Greece
About this Country
MEDIA LITERACY PROFILE – GREECE
By Irene Andriopoulou, Media Researcher, Hellenic Audiovisual Institute (I.O.M.).
What was the origin of media literacy in Greece?
Media literacy field in Greece is quite segmented as it draws interest from various research grounds and therefore requires a multi-faceted approach. The primary interest is drawn from the mass media and communication field from both the academic[1] and public policy engagement, with the educational approach, to follow. The main target is children and young people, as they are considered the most susceptible to influence as well as those who lack the correct frames of reference and hence, are in greater need for support from the abundant mass media presence. In other words, the two axes that the media literacy action is mainly derived from are the academia and the public sector[2]. The other areas that media literacy draws concern from are:
- Public health and pediatrics (with TV & internet being in the spotlight)
- Child Psychology
- Social and cultural studies
- Telecommunication, New Technologies, Digital Media
- Film and Animated studies
- Journalism & Media production, Vocational approach
- Regulatory issues (protection of minors, protection of copyrights)
Each of these approaches focus on a certain strand of media literacy, without taking into account always the more broad context that it operates in.
The reason why media literacy research originated from media and communication and not the educational area is multi-dimensional.
To begin with, the role and impact of media in the public sphere has always been the focus of media and communication studies, due to the more in-depth analysis that they offered. The educational system, ever since its establishment, has always been a rather conservative one, with its roots to be found on the old pedagogy system where elitism and social education were the main characteristics. Additionally, the old pedagogy system involved forms of education that lacked direct feedback from the students, interactivity, hence the students were not able to engage an open dialogue with their tutors. When mass media came into the picture, their expressive norms were relatively new to the school system, they were norms that required interaction and active response, therefore they were rejected and marginalized. As a response to the “unknown intruder”, mass media studies were excluded from formal educational environment. The situation has changed in the recent years with the system being more open to media education in the curriculum, with the presence of the media in the Flexible Zone Program[3], as an option course that accompanies the core lessons. However, that presence is not holistic nor systematic, and needs further development in order to synchronize itself with the global media literacy scene.
How is it defined?
In the new digital media landscape, media literacy is becoming a vital element for promoting citizens’ active participation in the democratic society. It empowers citizens with the critical thinking to make them judicious consumers and active producers of content (“pro-sumers”) and helps them to recognise how the media filter perceptions and beliefs, shape popular culture and influence personal choices.
It is imperative that media literacy addresses all media users, both as individuals and social actors, in all communication and media platforms, and as a lifetime learning experience.
Although there is yet a multitude of definitions in the Greek language regarding the exact term of media literacy due to the linguistic variety and semiotics, there seems to be a primary agreement regarding its content, as a whole. So, the Greek definition of media literacy adopts the EU definition as it was agreed in the EU Communication COM (2007)833, that is … “the ability to access, to understand and to critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media contents and to create communications in a variety of contexts”, recognizing thus, the importance of access, critical skill’s development and creative expression. In addition, the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute approaches media literacy in a more broad context, that of being an “agent”, able to control and exert social, political and economic influence in the media sector. At this point, it should be mentioned that a tension has been spotted between the notions of media literacy and media education: the former tends to lean towards the ideal situation of a media literate environment whereas the latter reflects to the status quo of the pedagogical system, the situation in the formal educational environment.
What other literacies share areas of common interest with “media literacy” in Greece?
In the educational environment, media literacy is often associated or co-developed with “digital literacy”, that is, the ability necessary for the technical use of the new technologies and the dissemination platforms (internet, mobile phones, ipods etc.). To this end, digital literacy is prioritized and hence incorporated in the school curriculum, but only from a practical point of view, as an instrumental tool, leaving behind the awareness raising process regarding the safety use of the internet and more.
Another element that is often discussed and associated with media literacy, is “film literacy” (or cine-literacy), with initiatives that focus on the creative use of film projects for educational purposes to students. This kind of activity is not restricted to the familiarization with the film production, film language and film aesthetics but to the cultivation of a broad cultural identity and further media autonomy.
Moreover, as new information and communication technologies make it ever easier for anyone to retrieve and disseminate information, communicate, publish or broadcast, media literacy becomes even more essential for active citizenship and democracy. In this broad context, media literacy supports freedom of expression and the right to information, adding to social emancipation, building and sustaining democracy, leading thus to “citizen literacy”. There is also, a liaison between media literacy and media regulation, because a media-literate society is one that is empowered to make its own judgments and choices, and is hence, in less need of detailed protective rules.
What are the relevant key contextual factors and developments in Greece?
- Regulatory Context
The National Council for Radio and Television (NCRTV), the Greek independent regulatory authority for radio & television market as well as the Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT), the Greek regulatory body on the supervision and regulation of the telecommunications, have no duty on media literacy issues, whatsoever. The Hellenic Audiovisual Institute has been assigned with the national representation for media literacy issues in the EU but with non-regulatory strands.
In 2009 the General Secretariat of Communication & Information launched a public consultation on the adoption of the revised EU Directive “Audiovisual Media Services” 2007/65/EC by the Greek legislation, where there is a clear reference on the media literacy protection levels. Currently, the Directive is under implementation (deadline Dec. 2009) in Greece.
- Market Context
Limited activity has been recorded in the media industry on media literacy initiatives. Some programs have been launched in the past but, in their majority, they are scattered and non-continuous mostly due to lack of funding and long term vision[4]. The Hellenic Audiovisual Institute in cooperation with the Hellenic Association of Advertising Communication Agencies (EDEE) coordinated the Greek Media Smart, the educational program for media literacy at schools, starting with advertising and commercial literacy on television. The National Greek Broadcaster, ERT SA, has shown increasing interest for the launch of a national audiovisual campaign on media literacy, but nothing has been developed yet. It has cooperated though with the EU-funded Safer Internet for the Greek Safer Internet Awareness campaign. No such activity has taken place among the private broadcasters who are solely driven by the competition. Moreover, the mobile telephone operators usually appear as sponsors for the above initiatives.
