to what is offered (McQuail,
2005).”
Fig. 1.1. Laswell’s Communication Model
The model is relatively straightforward and tells you that communication
originates from someone and their message flows through a channel, either
through sound waves or light waves, and that someone on the other end
receives the message with a corresponding effect. Later improvements in the
model were introduced by other experts in communication
Fig. 1.3. Westley and Maclean Model of Communication
2
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
A more sophisticated transmission model was provided by George
Gerbner where “someone perceives an event and reacts in a situation through
some means to make available materials in some form and context conveying
content of some consequence (McQuail, 1985).”
Relating these transmissions] models to your own communication
experiences: for example, you are telling a story to a friend; your primary
intention is to successfully get across the story from you to him or her as
accurately and as clearly as possible so that he or she can respond
accordingly. Can you think of any other instances where you see the
application of these transmission models?
2. Ritual or expressive model. This is an alternative way of looking at
how
communication works. In the expressive model, communication
happens
due to the need to share understanding and emotions.
Communication has an integrative consequence in the society it is done to
build social relationships. An example would be when you use certain
symbolisms or euphemisms to indirectly refer to certain things, but you are
sure that your audience still understands what you are trying to say.
The communication is ritualized because the meaning is suggested more than
explicitly stated and the understanding of it, though connotative, is mutual.
3. Publicity Model. This model explains that communication involves
audiences as “spectators rather than participants or information receivers
(McQuail, 2005).” Attention is important because it is a measure of how
successful the communication has transpired.
Imagine yourself telling a friend about a potentially boring story but you tell
it in a compelling and animated manner to keep his interest and attention.
Another example is how television commercials aggressively convince the
audience to buy the products that they advertise.
4. Reception Model. In this model, you come to understand
communication as an open process, which means that messages sent and
received are open to various interpretations based on context and the
culture of the receiver. In other words, there might be various meanings
to a single statement that is communicated. One such model illustrating
this is Wilburs Schramm’s depiction of cyclical communication where the
sender and receiver have alternating roles in the loop. A communicator
who produces and sends the message is called an “encoder” and the one
who receives and interprets is the “decoder.”
Fig. 1.4. Schramm’s Model
Another reception model is the one by David Berlo that accounted for
factors that affect how communicators are influenced when they send and
receive a message. These factors include the following:
 Communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, listening,
and watching.
 Knowledge about a subject or topic.
 Attitude toward the topic and the audience.
 Social and cultural aspects that influence the content of the message
and the manner by which it is sent.
3
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
all the more made possible through the use of media. Ponder on one of those
occasions where you read a magazine, watched a program on television,
listened to the radio, went to see a film at a movie house, or surfed the Internet.
Any such activity involves media, information, and communication. In a sense,
you cannot do away with communicating, that is, getting and sharing
information and utilizing media to achieve both.
A Closer Look at Media and Information
Have you ever wondered what word mediate means? The base word of
this term is media. Like communication, media have been defined in several
ways by different sources. Strictly speaking, media is the plural form of
medium, although the former is already acceptable as a singular noun. Take a
look at Table 1.2 for some of these definitions of media and a description of
categories of media in Table 1.3.
Table 1.1. Berlo’s Model
The reception models show that it is not just about saying the message
but also considering how the message may be received because of factors
that may influence reception. That is why when someone breaks a bad news
to someone else, he or she does not say it as straightforward and blatant. He
or she will have to consider how the other person will react to the news or
what possible interpretations the other person might have about the news.
Media and Information: The Means and the Ends in Communication
What is evident among all the models discussed is that there are many
ways of defining what communication is or how it works. But you have
probably observed two distinct elements that are intrinsically interconnected
with the concept of communication media and information. They are so
intertwined that information is one of the reasons why communication is
done in the first place; and this information can be shared through media.
When you further study communication in a more advanced level, you
would learn that one of the functions of communication is to inform. This is
Table 1.2. Different Definitions of Media
Source
Definition
Oxford Learner’s
 The main ways that large numbers of people
Dictionaries
receive information and entertainment, that is
television, radio, newspaper, and the internet.
UNESCO Media and
 Refers to the combination of physical objects
Information Literacy
used to communicate or mass communication
Curriculum for
through physical objects such as radio, television,
Teachers
computers, or film, etc.
 Also refers to any physical object used to
communicate media messages.
 Source of credible information in which contents
are provided through an editorial process
determined by journalistic values and therefore
editorial accountability can be attributed to an
organization or a legal person.
4
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
The Penguin
Dictionary of Media
Studies (2007)

David Buckingham
(2003), director of the
London University
Centre for the Study of
Children, Youth and
Media (Callison &
Tilley, (2006)
Encyclopedic
Dictionary of
Semiotics, Media, and
Communications
(2000)
Presidential Decree
No. 1018 (1976)






Means of distributing texts and messages to a
large mass of people.
Carries a certain degree of intellectual baggage or
currency with it.
Something we use when we want to communicate
with people indirectly, rather than in person or by
face-to-face contact.
Provide channels through which representations
and images of the world can be communicated
indirectly.
Any means, agency, or instrument of
communication.
The physical means by which a sign or text is
encoded (put together) and through which it is
transmitted (delivered, actualized)
Refers to the print medium of communication,
which includes all newspapers, periodicals,
magazines, journals, and publications and all
advertising therein, and billboards, neon signs and
the like, and the broadcast medium of
communication, which includes radio and
television broadcasting in all their aspects and all
other cinematographic or radio promotions and
advertising.
Table 1.3. Categories of Media
Category
Examples
Modality
Text, audio, video, graphics, animations
Format
Digital or analog
Way of transmitting
Electromagnetic or radio waves, light waves
Mass media form
TV, radio, print, Internet, telephone, or mobile
Media modality refers to the nature of message, whether it is relayed
using text, audio, video, graphics, animation, or a combination of any of these
things. The media format is the way the data is arranged. The data or
message may be transmitted through radio waves (for audio) and light waves
for other modalities. The mass media form refers to the particular media
technology to which the message is transmitted.
All the definitions of media suggest that it is a conduit for transmitting
something called information. With the proliferation of media technology, you
are bombarded with numerous information from a vast collection of sources
that you are hardly able to distinguish what is useful to you and what you can
discard. There may be occasions where you even get confused as to where to
start looking for information that you need. One of the more convenient
sources of information nowadays is the World Wide Web. But with the
volume of information it provides comes the challenge of choosing which to
use. This presents a problem in communication because sharing wrong,
inaccurate, or lacking information distorts the quality of your message to your
audience.
But before you begin to identify the information you need and the places
to look for it, you have to be familiar with the nature of information. The
UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers regard
information as a “broad term that can cover data, knowledge derived from
study, experience, or instruction, signals or symbols.” when you use media,
information is referred to as the “knowledge of specific events or situations
that has been gathered or received by communication, intelligence, or news
reports.”
As can be seen in the communication models presented earlier, media
serves as a source and a channel for relaying information. Information is the
content that you share during communication. Thus, the ubiquity of
communication, media, and information makes it imperative for you to be
5
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
skilled in the access and use of each of these. This is where media and
information literacy enters the picture.
Media, Information, and Technology Literacy: Laying the Groundwork
In general terms, you may come to understand literacy to be equivalent
to a skill. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, or UNESCO, defined literacy as the “ability to identify,
understand, interpret, create, communicate, and compute, using printed and
written materials associated with varying contexts.”
Table 1.4. Definition of Media Literacy, Information Literacy, and
Technology Literacy
Media
Literacy 
(UNESCO Media and
Information Literacy
Curriculum
for
Teachers)


