Context As our daily lives are increasingly shaped by digital, informational, and media environments, it has become common to understand these environments through the lens of the corresponding new literacies that people are expected to mobilize in order to navigate the social world. In this context, literacies are increasingly under pressure. The calls for … [Read more...] about Doctoral Summer School – Research on Digital, Media and Information Literacy
Blogs
Media Moments in Media Memories
Day 444 has meaning to many of us who watched television news in 1980. In one of the biggest television news moments as well as historic moments, this was the last day of the Iran Hostage crisis. Reflecting on this moment coincides with the one-year anniversary of the death of the 39th President, Jimmy Carter. During this period in history, the United States had three … [Read more...] about Media Moments in Media Memories
One Plus One Equals Three: A review of Dr. Paolo Granata’s Generative Knowledge
Unlike many reviewers, I often read the front matter and after-matter (index, glossary, and bibliography) of a new book before reading further. In the very first essay within his front matter, a prologue entitled “The Divine Move”, we discover that Paolo Granata’s Generative Knowledge:Think, Learn, Create With AI (Wiley Blackwell, 2025, 276 pp.) is not another critique of the … [Read more...] about One Plus One Equals Three: A review of Dr. Paolo Granata’s Generative Knowledge
Why I Keep McLuhan Alive in the Classroom
You know that feeling when your students casually drop, “Oh yeah, I ran that prompt through ChatGPT already” before class even begins? It’s like AI is no longer a guest in the classroom, it’s already part of the furniture. In moments like that, it’s tempting to throw up your hands and scramble for brand-new theories. But recently I’ve been turning back to Marshall McLuhan, and … [Read more...] about Why I Keep McLuhan Alive in the Classroom
Who’s Thinking for Us? Media Literacy in our Modern World
In an age where students spend hours immersed in social media, algorithm-driven content, and attention economies, the illusion of free access to information often masks a deeper reality: our perceptions are curated, not chosen. Drawing on Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent, this article examines how corporate and political forces shape digital environments in ways that … [Read more...] about Who’s Thinking for Us? Media Literacy in our Modern World
The Journal of Media Literacy Spring 2026 Issue: McLuhan Mosaic
The Journal of Media Literacy Spring 2026 Issue McLuhan Mosaic Co-edited by Neil Andersen, Carol Arcus, Antonio Lopez, Andrew McLuhan Call for Proposals As communications media multiply at a dizzying pace, the need for media literacy education has never been more urgent. The rise of generative artificial intelligence has captured the public imagination—and, in many … [Read more...] about The Journal of Media Literacy Spring 2026 Issue: McLuhan Mosaic
AI and Therapy
With AI on the rise, it has left aspiring and established therapists and counselors in a realm of uncertainty. As AI gets smarter through its understanding of human thought patterns, there has been an assumption amongst some that AI can eventually take over the counseling space and execute the therapeutic process as well as a human being can. Some people may think to … [Read more...] about AI and Therapy
Teens to Teachers: “We Got This.”
How GenZ is using peer mentorship to help their own “digital wellness.” October 13th, 2023 was a day to celebrate progress for education. California had just passed Assembly Bill No. 873 which mandates “Media Literacy” into core curriculums throughout the state’s public K-12 schools. Eighteen other states were taking similar action. The momentum was … [Read more...] about Teens to Teachers: “We Got This.”
Knowledge: A Conversation with Steve Connolly (Part 2)
This is the second part of our interview with author Steve Connolly. Read part one here. HC: I think that the idea that media and Media Studies are ever-changing, responding to the contemporary moment, and flexible is really a central idea that you address in the book. In many ways, it challenges a lot of the ways we conceptualize knowledge within these studies. How are … [Read more...] about Knowledge: A Conversation with Steve Connolly (Part 2)
Knowledge: A Conversation with Steve Connolly (Part One)
In his recent book, Knowledge and Knowing in Media and Film Studies, Associate Professor Steve Connolly examines the nature of knowledge in curricular Media and Film Studies, tracing the nascent subjects’ genealogies. Knowledge, much like the subjects it appraises, effectively bridges the theoretical and the practical. Connolly offers a complex analysis of epistemology within … [Read more...] about Knowledge: A Conversation with Steve Connolly (Part One)
CALL FOR PROPOSALS/ABSTRACTS
International Media Literacy Research Symposium https://www.imlrs.net June 4-6, 2026 John Cabot University -- Rome, Italy (In-Person) WHO SHOULD SUBMIT: Scholars, Researchers, and Educators at all stages of their careers are welcome to submit!! ACCEPTING THE FOLLOWING FORMATS: Roundtables: Individuals present their work in a roundtable which seats … [Read more...] about CALL FOR PROPOSALS/ABSTRACTS
WHY CAN’T WE TURN OFF OUR CELL PHONES? PLEASE!
