Media and Information Literacy in Journalism: A Handbook for Journalists and Journalism Educators

"Without language, there is no humanity. Without journalism, there is no democracy. Without Media and Information Literacy (MIL), there is no democratic human conversation."

This handbook advocates for increased cooperation between media and information literacy (MIL) and journalistic work and offers guidance on how to integrate MIL into journalistic practice and learning. It is based on the belief that this integration will: lead to better and more ethical journalism; build trust in media through citizen, government, and media partnerships; and stimulate civic engagement. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Tashkent Office in Uzbekistan designed the handbook as a tool for use in news organisations, media development courses, and in journalism schools by journalists, journalism educators, media regulators, and civil society organisations.

As stated in the Preface, "Journalism is no longer just the great soloist of the social concert. The new mission of journalism is not to issue opinions undirectionally, but to give voice to the citizens so that they participate equally in the public conversation; so that they engage in dialogue to enrich a democratic public conversation. Its new mission is to try to contribute to the harmony of the social orchestra, progressively wider and more plural, in which any citizen can participate. None of this can be done without MIL."

Therefore, the handbook encourages media, technological intermediaries, and related organisations to venture more into the domain of the demand side of media and to explore with a different perspective the domain of audiences and citizens and their understanding of how media works. In particular, it seeks to equip journalism educators and journalist practitioners with practical guidelines and resources related to: 1) how MIL is critical for civic empowerment and engagement, 2) how to integrate MIL into journalism education and news reporting, and 3) how to stimulate dialogue between media and citizens/users to build trust in media.

The handbook is divided into the following sections:

• Introduction
• Part I. Media and Information Literacy through the Eyes of the Media and other Information Providers
• Part II. Media and Information Literacy in Journalism Education
• Part III. Media and Information Literacy in Journalism Practice
• Part IV. Media and Information Literacy Toolkit

The first three parts of the handbook include theoretical and practical material intended to help media experts in writing news and analytical materials, as well as in conducting investigative journalism. The sections: deal with "fake news" and disinformation; provide a conceptual framework for MIL, highlighting its importance; and explore the principles and role of MIL in journalism education. They cover topics such as ethics on the internet, human rights and working with sources, journalistic skills in collecting and processing information, ways to verify and provide reliable information, and the identification of fake news that may adversely affect the public. Each section provides examples of best practice, suggested exercises, readings, and assignments that are meant to enhance understanding.

The last part of the handbook (the MIL Toolkit) offers a series of checklists that can be used by journalists during the pre-production, production, and post-production stages of media production.