Media literacy: A growing collaborative effort in the age of platforms

Efforts to combat mis- and disinformation are linked to initiatives aimed at building trust and credibility in journalism and media. There is a growing body of evidence that the unprecedented challenge of tackling false news requires a multi-stakeholder, cross-disciplinary effort. Enhanced media and information literacy is emerging as a key response. This article synthesises some of the main themes and emerging research agendas in media literacy, relevant to the rise of fast-moving disinformation and declining public trust in journalism. It reviews key scholarship on media literacy as a field, contextualising it to the complex, contemporary media landscape. Media organisations in the US and Europe are increasingly collaborating with academia and civil organisations on workable solutions, including greater transparency and the production of media literacy support and resources. This paper builds the case for Australian journalists and media organisations, while serving as honest and reliable distributors of news, to become further involved in citizen education, informed by ongoing evidence-based research