Republic of Azerbaijan Audivisual Council of the
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Media literacy

Media literacy (also referred to as media and information literacy) is an umbrella concept that encompasses the full range of technical, social, and creative competencies that enable citizens to access, critically understand, and interact with the media. Media literacy empowers individuals to participate in the economic, social, and cultural aspects of society and to play an active role in democratic processes. It applies to all types  of media (television, radio, press), to all distribution platforms (traditional, internet, and social media), and to all age groups.

Media literacy mainly includes the following skills:

  • Access - the ability to skillfully find and use media; to review, search, filter, and manage information and content.
  • Analysis & evaluation - the ability to understand content (information) and analyze its quality, accuracy, reliability and potential impact or consequences by applying critical thinking skills.
  • Creativity­ - the ability to create media content and express oneself confidently by understanding the audience and creative techniques.
  • Responsibility - the ability to recognize social responsibility, apply ethical principles, communicate and behave appropriately, and to manage one’s own media life.
  • Activity - the ability to participate in society through media, to form civic position, and to be an active citizen based on democratic values and relationships.

UNESCO has promoted the concept of “Media and Information Literacy” as a unifying umbrella since 2007–2008. The Fez Declaration, adopted in 2011, consolidated this concept at the international level. The Fez Declaration is the final document of the “First International Forum on Media and Information Literacy”, held on June 15-17, 2011 in the city of Fez, Morocco. The document combines media literacy and information literacy as a single umbrella concept, and recommends integration into public policies and education curricula, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and sustained global advocacy. At this Forum, the MILID (Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue) university network and, subsequently, the tradition of Global MIL Week were also initiated under the auspices of UNESCO and the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Since 2012, Global Media and Information Literacy Week has been held every year.

Media and information literacy skills were established by the European Union in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) adopted in 2018 as development and reporting obligations for Member States.

According to the European Media Literacy Index (2023), Finland ranks first in the world. Denmark, Norway, Estonia, and Sweden are also among the leaders. The success of these countries is explained by the integration into curricula, teacher training, and the systematic implementation of critical thinking and digital safety modules.

In Azerbaijan, the concept of “media literacy” was officially enshrined in the Law “On Media”, which was adopted on December 30, 2021. The Law stipulates that the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan is to implement state measures to increase media literacy. The Media Development Agency (MEDIA) was established by Presidential Decree on January 12, 2021. It promotes media literacy and carries out training and awareness-raising activities in this field.

Since 2022, the Media Development Agency has organized the annual “Media Literacy Week” in our country. During this week, a conference is held with international experts in attendance, alongside various training sessions, seminars and competitions. Through partnerships with many state bodies and non-governmental organizations, awareness of this issue in society is being increased.

As the regulatory authority for audiovisual media, the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan carries out regular activities in the field of media and information literacy within its competence. These activities include roundtable discussions and training sessions with media entities, creating of awareness-raising materials and video clips, and meetings and seminars with students. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed on October 19, 2022 by the Audiovisual Council, the Media Development Agency and Baku State University (BSU), the Audiovisual Council regularly conducts seminars and training sessions to students at BSU's Faculty of Journalism.

Media and information literacy increases the resilience of individuals and society in general to misinformation, hate speech and online risks, supports freedom of expression and access to information, and strengthens citizens' critical assessment and responsible content production skills in the age of artificial intelligence.