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Research

33. Key to the success of our early work in promoting media literacy and defining future priorities is to develop an evidence base of research to identify the issues, to direct our work and inform progress towards achieving our goals.

34. Research carried out by the ITC, BSC and others^(-1-) found that “little research on adults’ awareness and understanding of the new and changing media and information environment has been conducted, so much remains to be discovered and understood, this being crucial as increasing responsibility for accessing content is being devolved to the public.

35.“Clearly, a well-defined vision - of the key dimensions of consumers’ skills and abilities, of the minimum and desired levels of literacy required, of the population sectors which risk being left out, of the most appropriate means of both promoting and evaluating media literacy – must be debated and agreed if media literacy are to reach satisfactory levels across the whole population.”

36. In consultation with other interested parties we will conduct research to begin to answer some of these questions and inform future policy debate.

37. Our research will focus on gaining a greater understanding of the levels of media literacy in all sections of society. Some groups, such as children, young people, parents and older people may have particular needs. Some may be vulnerable or risk being disadvantaged. This research will identify which sections of society are at risk and where Ofcom needs to focus its resources.

38. We will explore barriers to greater media literacy. If access is a prerequisite to gaining competence and confidence in the use of communications technologies, we need to know what physical, cognitive, social, economic or technical barriers exist. And which sectors of society are at greatest risk of being excluded? This research will help identify which stakeholders are best placed to deliver solutions to overcoming barriers to greater media literacy.

39. We will consider people’s attitudes and expectations when viewing and listening to materials. This work will help content providers to supply information about the nature of materials so as to reduce the chance of causing harm or offense.

40. We need a better understanding of people’s attitudes and experiences when using tools to manage content. There are tools available to help viewer’s access and control content including electronic programme guides (EPG) and filtering tools for Internet content. Our research will help producers of both hardware and software to focus clearly on the needs of the users and help them to produce tools which are effective and easy to use.

41. This strand of work will also make a valuable contribution to understanding the higher order levels of skills particularly related to critical viewing. Where appropriate, Ofcom will contribute to research initiated by others which will inform our understanding in key areas.

42. By way of example, the recent interest in the promotion of food to children has triggered a research project in the area. This research involves a review of current evidence on the effect of food promotion and advertising in particular on children. In parallel we will undertake qualitative research on the key messages that children take out of different types of food promotion and what parents and children say influences their food preferences and purchase behaviour and the role of food promotion and advertising in these. In this and other future research projects Ofcom can contribute to a greater understanding of people’s critical viewing skills.

43. Some of this research will include long running studies of people’s changing attitudes and expectations of content delivered on different platforms. In particular, we will wish to be informed about emerging media literacy and protection issues such as the impact of personal video recorders, 3G mobile Internet access and location based services.

44. In particular we will try to identify potential barriers to the evolution and use of effective access tools particularly on mobile Internet platforms.

45. Annex 3 of this consultation document includes a number of questions relating to our proposed work to promote media literacy. Responses to questions 5 to 8 will help our research programme. These questions ask for your opinion on the skill needs of different sections of society, including those who may otherwise be excluded from the benefits of new communications technologies. We would also like to know what you think are the barriers people might face in their efforts to become more media literate.

46. We also propose to undertake research to inform and direct the two other main strands Connecting, Partnering & Signposting and Labelling of audiovisual content.

Connecting, Partnering & Signposting

47. We aim to add value to existing media literacy activity, stimulate new work and promote and direct people to advice and guidance concerning new communications technologies. In this strand of work Ofcom can have an immediate impact in raising the profile of media literacy and putting the issues firmly on stakeholders' agenda.

Connecting

48. Ofcom’s key role in this area will be to bring interested parties together to maximise their efforts to promote media literacy.

49. There are many projects and initiatives in education and elsewhere which add to our knowledge and understanding of media literacy particularly in relation to critical viewing. Ofcom will promote these initiatives and encourage collaborative working in this area.

50. For example, teachers report difficulty gaining access and rights to use appropriate visual materials to support their media literacy teaching. Ofcom is in a position to explore with a range of stakeholders more effective ways of making resources available for use in education.

Partnering

51. Ofcom will be in a position to join in partnership with other stakeholders on a range of projects which address unmet needs identified by research.

52. In particular, we will seek to support initiatives to encourage the elderly and the socially or physically disadvantaged to gain experience of new communications technologies.