On January 10, 2009, the yell heard round the world took place in the St. James Theatre. The three-time Tony Award winner, two-time Grammy award winner, and two-time Olivier Award winner, Patti LuPone took matters into her own hands during the grand finale of the musical Gypsy, “Rose’s Turn,” where she played the iconic role of Mama Rose. Patti shouted, “STOP TAKING PICTURES … [Read more...] about WHY CAN’T WE TURN OFF OUR CELL PHONES? PLEASE!
Media Literacy Guide for Minorities
Media is a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, so integrated that we cannot live without being affected by it. What we watch shapes our perception on topics, it changes our behaviors, and it has become a major part of our culture. Research from the National Center for Health Statistics from July 2021 – December 2023 revealed that teenagers from the ages of 12-17 spend four or … [Read more...] about Media Literacy Guide for Minorities
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Tessa Jolls
It is with deep sorrow that the International Council for Media Literacy mourns the passing of Tessa Jolls, a distinguished leader in the field of media literacy, a dedicated member of our Advisory Council, past recipient of our Jessie McCanse Award, and a dear friend. Her passing on April 6th leaves an immense void in our community, but her legacy will continue to inspire … [Read more...] about Honoring the Life and Legacy of Tessa Jolls
Unplugging the Myth: Why Smartphones Aren’t the Only Cause of Modern Anxiety
The Internet and news articles are full of advice on the need to cut screen-time and go fully off-line for the sake of well-being. The ideas went to schools and now we have international debates about banning phones in the classrooms. I myself was a big advocate for removing phones from everyday life, or, at least, having a 45 minutes limit for using social media. However, … [Read more...] about Unplugging the Myth: Why Smartphones Aren’t the Only Cause of Modern Anxiety
Tribute to Bob McChesney
On behalf of the Executive Board at the International Council for Media Literacy, we extend our deepest gratitude and recognition to Bob McChesney for his profound contributions to the media literacy community. His unwavering commitment to truly democratizing media comes through his incredible body of work, his support of the Media Education Foundation, and his co-founding of … [Read more...] about Tribute to Bob McChesney
Public Commons Issue Out Now!
The Journal of Media Literacy's "Democracy by Collision or Connection? The Crisis of the Public Commons" is out now! This JML issue is dedicated to the crisis of the public commons, its implications, and how it is addressed across different spheres and contexts. The myriads of articles submitted for this issue reflect multiple perspectives on the notion of “commons” and the … [Read more...] about Public Commons Issue Out Now!
Should we ban mobile phones in schools?
**Reprinted with author’s permission** For further writing on media education and related issues, see David Buckingham’s website: www.davidbuckingham.net Reviewing arguments for and against – and proposing a media education approach. Last week, I participated in a webinar about mobile phones in schools organised by IAME, the International Association for … [Read more...] about Should we ban mobile phones in schools?
Help Us Understand Cancel Culture: Share This Survey with Your Students
Alejandro Jose Ramos is the founder of the Ramos Research Institute (RRI) and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) candidate at Cornell University, where he was selected as a Brooks Public Policy Fellow. With a background in Political Science, Spanish, and Journalism, Alejandro focuses his research on civics, education policy, and media literacy, aiming to create accessible … [Read more...] about Help Us Understand Cancel Culture: Share This Survey with Your Students
Media Literacy in Kosovo: from illiterate to internet illiterate
We live in an age overloaded with information. The ongoing multiple crises and the constantly shifting media ability and mediality nature of societies are emphasizing the necessity for improved media literacy in education, politics, economics, and other fields. This provides a challenge and difficulty when putting media literacy principles into practice, particularly in the … [Read more...] about Media Literacy in Kosovo: from illiterate to internet illiterate
