MediaSmarts

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MediaSmarts
MediaSmarts logo.png
Formation1994
TypeNonprofit
Legal statusactive
Purposeadvocate and public voice, educator and network for digital and media literacy
Headquarters205 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1C3
Region served
Canada
Official language
English, French
Chair
Suzanne Morin
Websitemediasmarts.ca (en)
habilomedias.ca (fr)
Formerly called
Media Awareness Network

MediaSmarts (French: HabiloMédias; formerly the Media Awareness Network, MNet) is a Canadian non-profit organization based in Ottawa, Ontario, that focuses on digital and media literacy programs and resources. In particular, the organization promotes critical thinking via educational resources and analyzes the content of various types of mass media.

Surveys and studies performed by MediaSmarts have explored youth media consumption, such as television and internet use, as well as media issues. In recent years, the organization's focus has shifted more heavily to digital literacy, although it continues to produce resources on traditional media. The funding for MediaSmarts is primarily derived from private sector sponsors and federal government grants.[1] The group has also partnered with Microsoft and Bell Canada to produce web resources for teachers and parents to protect kids online.[1]

MediaSmarts has received a number of awards for its work, including awards from UNESCO Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, as well as several online awards for web-based content.

Activities[]

Research[]

In 2000, the organization released the results of Canada’s Children in a Wired World: The Parents’ View, Canada's first survey of Canadian parents on the subject of their children’s Internet use.[2]

That same year, the organization launched a large research program called Young Canadians in a Wired World (YCWW), an ongoing study to investigate and track and the "behaviours, attitudes, and opinions" of Internet use among Canadian children and youth—the largest and most comprehensive study of this kind in Canada. A year later, in 2001, the results of a "groundbreaking" survey of almost 6,000 Canadian students was released by the organization: Young Canadians in a Wired World: The Students’ View.[2]

In 2019, during the fourth phase of the study, the "Young Canadians in a Wired World" was renamed Young Canadians in a Wireless World.[2]

Results from the ongoing study, which indicate high levels of personal information collection by websites popular with children, have been cited to argue that parental supervision of child internet-use alone "cannot adequately protect children" who have the highest levels of social internet use.

In addition to YCWW research, MediaSmarts produces papers—both independently and in partnership with other organizations—on a variety of media issues, including digital literacy, privacy education, online civic engagement, food marketing, and Internet governance.[3]

Campaigns[]

Media Literacy Week is a national campaign annually hosted each autumn by MediaSmarts and the Canadian Teachers' Federation to promote digital and media literacy, with activities and events taking place in classrooms, libraries, museums, and community groups through over 90 collaborating organizations.[4]

The event began in Canada in 2006 as National Media Education Week—changing its name to "Media Literacy Week" in 2009[2]—and is now internationally celebrated, such as in the US[5] and in countries around the world.[6]

In 2019, as part of their Break the Fake campaign (funded by Canadian Heritage),[7] MediaSmarts remade the popular House Hippo public service announcement. The House Hippo was originally created by a similar, since-defunct organisation called Companies Committed to Kids.[2]

History[]

The organization was founded as the Media Awareness Network (MNet) in 1994 under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The following year, MNet began to receive seed funding from Bell Canada, CBC, Western International Communications, CHUM Television, as well as from the federal departments Health Canada, Justice Canada, Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Soon after, in 1996, the MNet would be incorporated as an independent non-profit organization, along with launching its media education website. Three years later, it was granted charitable status.[2]

In 1999, with the help of MNet's work, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that it would not regulate the Internet. In 2001, with MNet as a key partner, the federal government released its "Cyberwise" strategy on addressing illegal and offensive content on the Internet.[2]

On 29 May 2012, one year after their 15th anniversary, the organisation was relaunched as MediaSmarts. The new brand was developed pro-bono by Toronto-based advertising agency, Brandworks.

In 2014, MediaSmarts partnered with the Information and Communications Technology Council to host a Youth and Digital Skills symposium to advance the development of digital literacy skills in Canada. In 2016, the organization partnered with the CRTC, NFB, and Canadian Heritage in a Youth Discoverability Summit, exploring the ways in which youth access content in the modern age.[8]

Organization[]

MediaSmarts is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors, which includes representatives of media companies and such stakeholder sectors as education, libraries, and community- and youth-serving organizations.[9]

The 2020-2021 Executive Committee consists of:[9]

The 2020-2021 board members include:[9]

Sponsors[]

The funding for MediaSmarts is primarily derived from private sector sponsors and federal government grants.[1][10] In particular, the work of MediaSmarts is supported by various companies and organizations.[11] The Governor General of Canada is also a patron of MediaSmarts.[12]

As of April 2021, MediaSmarts sponsors include:[11]

Partners[]

In the 2019 fiscal year, MediaSmarts partnered with the following organizations:[13]

Federal government partners

University partners

Awards and recognition[]

MediaSmarts has received a number of awards for its work, including awards from UNESCO Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information, as well as several online awards for web-based content.[14]

In 1999, MNet was awarded the inaugural Canadian Race Relations Foundation Award of Excellence by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation in recognition of its "extensive collection of anti-racism education resources." In 2006, MNet was included as a Canadian "best practice" in UNESCO’s comprehensive Media Education: A Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals.[8]

Awards[15]
Date Award Award category/recognition Sponsor/host
1997 Oct NAWeb Best of the Web Best Educational Web Site, Private (North American Web Conference)
1998 June Magic Lantern Award Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Media Literacy in Education in Canada
1998 June AMTEC Award of Excellence recognition of outstanding achievement in educational multimedia. (AMTEC)
1998 Oct NAWeb Best of the Web Best Educational Web Site, K-12 World Wide Web Courseware Developers Association
1999 March Award of Excellence in Race Relations recognition of innovation and excellence in anti-racism education.[8] Canadian Race Relations Foundation
1999 Oct NAWeb Best of the Web Best Educational Web Site, K-12 World Wide Web Courseware Developers Association
2000 Dec NAWeb Best of the Web Best Educational Web Site, K-12 World Wide Web Courseware Developers Association
2001 April Canarie IWAY Award Award for Community Service
2003 NAWeb Best of the Web Educational Internet Site of the Year Award
2004 Feb WiredKids Excellence in Internet Awareness and Education Award recognition "as a global leader in Internet safety education" WiredSafety
2006 April Summit Creative Awards Youth Website (bronze) Summit Awards
2009 Dec MEDEA Awards Highly Commended Media & Learning Conference
2011 Nov 24 MEDEA Awards Highly Commended Media & Learning Conference
2018 UNESCO GAPMIL Global Media and Information Literacy Award recognition of over 20 years of leadership in media literacy UNESCO Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Teaching kids to drive the Net". Archived from the original on March 3, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "History". MediaSmarts. 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  3. ^ "What We Do". MediaSmarts. 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  4. ^ "Media Literacy Week", Media Literacy Week
  5. ^ https://medialiteracyweek.us/
  6. ^ "European Media Literacy Week | Shaping Europe's digital future".
  7. ^ "Break the Fake". 13 May 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Board of Directors". MediaSmarts. 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "Sponsors". MediaSmarts. 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  12. ^ "Patron". MediaSmarts. 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  13. ^ https://mediasmarts.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/annual-report/mediasmarts-annual-report-2019.pdf
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Awards & Recognitions". MediaSmarts. 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2021-04-16.

External links[]

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