- Learning Context
Despite the multiple reviews and reforms of the school curriculum in Greece (with the last one just recently), we cannot report a single media literacy policy in the educational system. As it is aforementioned, there is some, weak presence of media literacy issues in the Flexible Zone Program, but its non-compulsory character leaves the option of teaching to the educator himself, according to his own judgment on the necessity of it. The educators themselves do not have a systematic training on how to teach media literacy at schools, apart from sporadic workshops and hands-on that reach a minor population, due to their local/regional character.
Furthermore, in autumn 2009, a new initiative was launched by the Ministry of Education, for 2009-2010, in Secondary Education, entitled “Digi Classroom” addressing both students and teachers. The initiative aimed at improving access, familiarizing and upgrading students and teacher’s ICT skills in the classroom, through the free distribution of laptops to the first grade of secondary level. The project received great appeal in the beginning, but gradually it declined as a variety of issues came up that proved its problematic character: lack of filters, unlimited access and use of online gaming during the lectures, lack of parental control etc. However good the intention might has been towards digital literacy integration in the classroom, the project was not properly tested and in-depth evaluated before its launch but was rather hastily developed, not fitting the true needs and certain pedagogical criteria for media literacy education in the classroom.
In sum, the situation remains where schools are primarily being taught technical skills (i.e. how to use computers) but seldom critical thinking skills relevant to digital learning. As important as expanding internet access is, so too is the development of educational initiatives that teach media consumers how to critically interpret the information they receive.
However, the most important barrier with regards to the integration of media literacy in the curriculum is NOT their sophisticated and multi-dimensional content, but the challenge to make the educators and the State primarily to overcome the biased and preconceived approach regarding the popular, marginalized character of the media, move away from the protectionist shield and infiltrate the curriculum with creative and cultural approaches. In other words, what is truly needed is to put an end to the ambiguous protectionist discourse and to welcome the critical analysis and reflection on the media’s symbolic messages.
- Policy Context
The main problem with media literacy policy is that all action is (re)set upon a new framework each time a new government enters the picture and a new policy is engaged. A sustainable, long term policy is difficult to be maintained as it contradicts certain, short term, policy interests. Currently, a new, holistic discourse on the new school reform is under way, results of which remain to be seen.
In the audiovisual sector, the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute has adopted a multidisciplinary approach on “media literacy”. Taking into account the changing conditions in the broader audiovisual sector in the European and international communities, the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute is called to respond with a respective activity with a view to becoming a Media Literacy Center.
The Hellenic Audiovisual Institute is the national applied research organization in the field of audiovisual communication in Greece, established in 1994. Among its main strands of action is media literacy, according to its Presidential Decree (art. 15, par.1, Act 3444/2006) with a special care to children and youth. With a primary aim to improve the audiovisual environment for the benefit of children and youth, the Institute processes and develops media literacy initiatives, structural actions and interventions designated to protect, directly or indirectly, minors from their early exposure to media, while encouraging a critical spirit towards the function of media, as information, education and entertainment mechanisms. At the same time, the Institute has set up a European and international network, as a founding member of the International Media Literacy Clearinghouse for Young Children, member of the EAVI, of the EU Media Literacy Expert Group and more.
- Social Context
Children and young people are mainly addressed in the media literacy agenda. Parents will follow as their need for education is also great and it goes along with their willingness to learn more, but they do not know where to turn to. Being the situation as it is, media literacy is not an issue for the elderly and senior population.
NGOs are the main actors that advance activity on media literacy, trying to overcome the barriers derived from incorporating media literacy in formal education.
How do these affect the development of media literacy?
With “digital literacy” being the main notion that draws public concern, private initiatives have taken place in order to ensure a protection umbrella, with the Greek Safer Internet Awareness Node being the main actor.
In terms of measuring media literacy, the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute’s presence in the Greek scene is multi-dimensional:
- Providing ad hoc research, regulatory advice and scientific expertise to the supervisor body and other State bodies.
- Conducting applied research measuring impact through reports and publications
- Practicing actions (conferences), projects and programs for the media literacy education of young people, students, teachers, parents and the stakeholders.
- Mapping media literacy activity in Greece, through the first Greek Media Literacy Database for Children, Young People and the Media (www.medialiteracy-iom.gr) with a view to contemplate for the lack of a complete information centre for issues concerning education on mass media.
- Advance knowledge and latest developments on the media literacy field through extensive presence in publications, articles and the media
- Providing scientific, educational support and know-how to national, local, regional events, conferences, seminars, etc.
- Facilitating cooperation between the stakeholders, especially media industry and the public stakeholders
- Supporting parents and teachers working towards media literacy education
By and large, there is an improved and strong public discourse on the evolvement of media literacy in the new media infrastructure in the digital era, the future of which remains to be seen.
[1] Mass Media & Communication Faculties
[2] with the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute being the main actor.
[3] The Flexible Zone Program offers educational units in Nursery, Primary and Secondary Education promoting a cross-thematic approach to learning, supported by specially designed material.
[4] “Oikade”, by the Bank of Cyprus addressing Greek population abroad with the educational program “Communication in Schools”, “Let’s Go to the Cinema”, by the International Film Festival of Thessaloniki, “School & Cinema” by Youth Plan, to mention a few.
