"Young Namibians are embracing the digital transformation, according to indicative findings from the present MIL INDEX country study. Interestingly, the youths that took part in eight focus groups conducted at the end of 2018 in Windhoek and Rundu are immersed in digital communication but are aware
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of the ambivalent nature of the news and information sources they find on social media and related Internet services. The importance of a critical mindset when navigating the World Wide Web was stressed by the eight experts interviewed as part of the study.
This MIL INDEX study addresses five dimensions of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) according to DW Akademie’s MIL model: access, analysis, reflection, creation, and action. The focus groups conducted for this study reveal that there is a rural/urban divide in terms of access and use of media. The more rural (and older) groups use radio and television on a regular basis, while the more urban (and younger) groups tend to regard traditional media as yesterday’s media. This shift is in line with the rise of social media. Information uptake is coincidental and journalistic content is intermingled with all sorts of trivia when consumed in social networks. Smartphones are regarded by many as a substitute for newspapers, radio, and television. Amongst those who continue using traditional media, radio is turned to more often for information while TV is regarded more as an entertainment medium.
Considering analytical skills, there is a certain disenchantment of the Namibian youths with journalistic media, the reporting being considered not close enough to the interests and issues of the youth. But it was interesting to find that the focus group participants’ appraisal of media in terms of trustworthiness is the exact opposite of their consumption patterns. While the discussions documented frequent use of social media these are evaluated as least trustworthy, whereas newspapers are rated highly on the trustworthiness scale but were hardly ever read. There is an awareness of the ambivalent quality of news and information on social media, but the youths cannot always name sources they consider produce high-quality information.
The results in the reflection dimension are ambivalent. The youths can recount numerous cases of cyberbullying and disinformation (“fake news”). But the accompanying survey shows that while they reject hate speech and disinformation, there is a certain willingness to accept cyberbullying as given. This is echoed in the focus groups where participants’ advice is often to ignore hateful messages, rather than do something about them. However, the groups do discuss many other strategies in coming to terms with and combatting cyberbullying and disinformation. Rarely do they reflect the motivations that lie behind such behavior. It was also interesting to note that disinformation is mainly discussed with regards to online rather than traditional media." (Executive summary)
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"There is evidence that [the radio drama series] 'Life in Lulu' had a strong impact on women’s attitudes and inspired female listeners to resolve conflicts non-violently and encourage others to do the same. This seems to be driven by having characters that are engaging to women and storylines that
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challenge traditional gender roles and model more balanced power dynamics between men and women. However, the drama had less impact on shifting the attitudes of men in relation to the role of women in decision-making and conflict resolution. Gender norms related to decision-making within and outside the home are particularly ‘sticky’ and difficult to change." (Conclusion)
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"There are close to 60 operating print news media, radio and television stations in El Alto, in addition to a half dozen digital information portals. There are approximately 200 journalists in El Alto, but most of them lack formal labor contracts and perform their work as independent producers or co
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-producers, earning incomes from sponsors and renting workspaces from radio and television studios to broadcast their news programs. Traditionally, the main sponsors for these news programs are government-affiliated actors, and this usually affects the news content. News media from La Paz and other area outside of El Alto have a strong presence in the city which visibly influences the news coverage model applied in El Alto and the agenda set by the media. Often external sources, issues of public order in other areas of the country, and issues of national interest disproportionately prevail over local issues and the voices of the city. Despite the indigenous Aymara roots of the older population and the Aymara identity that is the pride of the city, the Aymara language is only partially used on news programs. The majority of people consulted for this study indicated their preference for receiving news in Spanish. According to the results of the survey, residents of El Alto say that they receive information first from TV (42%), then from Facebook (29%), then from radio (15%), although they have less confidence in Facebook (13%) and believe that radio best reflects what happens in the city (28%). The population of El Alto tends to prefer news media from other cities rather than from local sources. The public is fragmented and does not acknowledge media that captures a majority viewership. To receive or exchange information about what is happening in the city itself, people tend to turn to their neighbors and family as they consider the news media to be out of touch with their daily lives, providing information that is biased and distorted." (Executive summary)
