New trends in News Literacy
ΕΚΟΜΕ participated in the 5th THISAM 2021 – Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy that took place on July 16-23, 2021, at Thessaloniki, Greece. THISAM 2021 was organized by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Jean Monnet Chair on European Union Public Diplomacy, and many distinguished international partners and universities, such as the Deutsche Welle News Service, Temple University (USA), Hallym University (S. Korea), Beijing University of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong, University of Zagreb (Croatia), University of Novi-Sad (Serbia), University of Maribor (Slovenia), Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the organizations: “PROOF: Media for Social Justice” and “Digital Communication Network Global”.
The theme of the 5th Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy entitled: “New trends in Media and Journalism: Turning the crisis into opportunity”. Emphasis was placed on the following issues:
1. Disinformation, Scientific Journalism / News Literacy
2. Communication during crisis
3. New business models in media organizations
through an intensive, multidisciplinary training program which was aimed to provide in-depth knowledge and skills on important media topics and especially on issues of news literacy, disinformation and Media and Information Literacy. This year, the 5th International Media Summer Academy was held in a hybrid format: 20 students of journalism and media studies from all over the world attended the courses physically at Cisco’s International Centre for Digital Transformation and Digital Skills, while 20 participants attended the intensive program of speeches and workshops, through a dedicated online platform.
In the context of development, research, and planning of Media and Information Literacy actions and the partnership with UNESCO MIL Alliance, EKOME was represented in the Media Summer Academy by Irene Andriopoulou, Head of the Department of Research, Studies and Educational Programs of the Audiovisual Archives & Education R&D Directorate, with the presentation “How is UNESCO Media and Information Literacy practiced throughout the pandemic? A compact Mediterranean approach with evidence-based results” on the topic “New business models in media organizations”.
Among the key points that emerged at the 5th International Media Summer Academy are the new disinformation techniques channeled through interest attracting and captivating tactics and technical counterfeiting tools and AI (cheap fakes, deep fakes, drone journalism, surveillance capitalism, private data), tools that require young media professionals and citizens in general to cultivate in-depth audiovisual, digital and information literacy skills, broadening the public debate on Media and Information Literacy.