53. These partnerships may include work lead by the:

• The UK Film Council, bfi, Channel 4 and BBC’s Media Literacy Task Force – Ofcom is a partner in the steering group and will conduct joint research to support the Task Force’s work;
• The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) – Ofcom is an active member of the National Steering Group for Adult Learners Week and will encourage the inclusion of media literacy as a theme in a forthcoming campaign;
• Media Smart, the advertising industry initiative to increase children’s awareness of issues surrounding advertising – Ofcom offers advice and guidance where appropriate and will promote the use of their classroom resources;
• We are exploring ways in which we can contribute to the work of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (formerly re:source), particularly how we can work with them in relation to the knowledge web and their proposals for a common information environment;
• Home Office Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet – Ofcom is a member of the Task Force and contributes to the work of the subgroup on child protection measures;
• Cyberspace Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire, the proposed National Awareness Node of the EU Safer Internet Action Plan – Ofcom supported the UCL bid and will support and promote the future work of the National Awareness Node; and
• The Internet Watch Foundation – Ofcom embraces the work of the IWF and will offer research and promotional support.

Signposting

54. The media literacy landscape is wide and people do not always know the range of activity going on or where to find it. We will help raise the profile of existing initiatives.

55. Ofcom’s will also direct people to advice and guidance on a range of issues related to communications technologies.

56. For instance, research ^(-2-) suggests that despite the availability of high quality information related to Internet safety, parents still remain largely unaware of how to manage their children’s experiences online. Ofcom will encourage stakeholders to provide advice and guidance to their customers on matters of safety and best practice, particularly where information is not currently widely available.

57. Ofcom will encourage the creation of a portal, or use part of its website to facilitate this strand of work.

Labelling

58. The strands of work outlined above represent the first stages of a long-term process of increasing our understanding and effective promotion of a wide range of media literacy activity. However, this strand of work represents an opportunity for Ofcom to encourage industry to deliver a specific output and would facilitate important progress in achieving our vision of informing and empowering citizens and consumers in the digital communications age.

59. In a ‘converged media world’ viewers and listeners might get their ‘content’ via satellite, cable, digital terrestrial television or digital audio broadcast. It may be subscription, free to air, encrypted or PIN-protected. Online content may be accessed via premium rate telephone lines, over the Internet or streamed by broadband connection. Programmes can be watched and listened to on television and radio sets, on our PCs or on 3G mobiles. Programmes may be available on-demand at anytime or time-shifted by personal video recorders. Content will also come to us on VHS, CD, MP3 and DVD. Some of this content will be regulated, some not. The potential for confusion, frustration and offence is great

60. We have to protect the young and vulnerable from inappropriate and harmful content from whatever source. Ofcom and its Codes will do some of it. The industry, in the form of self and co-regulation will also take some responsibility. But it will fall to all of us to take more responsibility for what we and our families watch and listen to. We will all become gatekeepers for content coming into our homes.

61. We have to become more ‘active’ viewers and listeners. Some may need to be more active than others: those with young children may need particular help.

62. We need to know more about the nature of programmes and how they come to be on our screens and radios. We need to know how to get the programmes we want, and how to keep off our screen and radios programmes that we do not want. In short, we will have to take more control of our viewing and listening.

63. To enable this, viewers and listeners need to have clear, accurate and timely advice about the nature of content so that they can make an informed choice. This advice can be effectively delivered using a content labelling framework.

64. Ofcom will challenge the industry to consider creating a common content labelling (information) scheme for electronic audiovisual material delivered across all platforms. With industry agreement Ofcom will establish a cross-media working group (including the BBC, PSB commercial broadcasters, BSkyB, BBFC, Mobile industry, ISPA, ELSPA and others) on labelling as a first step.

65. The Netherlands was the first country to introduce a uniform classification system for the audio visual industry. Research ^(-3-) by the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation indicates that over 80 per cent of parents of children aged between four and 15 want some sort of classification of audio visual products. A similar proportion of parents also said they would use such a system if it were available. In particular, parents want to know if productions contain violence, discrimination, drug abuse, frightening scenes, strong language and sex. Research ^(-4-) by the BBFC confirms these findings and suggests these categories should be expanded to include some indication of frequency or intensity.

66. Recent research by the BBC also suggests that viewers of television programmes prefer information about programmes to be delivered to them as clear text messages describing content which may cause offence.

67. In the digital age, viewers and listeners will become ever more reliant on the content provider to offer information, via labelling, about the nature of content. Whilst some information included in labels may facilitate searching, our prime concern is to ensure consistency in presenting information related to possible harm and offence and protecting young and vulnerable people from inappropriate material.

68. Already, however, there is a divergence in the regulatory frameworks and rules that apply and different sectors use different labels and are promoting different solutions. Without some form of intervention there is the likelihood that this will result in multiple, conflicting label systems which will confuse.

69. Ofcom has a critical role to play to ensure consistency and accuracy of information about content in order to inform and empower viewers and listeners in the digital future.

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Footnotes:

1.- Assessing the media literacy of UK adults, a review of the academic literature. Sonia Livingstone with Nancy Thumim, March 2003. ITC, BSC and NIACE
2.- Assessing Internet Content Rating and Filtering Tool Effectiveness. I2 media research and Opta, December 2003, ITC
3.- http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/engels/ekijkwijzer.html
4.- Sense & Sensibilities: Public Opinion & the BBFC Guidelines, September 2000

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