Information Literacy 
(UNESCO Media and
Information Literacy
Curriculum
for
Teachers)
Technology (Digital) 
Literacy (University of
Illinois)
This involves understanding and using mass
media in either an assertive or non-assertive way,
including an informed and critical understanding
of media, what techniques they employ and their
effects.
The ability to read, analyze, evaluate and produce
communication in a variety of media forms, e.g.
television, print, radio, computers, etc.
Another understanding of the term is the ability
to decode, analyze, evaluate, and produce
communication in a variety of forms.
Refers to the ability to recognize when
information is needed and to locate, evaluate,
effectively use, and communicate information in
its various formats.
This is the ability to use digital technology,
communication tools or networks to locate,
evaluate, use, and create information.


It also refers to the ability to understand and use
information in multiple formats from a wide
range of sources when it is presented via
computers and to a person’s ability to perform
tasks effectively in a digital environment.
Digital literacy includes the ability to read and
interpret media, to reproduce data and images
through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and
apply new knowledge gained from digital
environments.
Technology advances every now and then, and literacy is a measure of
how well you keep up with the pace of these advancements. With the
multitude of technological platforms for social, cultural, and political
participation, literacy in media, information, and technology is a recipe for
success. From the simple choice of clothes to buy, or food to eat, or to the
more complex ones such as ideas to include in a research or an opinion to be
shared in a discussion, you consult and, perhaps, rely on media and other
forms of technology for information you need. As UNESCO puts it, “a literate
community is a dynamic community, one that exchanges ideas and engages
debate; illiteracy, however, is an obstacle to a better quality of life and can
even breed exclusion and violence.”
The Danger of Desensitization
According to Potter (2011) in his book Media Literacy, there is a need to
be media and information literate to counteract “the physiological and
psychological tendency (automaticity) towards the much information that is
encountered every now and then.” Automaticity, or automatic response, is “a
state where our minds operate without any conscious effort from us.” In other
6
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
words, you become so desensitized with the things you encounter because
they already seem so natural to you.
Potter also explained that “the programmed and predictable response
(normalization) toward the information that limits your opportunity to
recognize and maximize the gains of that message” is something that media
and information literacy can address. Normalization is when “the mass media
continually reinforce certain behavioral patterns of exposure until they
become automatic habits.”
According to Callison and Tilley (2006), you are a media and
information literate individual if you are able to do the following:
 Pose worthwhile questions
 Evaluate the adequacy of an argument
 Recognize facts, inferences, and opinions and use each appropriately
 Deal with quandaries and ill-formed problems that have no fixed or
unique solutions
 Give and receive criticism constructively
 Agree and disagree in degrees measured against the merits of the issue
and audience
 Extend a line of thought beyond the range of first impressions
 Articulate a complex position without adding to its complexity
We live in an environment that is far different from any environment
humans have ever experienced before. And the environment changes at an
ever-increasing pace. This is due to the accelerating generation of
information and the sharing of that information through the increasing
number of media channels and the heavy traffic of media vehicles traversing
those channels. Messages are being delivered to everyone, everywhere,
constantly. We are all saturated with information, and each year the media
are more aggressive in seeking our attention. It is a hopeless expectation to
keep up with all the information available. The most important challenge
now lies in making good selections when the media are constantly offering us
thousands of messages on any given topic.
What It Takes to Be Media and Information Literate
There are two factors that can influence you to become a media and
information literate individual. One is clarifying your goals and motivations
for seeking information. The greater your need, the more effort you exert to
become selective of the information at your disposal. Another is acquiring
more skills in discerning, appreciating, and filtering information. This
involves being more media savvy and better acquainted with information
sources.
Table 1.5 shows the typology of media literacy provided by Potter (2011)
which can help you assess the stage you are in as media and information
literate individual.
Table 1.5 Typology of media literacy.
Stage
Acquiring Fundamentals




Characteristics
Learning that there are human beings and
other physical things apart from one’s
self; these things looks different and serve
different functions.
Learning the meaning of facial
expressions and natural sounds
Recognizing shapes, form, size, color,
movement, and spatial relations
Recognizing rudimentary concept of
time-regular patterns
7
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Language Acquisition





Narrative Acquisition


Developing Skepticism



Intensive Development



Recognizing speech sounds and attach
meaning to them
Being able to reproduce speech sounds
Orienting to visual and audio media
Making emotional and behavior responses
to music and sounds
Recognizing certain characters in visual
media and follow their movement.
Developing understanding of differences
between:
- Fiction vs. Nonfiction
- Ads vs. Entertainment
- Real vs. Make-believe
Understanding how to connect plot
elements
- By time sequencing
- By motive-action-consequence
Discounting claims made in ads
Sharpening differences between likes and
dislikes for shows,characters, and actions
Making fun of certain characters even
though those characters are not presented
as foils in their shows
Strongly motivated to seek out
information on certain topics
Developing a detailed set of information
on particular topics (sports, politics, etc.)
Has high awareness of utility of
information and quick facility in
processing information judged to be
useful.
Experiential Exploring


Critical Appreciation




Seeking out different forms of content and
narratives
Focusing on searching for surprises and
new emotional, moral, and aesthetic
reactions.
Accepting messages on their own terms,
then evaluating them within that sphere
Developing very broad and detailed
understanding of the historical, economic,
political, and artistic contexts of message
systems.
Ability to make subtle comparisons and
contrasts among many different message
elements simultaneously
Ability to construct a summary judgement
about the overall strengths and
weaknesses of a message
8
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Social Responsibility