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"We conducted a mixed-methods research project in Nigeria, India, and Pakistan consisting of surveys, survey experiments, and semi-structured interviews, to better understand the spread and impact of misinformation, and in particular of misinformation on mobile messaging apps (MIMs). One of our goal
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s was to evaluate the relevance and prevalence of viral false claims in each country. We found evidence that popular “false claims” debunked by fact-checking companies are widely recognized, but, unsurprisingly, news from mainstream media are more widely recognized than the false claims. This is certainly a good sign, which confirms similar trends reported elsewhere. However, we also found preliminary evidence that misinformation circulates wide on messaging apps. When asked whether and where they encountered researcher-selected false claims, participants reported to be exposed to more false claims than “mainstream claims” (i.e., true) on messaging apps, while this was not the case for traditional media, such as newspapers and TV News. While others have found false claims to be more prevalent on social media than on mainstream media, this is the first systematic evidence that messaging apps might be the primary source for spread of misinformation." (Executive summary)
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"En El Alto funcionan cerca de 60 medios impresos, de radio y televisivos, además de media docena de portales digitales informativos. Los periodistas suman alrededor de 200, aunque la mayoría de ellos carecen de una relación laboral formal y desarrollan su trabajo en condición de productores ind
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ependientes o co-productores, obtienen ingresos de la publicidad que consiguen y alquilan espacios en medios radiofónicos o de TV para difundir sus programas noticiosos. Tradicionalmente, los mayores anunciadores en esos noticieros son gubernamentales y suelen condicionar los contenidos de las informaciones. A ello se suma la fuerte presencia entre las audiencias de los medios informativos de La Paz u otras ciudades, la que influye visiblemente en el modelo de cubrimiento noticioso que se aplica en El Alto y en la definición de la agenda informativa. De esa forma, prevalecen las fuentes oficiales, los temas de orden político y de interés nacional en desmedro de los asuntos locales y las voces de la ciudad. A pesar de la raíz indígena aymara que posee la población de mayor edad y de la identidad aymara de que se precia la urbe, el idioma aymara es parcialmente utilizado en los programas de noticias y la mayoría de las personas consultadas para este estudio señaló su preferencia por el idioma castellano. De acuerdo con la encuesta realizada, los habitantes de El Alto dicen informarse primero por la TV (42%), luego por el Facebook (29%) y en tercer lugar por la radio (15%), aunque confían menos en el segundo (13%) y piensan que la última es la que refleja de mejor modo lo que sucede en la ciudad (28%). La población de El Alto suele preferir los medios periodísticos de otras ciudades que los de carácter local." (Resumen ejecutivo)
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"Young Ugandans are reluctant to voice their concerns and take part in public discussions according to indicative findings from the MIL INDEX country study presented here. The eight focus groups conducted for the study in Kampala and Bugembe early in 2019 revealed that youths are using both traditio
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nal and social media extensively, but discussions of political and public issues take place mainly in closed circles on platforms like WhatsApp. “It is a suffocated environment,” says media expert Gerald Businge.
This MIL INDEX study is aimed at obtaining a concise picture of media- and information-related skills amongst youths under the age of 35 in Uganda. It addresses five dimensions of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) based on DW Akademie’s MIL model: access, analysis, reflection, creation, and action.
The focus group participants see themselves living in the “the dot-com era” though access to the Internet and even television is far from universal in Uganda. The smartphone is the most popular device and it serves as a benchmark when judging more traditional media (radio, television, and newspapers). Social media are used alongside traditional media, but there is a feeling that traditional media, especially radio, are losing touch with the Ugandan youth of today. There is a general neglect of printed media, based on an aversion to long reads and often also difficulties in understanding them. Some participants feel they are addicted to social media and online messengers.
When it comes to analytical skills, the Ugandan youths in the focus groups are not very critical of the media environment they live in despite the overwhelming evidence that state control, intimidation, and media concentration are problems in Uganda. But they do pick up on news bias and sensationalism. They are also aware of the fact that online sources and social media information should not be trusted blindly. Participants can differentiate between quality and tabloid-type media, but an alarming proportion does not know their constitutional right to freedom of expression.
