In August 1993, the Commission on Violence and Youth of the American Psychological Association issued a report confirming the serious effects on young people of repeated, long-term exposure to violence in mass media. To counter these effects, educators and others are working to help young people develop media literacy. The movement for media literacy aims to educate youth about the media and help them become conscious, active, critical viewers. Further, the hope is that these students will become agents for change, pushing the media to change its programming. At Lincoln Middle School in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, Mary Beth Ziegenfuss works with students to develop their critical awareness of the effects of violent programs. Students record how many hours of television they watch in a typical week and what kinds of programs they prefer. They also look at the number of violent incidents on TV and discuss the difference between violence in real life and on TV. As students engage in classroom discussions, they start to develop an analytical mindset that enables them to deconstruct television messages about violence and that may afford them some protection against daily bombardment by violent images. Media literacy consists of a set of information and skills that allow viewers to analyze and "deconstruct" what they see in the media -- primarily television but also film and print. The movement for media literacy began in the early 1970s as a part of efforts by grass-roots organizations, many spearheaded by concerned parents, that red-flagged violence, racism, and sexism in the media and called for consumer activism to press the media for more socially responsible programming. Media literacy programs focus on giving viewers the tools to exercise critical judgment of the media, make responsible choices as media consumers, and become advocates for constructive change in the media. Key goals of media literacy are to: raise students' awareness of their own habits of media consumption lead students to examine the impact of violent images in the media empower students to use critical thinking skills to evaluate and judge what they see in the media help students examine how courage, action, and heroism are shown in the media and construct their own meanings for these concepts heighten students' awareness of their role as media consumers and of the tactics used by television companies and advertisers to manipulate consumers introduce students to the concept of media advocacy and help them develop skills to organize for change

		Students can make a "viewing habits tally" like the one depicted in the video. Ask students to log their television viewing, by program and by time, for a week. Then compile the data to create a profile of the class's television viewing.
		The rating system for movies is a matter of some controversy in the U.S. Students can research different proposals for ratings, then choose the one they believe would be best or design their own. They can then present the rating system of their choice and their rationale to the class.
		Some people assert that the media promote violence against women. Students can view one or more popular television shows or movies, paying particular attention to how female characters are treated and portrayed, taking notes while they watch. They can then get together with others who watched the same programs or movies to discuss their observations and comments. Afterwards, they can present their findings to the whole class.

Beyond Blame, a curriculum from the Center for Media Literacy, follows a four-step model for active learning, based on the work of social activist and educator Paolo Freire: Step 1: Awareness. Students begin to discover and articulate their own ideas and experiences related to violence in the media. Step 2: Analysis. Students explore and examine the political, economic, social, and cultural factors that influence media portrayals and representations. Step 3: Reflection. Students consider how they would like to see the media changed or improved, as well as how they would like to change their own media-related choices and habits. Step 4: Action. Students formulate ideas for constructive action to change their own media choices and to work for changes in the media.

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