Taking a moral stand that certain
messages are more constructive for
society than others ; this is a
multidimensional perspective based on
through analyses of the media landscape
 Recognizing that there some actions an
individual can take to make a constructive
impact on society
Source:http://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/34589_2.pdf(a
ccessed16September2015)
Critical Thinking: An Important Component of MIL
As producers and consumers of information, you must displays the
ability to evaluate the kind of information you access and share. This ability
is known as critical thinking. Being critical means being capable of judging
the merit of something based on certain standards or parameters. According
to media scholar Art Silverblatt, there are eight fundamental elements of
media literacy:
1. A critical thinking skill enabling audience members to develop
independent judgments about media content
2. An understanding of the process of mass communication
3. An awareness of the impact of media on the individual and society
4. Strategies for analyzing and discussing media messages
5. An understanding of media content as a text that provides insight into
our culture and our lives
6. The ability to enjoy, understand, and appreciate media content
7. Development of effective and responsible production skills
8. An understanding of the ethical and moral obligations of media
practitioners
Do you agree that these elements also pertain to attributes of a responsible
user and a competent producer of mediated communication?
The media literate person is in control of his or her media experiences
because he or she understands the basic conventions of various media and
enjoys their uses in a deliberately conscious manner. The media literate person
understands the impact of music and special effects, for example, in
heightening the drama of television program or film. However, this
recognition does not lessen the enjoyment of the action.
What Have I Learned So Far?
1. Who is a media and information literate individual?
2. How is critical thinking related to media and information literacy?
3. Write a 1000-word blog entry in the form of a reaction paper to discuss
what you can contribute to your community and to your country if you are a
media and information literate individual. You may use the following to guide
you in developing your arguments:
 Media and information literacy as practiced on both personal and
professional level
 Media and information literacy as expression of freedom of
speech/expression
 Media and information literacy as tool for civic responsibility and
nation-building
Beyond Walls 1.1 Apply It in Real Life
Imagine yourself to be a content writer for an online health magazine.
You are commissioned by your editor to write an article about Garcinia
cambogia which is a component of most slimming supplements. Your
dilemma is that you are not familiar with it and your editor expects that you
create a highly informative article! You have been given a tight deadline; thus,
your only resort is to look for information online. You have been told by your
editor that he will evaluate your article’s factual accuracy and quality of
information before publishing it in the Web site.
9
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
How will you handle the situation knowing that you have no idea about
the topic?
How will you manage the diverse information available online?
you are technologically or digitally literate, you are able to utilize different
“digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use,
and create information.” Critical thinking is necessary for discerning the
media source and the kind of information that you use.
Beyond Walls 1.2 Go Online
It has been mentioned earlier how critical thinking is important to an
individual in evaluating the source and kind of information one needs. In the
Web site below, you are to download and accomplish the critical evaluation
survey as an exercise for testing the extent of your media and information
literacy.
http://www.schrockguide.net/uploads/3/9/2/2/392267/evalhigh.pdf(accessed
on 16 September 2015)
After answering the critical evaluation survey, find a partner in class and
collaborate on writing a synthesis paper comparing your survey results. Use
your learning on what it takes to be media and information literate as guide
for your discussion in your paper. The paper should be saved as .doc or .pdf
file and uploaded in a file sharing platform that your teacher has set up for
your class.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
Communication is a process that involves transmission of messages,
performance of rituals, competing over attention, and reception of messages
as dictated by context and culture. There are various attempts to explain the
process and these explanations are presented through communication models.
Apparent in most of these models are the concepts of media and information
and how they relate to the process of communication.
Media and Information are necessities of your communicative lives.
When you understand and use various media forms to access information,
you consider yourself media literate. An information literate person, on the
other hand, is able “to recognize when information is needed and to locate,
evaluate, effectively use, and communicate it in its various format.” When
10
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Module 2 The Evolution of Traditional to New Media
At the end of this module, I can:
1. Identify traditional media and new media, and their relationships.
2. Assess the type of media in the Philippines vis-a-vis the normative theories
of media.
3. Editorialize the roles and functions of media I democratic society.
4. Search latest theory on information and media.
Over the years, media forms and the technology that come with them have
involve dramatically. This display of ingenuity is a testament of how media
has been ingrained in every human beings sensibility. Now take a look at this
picture. What d you think does it suggest?
Study the media forms indicated in the first column on the table below. Put a
check mark on the corresponding cell identifying whether the media form is
traditional or new.
Media form
Traditional
Magazine
Tabloid
Broadsheet
Paperback Novel
Radio
Television
Online Video Games
Web Video Portals
Online Telephony and
Messaging Capability
New
Fig 2.1. Evolution of Media
The McLuhan Mantra
Marshall McLuhan, Who is famous for the phrase “the medium is the
message” and is the proponent of the media theory on technological
determinism, believed that society is driven by changes in media and
communication technology. McLuhan (2007) explained that society adapts to
advances in technology. Thus, changing cultural, political, and even historical
aspects of that society. Take for instance the case of a mobile phone and a
computer. How did these two gadgets change the way people live their lives
today? Some of you might think that it is almost unimaginable to revert back
to the old times where these two did not yet exist. People who agree with the
technological deterministic idea believe that media and communication have
and will always significantly affect and change our way of life.
The only thing constant and inevitable is change. Thus, some look at
technology as an indication of progress. Social change is typically associated
with technological advancement. As technology stabilizes, users and
consumers adapt their behavior to the features and perceived benefits of this
technology, oftentimes making people overly reliant to technology.
11
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Fig. 2.2. Evolution of Media Perceived by McLuhan (1962)
The picture above illustrates McLuhan’s (1962) view of the evolution of
media and communication technology. A media form that emerges from an
older form has its features and format primarily patterned from the one that it
followed. The internet is not exactly an original concept but rather a hybrid
or derivative of the older forms such as print media, broadcast media, and
film. The mobile phones are built on the old idea of telephony, and smart
phones and tablets, on the idea of the internet and computer technology.
Hot and Cold Media?
In the language of McLuhan, “hot”
media refer to the forms requiring little
involvement from the audience and
examples include film and television.
They are hot because, metaphorically
speaking, they cannot be “touched” and
thus the experience is relatively passive
and static. “Cool” media are those with
high-level user interactivity, where the
experience is more dynamic and the
audience is more involved. Media
forms utilize animation, such as video
games, or provide participation, like
online media platforms, are examples of cool media.
Fig. 2.3. Media Map of History
Milestones in Media Evolution
For McLuhan (1962), the three most significant inventions in