The level of reflection on the part of focus group participants is medium to low. They can render many cases of cyberbullying/hate speech, disinformation and cybercrime, though they are not always aware of the difference. Especially the examples of cyber-harassment that are recounted in the focus groups reveal that female youths are primarily targeted. At the same time there seems to be little in the way of counselling for victims and there was not enough reflection of the background to such malevolent forms of communication. Strategies in coping with them are not very elaborate, though some groups did mention methods of verification in the context of disinformation several times. There is considerable potential for support when it comes to dealing with cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, hate speech and cybercrime." (Executive summary)
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"Una antigua canción de 1979 (Video killed the radio star de The Buggles) decía en su título que el video había matado a la radio. Quizás esa fue la percepción que se tuvo por un momento debido al surgimiento de fenómenos sociales como MTV (una cadena de televisión que sólo transmitía vide
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os musicales) en 1981, pero la verdad es que 40 años después de esta corriente se puede afirmar que en el Perú la radio sigue siendo el canal principal para escuchar música." (Página 1)
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"We recruited participants aged 13-14 in three countries: Mexico, South Africa and the Netherlands. Through a questionnaire, an observation exercise and interviews, we gathered information in order to identify trends [...] We constructed a number of global personas that cut across the groups. Safety
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Seeker: Aims to avoid potential harm online; they do not interact with content they believe is not genuine and they are discerning about friend requests. Awareness Raiser: Is concerned about global issues and considers the positive impact of online content more important than its veracity. Entertainment Junkie: Cares about having fun, being entertained and making friends smile; truth isn’t as important. Dedicated Fan: Believes content posted by the people they admire and will call out fake news about the things they care about. Socialiser: Is all about friends, connecting across several social media platforms. They are discerning about friends but still have hundreds – and they believe the things they share. Scroller: Doesn’t engage with misinformation or content they don’t care about; they just scroll on past. They can be challenging to engage." (Executive summary, page 4-5)
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"Quatre Togolais sur cinq environ disposent d’une radio dans leur ménage (81%) et suivent régulièrement les informations à la radio (78%). Deux ménages sur cinq (44%) ne possèdent pas de télévision. La moitié (51%) des Togolais ne suivent jamais ou rarement les informations à la télé.
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Un cinquième des Togolais (18%) possède un ordinateur. Quatre Togolais sur cinq (82%) ont un téléphone portable à usage personnel. Un tiers (32%) de la population ont des téléphones qui peuvent accéder à l’Internet. Moins de deux Togolais sur 10 (18%) s’informent souvent via l’Internet." (Résultats clés)
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"This report highlights numerous troubling developments in Turkey’s media landscape. Distrust in the media has reached crisis proportions, with fully 70 percent of Turks viewing the media as dishonest. These doubts have formed the backdrop for rapid shifts in how Turks access political news and in
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formation, as citizens turn toward online outlets and social media platforms that are more independent of government control but are themselves often rife with misinformation. Such changes have created an increasingly fragmented media landscape, in which Turks of different political parties, ages, and regions are consuming news from very different sources. Unfortunately, many of these sources are unreliable, and none enjoys trust across the political spectrum. The political repercussions of these trends will deeply affect both Turkey and its Western allies. Indeed, these same challenges, including distrust of the media and severe political polarization, are afflicting numerous other NATO countries, from Poland to the United States. The growing prevalence of misinformation may further aggravate partisan divides and weaken accountability. Already it has undermined Turkey’s response to the coronavirus pandemic." (Page 16)
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"The research on audience behavior and the effects of Free Media Advocacy Campaign was conducted on a sample of 1,000 respondents, 25 to 55 years of age, and focused on the citizens’ viewpoint towards paying for media content (with the possibility of comparison to 2019 research) and evaluation of
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the campaign “Independent Media Depend on You” (IREX and Agency Communis). In terms of media consumption, respondents from 2019 generally spent more time with media than in the 2020 research. In addition, it is noticeable that respondents in both research cycles spent more time watching television and listening to the radio. The average time respondents spent per day watching television in 2020 was 108.6 minutes, while in 2019 the average time spent watching this media was 161.4 minutes. The average time respondents spent listening to the radio in the research conducted in 2020 is the same as the time spent watching TV (108.6 minutes), while in 2019, radio was the media respondents spent the most time listening to – 166.8 minutes. Social networks are the third most used media in terms of time spent on them per day (average time for 2020 – 87.6 minutes; average time for 2019 – 126.6 minutes). In fourth place are informative online portals and sites, while fifth place is print media with which respondents spend the least time per day (average time – 27 minutes). When it comes to citizens’ trust in media, it is evident that in both research cycles there is a greater distrust than a trust in the media, and this fits in the broader picture of citizen’s distrust in all civil society institutions. A total of 43% of respondents generally do not trust the media in Serbia at all – in 2020, while in 2019 the percentage was lower by two points (41%). On the other hand, a total of 22% of respondents stated that they have full confidence and that they mostly have trust in Serbian media, which is one percentage point more than in the research conducted in 2019. About a third of respondents had a neutral stance about trust in media (31% in 2020, 33% in 2019). A large percentage of respondents were not willing to pay for online content, however, when compared with 2019’s findings, SMS noticed that the willingness to pay for online content is more noticeable in 2020." (Summary)
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"Young Ivorians are adept at using digital media. They are creative when it comes to using digital media and many have developed strategies to cope with media malpractices such as cyberbullying or hate speech. These are two significant, indicative findings from the present MIL INDEX country study. B
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oth seem very impressive considering the challenges of high illiteracy rates and the strongly politicized national media landscape in Côte d’Ivoire. The results of the study are drawn from eight focus groups conducted in the beginning of 2019 in Abidjan and Bouaké and interviews with eight local experts. They confirm that young people are very good at using and creating content on social media but urgently need better critical, analytical, and reflective skills.
