As the 2022 Media and Information Literacy Week approaches the Caribbean Broadcasting Union continues its work to address misinformation and disinformation and promote awareness of this vital form of literacy.
CBU President, Dr. Claire Grant has announced the inclusion of new award categories focusing on media and information literacy when the next edition of the Caribbean Media Awards CMA is launched in a few weeks. The category will be open to entries from print, digital, television and radio media houses from around the region.
The new CMA categories are in line with the theme of this year’s Media and Information Literacy Week: “Nurturing Trust – A Media and Information Literacy Imperative”.
And that’s also the theme of the UNESCO conference taking place from Oct 24 to 28 as a hybrid event in Abuja, Nigeria and online.
Three CBU representatives have been invited to participate virtually as speakers: President, Dr. Claire Grant will speak during the Broadcasting Unions and Associations Session: “Media and Information Literacy in Journalism”; Member of the CBU Board, Mr. Anthony Greene will address the High-level Session: “Media and Information Literacy in Journalism (Media/News Networks) and Secretary General Sonia Gill will present on “Media & Information Literacy & AI in News Literacy”.
At the same time the CBU’s work to enhance the capacity of members to integrate media and information literacy approaches into the creation of content are continuing, through the UNESCO-sponsored project launched in May this year. Dr. Saachi Jain, senior lecturer in Journalism and Documentary, from the University of Cardiff, who recently facilitated a 2-day UNESCO supported workshop on the subject, is set to convene consultations with CBU-member media execs on implementing MIL policies over the next few months.
The goal of the project is to develop a sustainable capacity-enhancement mechanism to help Caribbean news professionals apply media and information literacy approaches in producing and publishing news and current affairs content, as well as in engaging with and empowering audiences.
Currently comprised of broadcasting, public information, media education, media regulation and other sectoral institutions from twenty countries and territories in the Dutch, French & Spanish Caribbean, the CBU membership comprises the single largest association of news and current affairs producing organisations in the region. It is therefore ideally placed to lead the charge in enhancing capacity in the Caribbean media sector in media and information literacy.
For further information contact info@caribroadcastunion.org