communication would be the phonetic alphabet, the printing press, and the
telegraph. Each of them linked one period to another. As mentioned earlier,
the most recent forms of media carry the features of the older media.
In the media map shown, there are four main periods in the history of
communication. It begins with the tribal age where hearing was the
predominant and most valuable sense of reception. Early human ancestors
relied heavily on their sense of hearing to hunt for food and to stay alert from
danger. The next period is the literacy age where the sense of sight was
dominant. If the tribal age was highly acoustic, the literate age was highly
visual. This is because of the invention of the alphabet, allowing humans to
learn to read.
The printing press was invented in the print age, which meant
mass-producing written texts. Having more copies of these texts gave humans
the liberty to read them at their own pace and to share them to others. With a
growing number of produced and reproduced reading materials came the
inevitable. The building of libraries and other repositories.
McLuhan’s (1989) idea of the “global village,” a community where
everyone in the world is interconnected through media, was evident in the
electronic age. In this period, the telegraph was invented which paved the way
to the invention of more recent technologies such as the telephone, television,
mobile phone, and the Internet. The communication technology at this time
led humans to instantly connect to each other even in great distances. An
example is when you log on to play in an online video game while
simultaneously chatting with other players from other parts of the world. The
electronic age is the age of sound and tactile sense of reception. An example
would be the incorporation of touch screens in smart phones, tablets, and
laptop computers these days.
In addition to the media map of history are two other time periods not
covered in McLuhan’s periodization. One is information age when the world
12
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
entered into a new era of media experience in the 21st century. Also known as
the digital or new media age, this is a time in human history where
everything relied heavily in the use of computers to run major industries.
Information was utilized based on personalized needs and motivations.
Global communication and networking were enhanced.
Digital technology and Internet become pervasive, thus, pushing the
world to enter the infrastructure age. A car with global positioning system
built with it, a railway system which runs digitally, or even simple appliances
or gadgets at home that can be controlled using the internet are all examples
of infrastructures in this age. There is more involvement in the cyberspace.
Internet banking transactions and online purchases are other proofs to this.
Culture Shapes Technology
Despite the views provided by McLuhan, not everyone agrees with his
propositions. Contrary to the idea of technology affecting change to society,
cultural determinism explains that culture and society shapes technology.
According to Winston (1986), a media scholar who advanced the idea of
cultural determinism, society is still in control of technology and the
innovations over time do not dictate how it must adapt and function in
relation to these technologies. The radical potential of a given technology to
affect change may be suppressed by societal factors. In other words,
technology is a product of need and not the other way around. If there is no
need for the technology, or it does not have a practical use, it will perish.
Traditional vs. New Media
In the beginning of this lesson, you were asked to identify which of the
media forms stated are considered “traditional” and which ones are “new.”
What were your bases for your answers?
Traditional Media are those forms in the earlier periods of McLuhan’s
media map. They are traditional because of the specific characteristics that
they have functionalities that they offer. According to McQuail (2005),
traditional media is one-directional. The media experience is limited and the
sense receptors used are very specific (i.e., print media requires sense of sight,
radio requires sense of hearing, and television and film requires both).
With new media, the experience is more interactive. The audiences are
more involved and are able to send feedback simultaneously. New media
integrates all the aspects of traditional media.
It is much less easy to distinguish these media from each other than it
used to be. This is partly because some media forms are now distributed
across different types of transmission channels, reducing the original
uniqueness of form and experience in use. Secondly, the increasing
convergence of technology, based on digitalization, can only reinforce this
tendency.
-Dennis McQuail (2005)
What is New about New Media
There are four main categories of new media and all of them share
“certain channel similarities and are approximately differentiated by types of
use, content, and context,” according to McQuail.
1. Interpersonal communication media. Examples would be the telephone,
mobile phone, and e-mail where “content is private and perishable and the
relationship established and reinforced may be more important than the
information conveyed.”
2. Interactive play media. Video and computer-based games, plus virtual
reality devices compose this category.
3. Information search media. The Internet and the World Wide Web
become repositories or sources of a vast collection of information that can
be accessed real-time despite geographical location. Broadcast teletext
and radio data services are also examples. Information retrieval is no
longer limited to personal computers because this functionality has been
extended to smart phones and tablets. Other means of information storage
13
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
and retrieval include the personal video recorder, CD-ROM, compact
disc, and DVD.
4. Collective participatory media. This refers to the use of the internet
for “sharing and exchanging information, ideas, and experiences and
developing active (computer-meditated) personal relationships (McQuail,
2010).”
Key characteristics of new media, according to McQuail, include
interactivity, social presence (or sociability), media richness, autonomy,
playfulness, privacy and personalization. New media use expanded
opportunities for self-expression especially among the youth through Web
logs, online forums, Web discussion boards, social media, and messaging
applications.
The new media generation considers itself globally networked made
possible by the internet. But as much as there is greater virtual participation
by this generation, the members of this group have grown to be more isolated
and extremely expressive of their thoughts. Observe your social media
account for such manifestations.
Functions of Communication and Media
Media, whether traditional or new, has a role to play in the proper
functioning of a democratic society such as the Philippines. In order for a
democratic society to function in an ideal wa, media and communication
must fulfill its mandate. According to McNair, communication and media
function to
1. Inform citizens of what is happening around them (also called the
monitoring function);
2. Educate the audience as to the meaning and significance of the
“facts”;
3. Provide a platform for public political discourse, facilitating the
formation of “public opinion” and feeding that opinion back to the public
from whence it came, [including] the provision of space for the expression of
dissent;
4. Give publicity to governmental and political institutions (known as the
“watchdog” role of journalism); and
5. Serve as a channel for the advocacy of political viewpoints.
Media and Government: A Love-Hate Relationship
The relationship of media and government is oftentimes adversarial. This
is normal and healthy because media, being a “watchdog,” keeps everything at
bay. Before you can fully understand the nature of media in the Philippines,
familiarize yourself first with the normative views of media. Table 2.1
summarizes the four theories of the press.
Table 2.1 Normative Theories of the Press
View
Propositions
 All forms of communications are under the
control of the governing elite, authorities, or
influential bureaucrats.
 Controlling the media is necessary to
protect and prevent the people from national
threats through any form of communication
Authoritarian
(information or news).
(communicationtheory.org.)
 The government has all the rights to
restrict/censor any sensitive issue from press
to maintain peace and security in the nation.
 Different types of censors include political
censor, moral censor, religious censor,
military censor, and corporate censor.
Soviet Media
 The government undertakes or controls the
14
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
(communicationtheory.org.)






