Exploring News Media Literacy and its Dimensions

Abstract

Our civic and democratic participation mostly relies on the quality of the news we consume. In this study, news media literacy dimensions are explored. It looks at how intrinsic motivation, news media skepticism, and media locus of control relate to one's knowledge of news media. It adopted the measure of news media literacy, which defines who a news media literate is. Through a two-part questionnaire on a media knowledge test and self-reported news literacy dimensions sent to Grade 11 students of a Philippine private high school, results show that the students have a low news media literacy level. The absence of a news literacy course is considered a reason for this. Results also challenge the idea that higher news literacy levels result in higher levels of intrinsic motivation, news media skepticism, and media locus of control. Although the results indicate evidence of these factors, knowledge structure appears irrelevant in one's motivation to consume and engage in news media, levels of news media skepticism, and media locus of control. Recent news literacy studies have identified other factors, such as the need for cognition and social norms, as legitimate considerations when understanding news literacy dimensions. These findings lead to the importance of adding news literacy competencies, which are recommended for the high school curriculum. Further research on other dimensions, such as those identified earlier, is recommended as news literacy is a developing area of news media literacy study.