This MIL INDEX study is aimed at obtaining a concise picture of media- and information-related skills amongst youths under the age of 35 in Côte d’Ivoire. It addresses five dimensions of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) according to DW Akademie’s MIL model: access, analysis, reflection, creation, and action.
In terms of access the focus groups conducted for this study reveal that young urban and semi-urban Ivorians use a variety of different media for purposes such as consuming information, communication, entertainment, education, or business information. Digital media, particularly social media platforms and instant messengers, are the most used and most popular among this age group and are generally preferred over traditional media. Nonetheless, radio and television are still valued for their auditory and visual input which are significant characteristics considering the high illiteracy rates of about 40,4 % present in Côte d’Ivoire (UIS, 2018). A divide between more urban and more rural regions is visible in the case of radio programs, which are more popular in more rural settings. The focus groups suggest this is due to the fact that local radio stations are often the only media which provide news relevant to more remote areas. Most other media show a tendency to focus only on news from the capital. Printed media are widely regarded as too costly and outdated by Ivorian youths.
The results of the analysis dimension indicate that most focus group participants possess a good digital and media knowledge while at the same time many lack awareness of their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. Striking was that youths generally consider content provided by traditional media to be more trustworthy, but mainly consume social media content. This and often very loose definitions of what media quality means showed that there is still room for improvement when it comes to the young people’s analytical skills. Overall, urbanites seem to question the trustworthiness of media content slightly more than youths from more rural regions.
Results from the reflection dimension confirm that Ivorian youths are constantly exposed to malevolent forms of communication and media malpractices such as cyberbullying, hate speech, sexual harassment, and disinformation. Most young people show strong abilities when it comes to recognizing media problems and using prevention or coping strategies to handle them. Exceptions are politically motivated disinformation and biased reporting which are taken as normal in the Ivorian context. Due to this tendency towards normalization only very few young people reflect critically upon this media malpractice. Reflection on a deeper level such as on the impact of media messages or motivations of news outlets is often missing among young people." (Executive summary)
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"This study is a snapshot of children’s use of social media in East Asia, focusing on four countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The research incorporates the experiences of 301 children across the four countries, including 121 street children and refugees, collected through a ser
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ies of focus group discussions and participatory exercises. The qualitative data collected was supplemented by a confidential anonymous self-administered 20-item questionnaire completed at the end of the focus group discussions. While more is arguably known about how children in middle- and high-income families use social media, those from lower income families, marginalized children, children with disabilities, street children and refugee children are often excluded from conversations on their use of social media and online safety. This study explicitly attempted to include the voices of children from these populations. These were supplemented by discussions with parents, grandparents, caregivers and frontline workers including social workers, counsellors, child psychiatrists and educators." (Introduction)
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"According to the largely young, mostly educated female listeners interviewed in this study, Radio Ergo focuses on important humanitarian and social issues in Somalia and is refreshingly free from clan politics. The radio stimulates rich and healthy discussions and dialogues among Somalis living ins