Libertarian
(communicationtheory.org.)


Social Responsibility
(McQuail, 2005, pp.
171-172)


total media and communication to serve
[and educate] working classes and their
interests.
The state has the absolute power to control
any media for the benefits of the people.
The state puts an end to private ownership
of the press and other media.
Government media provides positive
thoughts to create a strong socialized society
as well as providing information, education,
entertainment, motivation and mobilization.
The public is encourages to give feedback
which would be able to create interests
toward the media.
Liberalism means information is knowledge
and knowledge is power.
Libertarianism is free from any authority or
any control or censorship and is an idea of
individualism and limited government
which is not harmful to another.
The people are more than enough to find
and judge good ideas from bad [because]
people are rational.
The press should not restrict anything, even
a negative content may give knowledge and
can help make better decision during worst
situations.
Social responsibility should be reached by
self-control, not government intervention.
View media ownership as a form of public
trust or stewardship, rather than as an




unlimited private franchise.
Media has obligations to society, and media
ownership is a public trust.
Media should follow agreed codes of ethics
and professional conduct.
The government must not merely allow
freedom; it must actively promote it when
necessary; therefore, the government should
act to protect the freedom of its citizens.
Under some circumstances, the government
mat need to intervene to safeguard public
interest.
As you can see, the normative theories mentioned place expectations on
how media conduct themselves and illustrate the dynamics between media and
government vis-a-vis censorship.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
Traditional media is still prevalent despite the emergence of new media.
New media may be viewed as an addition rather than a replacement for old
media. Media experience has been enriched by new media forms because of
the added value they provide. In a democratic society such as the Philippines,
the media has a very important role and function as a great equalizer. Media
monitors events, educates the audience, provides a venue for debate, acts as a
“watchdog,” and serves as a channel for active participation in political
affairs.
Theories on media and information are helpful lenses in understanding,
interpreting, analyzing, and communicating assumptions, concepts,
explanations, and principles on media, information, and communication.
15
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Module 3 Information Literacy
At the end of this module, I can:
1. Define information needs.
2. Locate sources of information.
3. Assess, organize, and communicate information.
4. Identify relevant ethical standards or principles in information and
media use.
5. Demonstrate ethical use of information.
Assess yourself.
1. What is your primary source of information especially for
schoolwork?
2. What are your considerations when looking for particular information?
Do you need a quick fact or a critical analysis?
3. Do you prefer unbiased information or an opinion? Current
information or a historical one?
4. Do you automatically use a Web search engine to locate for the
information you need? What do you use and why?
5. Do you check just any kind of Web site? What are your personal
criteria for selecting a Web site as your source of information?
6. If you use traditional sources of information such as print, broadcast,
and electronic media, which among these do you often refer to and why?
7. What good and bad practices do you commit during information
search and sharing?
In module 1, you have been introduced to the concept of information and
information literacy, as well as the characteristics of a media literate
individual. But before you dive deeper into information literacy approach,
you have to take note that an information literate individual is one who can
do the following:






Determine the extent of information needed
Access the needed information efficiently and effectively
Evaluate information and its sources critically
Incorporate selected information into his or her knowledge base
Use information to accomplish a specific purpose
Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding access
and use of information
 Access and use information ethically and legally
Information literacy is an important skill in life. An individual who is
literate in the location, access, evaluation, and use of information also displays
a certain sense of critical literacy. When you are information literate, you are
able to evaluate what information you need, what to discard, and how to use
the information you selected. As students, you unknowingly and unwittingly
display information literacy when you search for information to address
certain tasks such as projects, assignments, or research papers.
Information takes many forms. It is often interchanged with data which is
essentially “raw information” and knowledge which is characterized by
effective use of information.
What Determines Your Need of Information?
Information seeking is relatively synonymous to the idea of research.
When you locate information, you employ the necessary skills to engage in
the research process. Your need for information depends on your prior
knowledge and experience, as well as your goals and objectives. Your
information needs to rely on what questions or problems you would like to
solve or simply, what you need the information for. These needs also depend
on the relevance of the information you seek to the task you are supposed to
accomplish. Ask yourself who will consume and/or benefit from the
information you are trying to locate. You must also identify how much
information you need and its adequacy to address your task. Consult your
16
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
personal knowledge base so that you can plan what else to search to augment
what you already know.
The Effective and Efficient Information Seeker. A successful search
strategy is one that allows you to judge at the onset what information is
relevant, thus, limiting the possible overload of information sought. It also
involves and understanding of information search systems such as indexes,
online catalogs, or Boolean logic. When you are able to judge the “potential
value of information,” you will be able to maximize its use. According to
Callison and Tilley (2006), an effective and efficient information seeker is
one who can do the following:
 Understands how to utilize a variety of information sources and agencies,
as well as human resources, in order to gain useful information
 Understands the value of consulting with resource specialists and critical
peers to reframe and refine questions and inquiries, if necessary
 Identifies information important to a need and assesses its reliability,
bias, authority, and intent.
 Organizes new information in meaningful ways to determine where gaps
may exist and to formulate the central question or thesis that can be
addressed (Doyle, 1994)
Aside from being information literate, you are also expected to display
information fluency which refers to “the ability to analyze information needs
and to move confidently among media, information, and computer literacy
skills, resulting in the effective application of a strategy or strategies that will
best meet those needs (Callison & Tilley, 2006).”
Typology of Information
According to www.lib.odu.edu, the kind of information you are looking
for may be categorized as the following:
1. Factual vs. Analytical
Factual Information is based on evidences and findings provided
by reliable sources. These sources may include academic texts such as
books, encyclopedia, periodicals, or technical reports by agencies and
institutions. Analytical information, on the other hand, is an analysis or
interpretation of facts by an individual, usually an expert on the subject.
Examples of such would be feature articles, commentaries, or reviews.
2. Subjective vs. Objective
When you consult and expert opinion, such as those found in the
editorial section of a newspaper or in Web log entries of prolific writers,
you are using a subjective kind of information. This is because the
information is about the discussion and elaboration of a thesis statement
which is still anchored on facts. It is important to evaluate the validity of
the claims in subjective information because a valid argument is more
often than not a successful argument. If the information is unbiased and
does not lead you to judge the information in a certain way, then it is
objective information. Scientific papers and news reports are common
sources of objective information.
3. Current vs. Historical
The currency of information refers to how up-to-date or how recent
the information is. It does not necessarily follow that the more current the
information, the more reliable and useful it is. There are information that
are historical or old but are very helpful in providing insights and
comparison of events. Publication date of the source material is the usual
basis for currency. A combination of current and historical information,
especially in research, provides a more holistic picture. You are able to
establish trends or patterns when you make use of both.
But the requirement for the use of either current or historical
information depends on the discipline that makes use of them. In the hard
or natural sciences, the more recent findings are preferred. For the
humanities, historical information is primarily used to describe an event
17
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
or phenomenon. The social sciences usually consult both current and
historical information.
4. Scholarly (Academic/Professional/Technical) vs. Popular
When you are asked to write an academic paper, what sources does
your teacher ask you to consult? Scholarly information comes from
academic sources. It is a product of an author’s expertise and study on
the subject matter. It is usually peer reviewed. Popular information, on
the other hand, appeals to general interest and is usually found in general
circulation materials such as magazines, coffee table books, or online
feature articles. Table 3.1 differentiates a scholarly source and a popular
source of information.
Table 3.1. Scholarly Resources vs. Popular Resources
Scholarly Resources
Popular Resources
Authors
Written or reviewed by
Written by the publication’s
experts in the discipline
staff writers
Audience
Written for researchers or
Written for the general public
practitioners in a particular
or lay person
discipline
Publisher
Professional society or
Commercial publisher
organization or university
Content
In-depth analysis of topic or
Review of an event or
report of original research
research project, highlighting
key points
Language
Use technical language which Understandable by a lay
may not be understood by a
person
lay person
Appearance
 Illustrations include
 Often use slick paper
graphs and tables
and more color
 Articles are usually long
 Many advertisements
References
Almost always include a list
of sources consulted
and graphics
 Articles are usually
very short
Rarely include a list of sources
consulted
5. Primary vs. Secondary vs. Tertiary
The origin and the levels of transfer of the information is also an
important factor to consider in your information search. A description of
and examples for primary, secondary, and tertiary information is shown in
Table 3.2.
Table 3.2. A Comparison of Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
Information
Characteristics
Examples
Source
Primary
 Original, first-hand
 Creative work
information.
 Diary
 Hasn’t been interpreted,
 Speech
analyzed, condensed, or
 Letter
changed.
 Interview
 Information may need to  News film footage
be constructed with raw
 Autobiography
data.
 Photograph
 Official record
 Historical document
 Email written by a
researcher to a colleague
which includes data from
an experiment
 Professor’s lecture
 Tweet or other dispatch
18
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Secondary


