Children, the Commercial World and the Media
02 July 2009
On Tuesday I attended the Westminster Media Forum seminar Children, the Commercial World and the Media. The event was chaired by Lord Clement Jones, Liberal Democrat Spokesman for Culture, Media and Sport and Judy Mallaber MP, Chair, PLP Departmental Committee for Education and Skills. Speakers included James Thickett, Ofcom's Director of Market Research and Intelligence who was presenting the latest data from Ofcom's research on young people's use of social networking and other internet sites, and Howard Litton, Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK, who talked about the future of children's television in a multi-platform age.
Much of the discussion was focused on content, but there were also some interesting points for those of us who are interested in digital participation more widely. In particular, the importance of going beyond traditional approaches to media literacy. This is partly because the line between content and advertising is becoming increasingly blurred, which affects the way children learn to understand when and how they are being advertised too. But it is also because people, particularly children and young people, are increasingly using the internet for socialising and communication. This raises real issues about the sorts of skills that people need. The ability to differentiate between and analyse different types of content isn't enough. People also need to be taught social skills that will equip them to manage relationships and social situations online, including the fall-out from things like online bullying and rejection.
This reinforces the importance of the change in emphasis in the Digital Britain from media literacy to digital participation, emphasising the need to focus on the range of different skills that people need to fully participate in a digital society.