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ide and outside the country and provides much needed information that can transform their lives. These female listeners see Radio Ergo as laying the foundation for a much-needed space where vulnerable populations can have a voice, articulate their specific needs, access humanitarian assistance, and communicate their needs to humanitarian organizations. In addition, the radio is generating healthy dialogue and debate for the people of Somalia, who have borne the brunt of the protracted conflict and natural disasters. Radio Ergo allows its female listeners to recognize their roles and responsibilities as citizens engaged in rebuilding their lives in a new Somalia. Despite successes and achievements, the participants in Mogadishu and Baidoa noted areas for improvement. They wanted an expansion of broadcasting hours and many additional programmes and topics, as indicated above. They were particularly interested in programming on migration and women. They also wanted to hear more female voices on the radio, even though they recognized that Radio Ergo pays more attention to gender inclusion than most other radios in Somalia." (Conclusion)
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"L’utilisation de la mesure d’audience par les médias est faible en Côte d’Ivoire. Selon une étude du Ministère de la Communication, de l’Économie Numérique et de la Poste (2017), la plupart des médias ivoiriens naviguent à vue sans une véritable connaissance et maîtrise du marché
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par des études d’audience et d’habitude de consommation des cibles. Dans le cas de la presse écrite, les maisons d’édition permettent d’établir l’audience en précisant même le lieu. Pour la presse numérique, les compteurs présents sur les pages web le permettent également. Par contre, avec une transmission par la voie des ondes, il est difficile de savoir qui regarde quoi et à quel moment. L’un des moyens permettant aux diffuseurs d’avoir un retour sur leurs émissions est le sondage. En effet, l'audience a acquis, au fil des années, une importance capitale. Plus un écran est regardé, plus un annonceur est intéressé. De plus, le déploiement de la télévision numérique te restre (TNT) est en cours sur le territoire ivoirien, évolution qui renforce la nécessité d’une mesure d’audience fiable et régulière afin de permettre une éclosion adaptée des chaînes et programmes répondant aux attentes de la population. Bien que tous les indicateurs de mesure d’audience ne soient pas investigués par les enquêtes d’Afrobarometer, les résultats ici présentés révèlent que la télévision et la radio ont les scores les plus élevés d’audience. Cependant l’on observe que les audiences de l’Internet et des médias sociaux tels que Facebook et Twitter connaissent une forte progression. La radio se présente comme le seul média à s’imposer aussi bien en milieu rural qu’urbain et avec la plus faible différence selon le niveau de pauvreté." (Résumé)
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"On average across 34 countries, one in five adults (20%) have access to both a smartphone and a computer, while 43% only have access to a basic cell phone. In 15 out of 34 countries, at least half of adults have access to a smartphone or a computer or both. About three in 10 respondents (31%) use t
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heir cell phones and the Internet at least several times a week. This form of basic digital literacy is widespread (at least 50% of adults) in Mauritius, Gabon, Tunisia, Sudan, South Africa, and Morocco but rare (10% or less) in Mali, Niger, and Madagascar. One-fifth of adults (20%) are well prepared to participate in or assist members of their household with a transition to an online learning environment. In contrast, 55% are likely to be ill prepared for remote learning, while 25% of respondents form a middle category representing those who could participate in e-learning given sufficient resources such as devices and/or training. Citizens’ readiness to engage in remote learning is primarily shaped by their level of formal education and access to electricity, rather than by their overall level of wealth or geographic location." (Key findings, page 3)
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"En la mayoría de los casos existe una relación lineal entre la confianza y el consumo de cada medio. En ese contexto, entre los consumidores frecuentes de cada medio la confianza neta (Confía Mucho + Confías Algo) es mayor en Telefe (80%), C5N (78%) y Clarín (74%). De todos modos, cabe aclarar
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que en todos los medios la confianza neta entre los consumidores frecuentes es mayor al 50%. En varios medios de comunicación se observa partidismo en su consumo y en la confianza. En efecto, se reflejan diferencias en el consumo de medios entre los votantes de Macri y de Fernández principalmente en C5N, TN (Todo Noticias), La Nación, Canal 13 y Página 12. Al contrario, se observa una mayor similitud de consumo entre votantes en los casos de Canal 26 y Telefe. Por su parte, la mayor diferencia sobre la confianza en los medios según el voto se registra en TN (Todo Noticias), Canal 13, La Nación, Clarín y C5N, pues la brecha que divide a los votantes de Macri y los de Fernández supera los 40 puntos porcentuales en estos casos." (Resumen, página 22-23)
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