Tertiary


One or more steps
removed from a primary
source and may interpret
or analyze a primary
source
Usually written by
someone other than the
original researcher or
author.
Topic review; and
usually include
bibliographies of primary
and secondary sources.
Provide access to
materials on specific
topics.









via a social media outlet
News commentaries
Articles in magazines and
newspapers
Critical review of a
literary scholar
Textbooks
Encyclopedias
Research papers
Bibliography (citation
list) of primary and
secondary sources about a
person or topic
Encyclopedias
Databases and indexes
6. Stable vs. Unstable
Information may be stable or unstable. Stability becomes a
consideration especially when the information you have obtained is
published digitally over the internet. It is often difficult to know how
long a certain web site or page will last. But an online source may still be
predicted to be stable or otherwise by evaluating it based on the
following questions (Ballenger 2009):
 Has it been around for a long time?
 Is it routinely updated?
 Are print versions of an online document available?
 Is the site associated with a reputable institution?
If your answer to the most questions is “Yes,” then be confident that the
Web site or page is stable enough for you to use as information source.
Information seeking, like any other human activity, expects that a certain
level of ethical conduct be upheld. The Online Dictionary for Library and
Information Science defined information ethics as “the branch of ethics that
focuses on the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination,
and use of information, and the ethical standards and moral codes governing
human conduct in society.” responsible handling of information from access
down to sharing is necessary to promote a fair and just utilization of
information.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
There is a lot of information out there. Among the many challenges that
you face is managing this vastness of information. Information literacy equips
you with the ability to effectively and efficiently identify your information
needs and handle the access, evaluation, utilization, and relay of information.
Information is very valuable to a student like you. There are various
categories or typologies of information that may address your information
needs. And while you address these needs, you should evaluate your sources
of information appropriately by employing the tips on searching for
information in physical and online archives. Knowledge of ethical standards
related to information literacy will also guide you to be responsible consumers
and transmitters of information.
19
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Module 4 Types of Media
At the end of this module, I can:
1. Classify contents of different media types.
2. Define media convergence through current examples.
3. Relate media with culture.
4. Discuss in class how a particular individual or society is portrayed in
public using different types of media.
5. Demonstrates the role of Philippine media in the global media landscape.
All about the Different Forms of Media
It has been argued earlier in Module 2 that as media evolves, the newer
one carries with it the features of the predecessor. If you are to trace the
history of media and communication technology, you will observe that the
usual observable sequence of the main media forms or types would be:
PRESS-->CINEMA-->RADIO-->TELEVISION-->VIDEOGAMES-->
INTERNET/WWW
Some will argue against this arrangement. But more than their historical
sequence, it is important to note what each of these media types are, what they
offer, and how they complement each other.
Print Media
Media is undeniably the most efficient way of communicating to a large
audience because of its capacity to relay the message across cultures and
distances. The variety of media forms provides a menu of choices for where
and when you can access information. One such media form is print media.
Also known as the press, this type of media refers to materials that are written
and are physically distributed. Perhaps the most significant event in the
history of printing in the invention of the printing press by Johannes
Gutenberg in 1440. This eventually led to the mass production of books, which
gave people an access to knowledge that they never dreamt of during those
times. Print media can either be in the form of a book, a newspaper, or a
magazine.
Books are the very first mass media in human history. Baran (2010)
considers books as very personal because they contain records of past
experiences and human knowledge that are passed on to later generations.
Books also provide opportunities for escape and personal reflection as
experienced by one who reads a novel. Although targeted to a specific kind of
audience, books are very specialized in that they offer more ideas about a topic,
unlike other mass media forms which are beholden to advertising rules. When
you read a book, you are able to stretch your imagination and think deeper
about ideas that you do not normally encounter in your everyday life. Books
are movers and shakers of culture. As a testament to this, books in physical
form are being stored digitally as e-books.
In contrast to books, newspapers and magazines are advertising-based.
This means that a larger bulk of the earnings of magazine and newspaper
publishers come from advertising products rather than selling the magazine or
the newspaper. Newspapers and magazines are published regularly, whereas
books may come out depending on the publisher’s prerogative.
Magazines and newspapers may be targeted for the general audience or
may address the interests of a particular group of readers. Magazines typically
contain features or human interest articles, whereas newspapers will definitely
have news stories and occasionally has other types of articles. Both the
magazine ad the newspaper may also have online versions for them to reach a
wider and larger audience who are more often virtually connected through the
Internet.
Film/Cinema
The film as a media form is one that is considered impressionable and has
a cathartic effect to its audience. With moving/motion pictures, the film is able
20
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
to enhance the media experience of its consumer because of the audio-video
component which heightens both the sense of hearing and sense of sight.
Films are very important cultural artifacts because, like books, they reflect the
desires, ideologies, and sensibilities of the culture to which they originate
from.
Broadcast Media
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the broadcast media is their
ubiquity. They are considered” household” media because they can be found
in practically any corner of a home. The broadcast media come in two forms –
radio and television. According toBaran(2010), radio was the first electronic
mass medium and the precursor of television. Because of radio, television was
a success in most parts of the world.
For a long time, radio was the “young people’s media”. This is evident in the
proliferation of FM radio stations catering to the musical taste of younger
generations, also known as format radio.
In the Philippines, you customarily expect FM programming to be format
radio, whereas AM programming is dominated by a news format. The
landscape is slowly changing as news format has already gone into frequency
modulation. The AM radio still remains the same but more specialized radio
broadcasts have emerged catering to particular niches such as community
radio.
Broadcasting has also started to conquer the internet and mobile
technology through internet-based radio and television.
Some people have mixed feelings about television as a media form. Some
think that next to printing press, it is the second most important invention.
“Television has changed the nature, operation, and relationship to their
audiences of books, magazines, movies, and radio.” Others think that
television has significantly dumb-down its content to adhere to what they call
the “least common denominator” which means that television programs avoid
burdening the audience of complex and complicated messages.
Video Games
Video games continue to grow popular to both young and old because of
their increased interactivity, “from game consoles to personal computers to
the Internet to cell phones (Baran, 2010)”. The internet, on the other hand, is a
development in media technology that is at the heart of all the convergence
that you see occurring in traditional media. The internet made it easier to
address a wider audience in all corners of the world. Ideas reach other people
in a shorter span of time. Thus, societies are more connected than ever. Access
to content whenever and wherever is almost possible.
Points of Intersection among Media Forms
Synergy and convergence are what describes the media of today. According to
freedictionary.com, synergy is an “interaction of two or more agents or forces
so that their combines effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects”.
Convergence, on the other hand, means the combination of various elements
to create a new whole. Think of the traditional media forms converging into a
newer media from that optimizes your media use.
There is a very thin line that separates each media form. Synergy is the
rationale behind the concentration of media in one company or organization.
Say for instance, a local network giant that has its main free-air channel with
affiliate cable channels and a cable company subsidiary owning a print media
arm and a film production unit.
Synergy is also a driving force for mergers and acquisitions in the media
and telecommunications industries, according to Baran. You probably have
heard of the news in recent years about a telecommunication magnate having
an interest to buy another local television station to directly compete with the
biggest network in the country so far.
Convergence is a trend that cannot be done away with because the
audiences are getting more fragmented. Media organizations would like to
21
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
reach as many as they can by diversifying the delivery of their message. Also,
audiences are no longer biased over one form of media to access content.
Smart phones these days have radio and television applications, which is a
clear example of convergence.
Media Type/Form
Video game




Online interactive gaming
Internet-capable handheld game devices
Advergaming
Advocacy gaming
Internet and the World
Wide Web

Functionalities of the traditional media
moving to the Web platform
Internet technology incorporated to
mobile technology (e.g., smart phones
and tablets)
Internet connected, Wi-Fi capable
television monitor
Convergence


E-books
Print on demand (POD)
Newspaper


Online version
Mobile application version
Magazine



Online publishing
Custom publishing
Movement from print to television (vice
versa)
Advertorial
Book






television
Internet-based television
Video on the Internet
Interactive television
Phone-over cable
Mobile video
Television recording

Film



Concept movies
Sequels, remakes, and franchises
Television, comic book, and video game
remakes
Radio



Digital radio
Internet-based radio and podcasting
Radio on television (and vice versa)
Television




Video cassette recorders (VCR)
Digital video disc (DVD)
Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
Digital television or high-definition


Potter (2011) considered cross media convergence as a way of breaking down
barriers that separate each traditional media. An illustration that you probably
can relate well with would be memes and videos over the Internet that people
customize so they are able to produce their own version.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
Media utilizes mass communication to reach a large number of audiences. It
transcends boundaries and cultures. This may seem overwhelming for some
but media may be utilized to address certain needs of an individual and
22
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
society to become better members of the community. The information
offered through media technologies come from diverse sources, thus,
requiring that you as consumers of information should be very critical of the
content you consume.
Media and culture are very well ties together in that media becomes a
storyteller of culture. They portray images and interests of a society that they
cater to. Print media, such as books, magazines, and newspapers, serve as
repositories of our past. Film or cinema enhances the experience earlier
provided by print media because of film’s use of audio and visual elements.
Broadcast media, such as radio and television, are so pervasive that they
attempt to appeal to the “least common denominator” or the lay people.
Video games have significantly improved through time and have attracted
attention of more adults and young people alike. Video games also reflect the
culture, the values, and sensibilities of its consumers.
The lines that separate these media forms have become blurred due to
media convergence. Convergence, or the coming together of various media
components to create a new whole new media, is what characterizes the
Internet and other technological infrastructure that goes with it.
Philippine media is very much involved in the global media landscape as
can be seen in the importation of foreign concepts and localizing them for
Filipino audiences, as well as exportation of media product, such as
Philippine soap operas, which are growing in popularity in other parts of the
world.
Module 5 Media and Information Sources
At the end of this module, I can:



Compare potential sources of media and information.
Assess information quality.
Interview an elder from the community regarding indigenous media
and information sources.
Which information sources (i.e., indigenous, library, internet, mass media) do
you prefer to use for the following topics? Why?
1. Human genome project
2. The cultural practices of the Lumads of Mindanao
3. The current state of the touism and hospitality industry in the
Philippines
4. Political conflicts and strife in different parts of the world
5. Human expedition on Mars
6. Agricultural practices in Central Luzon
7. Recent events in the last decade that changed the world
8. The ASEAN integration
9. Most promising careers for graduates of senior high school
10. The trends in the mobile application industry
11. The history of the Bangsamoro
12. Human organization and behavior
13. The global phenomenon on Korean pop
14. Paralympics
Your information needs to dictate your choice of media and information
sources. Sources are not all the same and are not created equal. In an article
written by Meyer (2005) on the nature and the effective use of information in
rural development, it was suggested that resources may be evaluated by
looking at the information that they contain. In other words, the content says a
lot about the source.
23
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Judging the value of information is not as easy as it seems. It becomes all
the more difficult for you when you have a limited idea about what you are
looking for. You may not realize it, but there are occasions when you feel
dumfounded when there is too much information available. This puts you to
a dilemma of whether to adapt the whole gamut of information or just ignore
them and look for some other sources that can provide you with simpler and
more straightforward information.
Information, unlike raw data is processed and refined. It is an
interpretation of the data by the author or producer of the information. As a
consumer, you have to exert more effort to look past the information and
check its validity and relevance to you. Information may also become
obsolete and may not be applicable to current contexts and utility. In your
case as students, you are expected to discern the changes in the content and
claims of the information that you locate, use, and share.
Uncertainty is a key driver for one to seek information. As someone
curious about how things work, you would like to reduce this uncertainty by
consulting various materials that come from different sources. These sources
may be in the form of indigenous or community knowledge, physical
materials in archives such as libraries, multimedia, texts, and objects found in
the internet, or media messages from the different mass media forms.
Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Media
A rather unconventional source for information is the so-called
indigenous knowledge (IK). Indigenous knowledge is defined by Warren
(1991) as the “knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society.”
IK contrasts with the international knowledge system generated by
universities, research institutions and private firms. It is the basis for
local-level decision making in agriculture, health care, food preparation,
education, natural resource management, and a host of other activities in
rural communities.

Warren (1991)
Indigenous knowledge is relayed either through people media (which are
the persons involved in the use, analysis, evaluation, and production of media
and information) or through indigenous media. The Asia Indigenous Peopled
Pact or AIPP defined indigenous media as media:
… owned, controlled ad managed by indigenous people in order for
them to develop and produce culturally appropriate information in the
languages understood by the community by utilizing indigenous materials
and resources, reflecting community needs and interest groups. It is
highly participatory, involving the community members in planning,
management and production.

AIPP (2014)
Also known as community media, indigenous media is any form of media
that is created and controlled in the community, for the community, about the
community and by the community (either a geographic community or a
community of identity or interest) [and] is separate from commercial media,
state-run media, public broadcasting.
Indigenous communities are typically known to adhere to oral tradition of
communication. This means that they are not reliant on mainstream media.
They store information in their memories so the danger of losing the
information is greater. Information exchange is characterized by face-to-face
interaction, limiting the transfer and access of information over long distances
and containing it within the borders of the community. And because of this,
24
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
the creation and maintenance of indigenous media helps in storing
indigenous knowledge for posterity.
The AIPP observed that “the ASEAN media landscape is generally
characterized by an urban-centric media system in flow, content,
consumption and ownership that limits indigenous people’s access to media
and information and news coverage of their own issues and conditions.”
Some of the other observations of the group include the following:




Flow of information starting from metropolitan areas, tending to be
one-way as no effective mechanisms are in place for media
organizations to gather news from rural indigenous areas.
Distant locations of many indigenous territories and poor
infrastructures as big obstacles to indigenous peoples’ access to
information from mass media.
Complex biases and serious lack of interest in the lives of indigenous
communities in news coverage and selection of mainstream media.
Privately owned mainstream media catering more to interests of
urban consumers rather than the needs of rural communities,
particularly indigenous ones.
Indigenous Media as Tool for Expression and Participation
Information offered by indigenous media is primarily to “open up other
spaces for the discussion of indigenous peoples’ issues (AIPP, 2005).” New
media and ICT infrastructures have dramatically helped boost community
media in certain parts of ASEAN region “providing the opportunity for
extending communication outreach in remote rural areas.” The AIPP added
that the indigenous youth of some ASEAN countries are exploring online
platforms such as social media for their news and information consumption.
In the ASEAN region, there are indigenous organizations that have
initiated the promotion of freedom of expression and have increased access
to information among indigenous peoples (IPs). An example in the Philippines
is the Northern Dispatch Weekly, or NORDIS, which is a weekly newspaper
covering the Ilocos Region, the Cordilleras, and the Cagayan Valley region
places where indigenous communities in Northern Luzon live. NORDIS
extends its effort for media to reach the IPs and the rural communities. The
newspaper is a nonprofit and promotes a more democratic ownership of media
facilities, and more reader-oriented industry practitioners.
The Library as Repository of Information
You know libraries to be places “in which literary, musical, artistic, or
reference materials (as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for
use but not for sale (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary).” Libraries came
into existence because of the birth of printing press.
Libraries are evaluated on the extent of their collection of materials and
the kinds and quality of services they offer to information seekers. Libraries
are expected to select and provide you contents that are easy to access.
Libraries are considered to be stewards of good information collection.
Libraries bought books (which they then owned ), organized them,
made them available through library facilities, and took steps to ensure
the longevity of the volumes for future use… Libraries acquire and secure
ownership of digital content (typically through license), store the content
on local servers, and make it accessible to a target community. Libraries
attempt, as protocols permit, to ensure long-term access to the digital
collection through license conditions and through practices to create
backup and redundancy, and to migrate the content over time. In a
variation of the model, some libraries host commercial content or
centrally manage content of other campus units. In both of these cases,
the classic collection stewardship model is sustained largely intact. A
defining characteristic of this traditional model is the library’s ability to
25
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
exercise primary responsibility for and control over the content and
future access to that content.
-
Media
Type/Form
Council on Library and Information Resources
The main role of a library is to organize and provide you access to
information. This role is no longer static or limited to purely collecting
physical materials for archiving. It has extended to acquiring new modes of
providing information such as the use of digital sources and facilities that
utilize media. A library is one place where you can expect ne search
strategies to be employed, thus, motivating information seekers like you to be
more adept in effectively and efficiently locating information.
Books
Libraries are no longer limited to being repositories of informational
materials. Modern libraries are connected to the internet to provide library
uses of a myriad of sources and databases from various places in the world.
According to the Council on Library and Information Resources, “Library
Facilities also serve a social function, providing a common ground for users
to interact or a neutral site for individuals from different disciplines to come
together.
Media as Information Tools
Apart from indigenous knowledge and library sources, media also
provides information as previously stated in the earlier modules in this unit.
Media has been extensively discussed in Module 2. For your purpose of
understanding media as a source of information, ponder on the advantages
and disadvantages of each media type shown in Table 5.1 as outlined by the
World Heritage Communication and Media Training Workshop in 2013.
Table 5.1 Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Media as Sources of
Information
Magazines
and
Newspapers
Cinema
PROS
CONS
 Portable/transferable
information
 Affordable by volume,
depending on size of print
run
 Enduring medium that can
last for many years
 Ideal for content that may
not change drastically over
time (historical, academic
works, catalogues of
cultural artifacts/works of
art)
 Loyal (but shrinking)
readership
 Target a geographical area
 Can be shared with others
 Inserts and leaflets attracts
attention
 “Print is dead” or is it?
 Costly typesetting and
design
 Costly publication in
multilingual editions
 Expensive storage and
shipping
 Prohibitively expensive
reprinting/revising of
outdated information
 Environmental issues
 Reaches many
demographics, literate or
illiterate
 Can be entered in
local/international film
festivals and competitions
 Expensive production
 May or may not hold
interest attention
 Newspaper valid only for
a day
 Message can be lost
(most papers have more
than 60% advertising)
 Magazines have niche
audiences
26
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Radio
Television
World Wide
Web
for further exposure
 Trusted medium with loyal
followers
 Community radio has loyal
audiences interested in
local activities
 National broadcasters can
carry messages for
nationwide events
 24/7 interaction with target
audiences
 Niche market: stations
cater to specific types of
listeners
 Audience will tune out
 Background medium
(hard to hold attention)
 Difficult to incite action
(hard to remember
broadcasted contact
details or website URLs
 Quickly spreads the
message on different
channels and times of day
 Improves credibility
 Best suited for large-scale
communications activities
 Expensive
 Short message that must
be repeated to sink in
 Advertisements can be
skipped through PVRs
(Personal Video
Recorders)
 Traditional TV is less
watched by younger
people
 Main point of contact
between user and audience
 Acts as a hub for all other
activities/content
(audio/video/text/events/so
cial media aggregator)
 Easy to access from
multiple platforms
 Perceived difficulty to set
up
 High cost maintenance
(constant updating)
 Information control
Social Media
 Reach the correct audience
through hashtags/following
relevant groups
 Attract large number of
people in short time
 Drive traffic to other
communication actions
 Bring people together
 Gather information about
target
 Easy feedback
 Place for real-life
experiences to be
exchanged
 Give a voice to timid
people
 Very time consuming to
engage directly with
followers
 Need to keep content
fresh across platforms to
stay visible
 Cannot control the
message or how people
react to online contents
 Campaigns can get
hijacked by detractors
 Bad news can go viral
 Mistakes can happen in
real time with thousands
of witnesses
 Negative feedback cannot
be ignored
 Do not capture tone
Evaluating Your Information Sources
When the information suits your needs, it is considered of good quality.
To measure information quality, you may consider the following aspects.
27
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
1. The information provided by a source is credible and reliable. One
aspect of judging credibility of information is the reputation of the
source. The authoritativeness of the information and the source must
be readily verifiable; otherwise, the information may not be useful.
2. Breadth and depth of the discussion on a topic is also a consideration.
The extent of the research done by the source to organize the
information is an indication of rigor and judiciousness. A lazy source
is one who is content on providing secondary and tertiary sources as
well as popular and less academic information.
3. The information can be cross-referenced. This means that the
information can also be checked in other sources and can be
supported by them.
4. The manner on how the information has been dealt with by the source
is ethical and legal.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
Almost everything at your grasp is a source of information. It just
depends on what you need them for and how you use them. When the
information is unrefined or unprocessed, it is called raw data. The data will
only make sense when it is interpreted and utilized based on your needs.
Validity, reliability, credibility, and relevance are the primary considerations
for evaluating information. But not all sources offer the same quality of
information. These sources may be indigenous or community knowledge,
physical materials libraries, or media resources. As you strive to become
more media and information literate, the higher is the expectation to be
judicious and more selective and critical of your information sources because
quality is everything with the vast information you can assess.
28
GRADE 12 | MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY