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Media and Information Sources

The document discusses different sources of information and how to evaluate them. It defines indigenous media as forms of media created by indigenous groups to communicate and preserve their culture. Libraries and published books are often considered reliable sources, while internet information requires more validation due to the ease of spreading inaccurate data online. Indigenous media provides direct access to local communities and ignoring it risks creating irrelevant programs. Evaluation of information considers reliability, accuracy, value, authority and timeliness of the source.

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1K views8 pages

Media and Information Sources

The document discusses different sources of information and how to evaluate them. It defines indigenous media as forms of media created by indigenous groups to communicate and preserve their culture. Libraries and published books are often considered reliable sources, while internet information requires more validation due to the ease of spreading inaccurate data online. Indigenous media provides direct access to local communities and ignoring it risks creating irrelevant programs. Evaluation of information considers reliability, accuracy, value, authority and timeliness of the source.

Uploaded by

lemi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Module 1.

5: Media and Information Sources

1. Identify the different sources of information;


2. Compare potential sources of media and information through
presenting its characteristics and examples; and
3. Demonstrate an ability to examine and compare information from
various sources in order to evaluate its reliability, accuracy, value,
authority, timeliness, and bias.

Look at the image and answer the following questions.

(photo taken from Google Images)

1. What is the message of this picture?


2. Do you agree with the message? Why or why not?
Indigenous Media

Indigenous means native, local, originating or produced naturally in a


particular region.

Indigenous Media may be defined as forms of media expression


conceptualized, produced, and circulated by indigenous people around the
globe as vehicles for communication, including cultural preservation,
cultural and artistic expression, political self-determination, and cultural
sovereignty, according to Oxford bibliographies.

Indigenous media and information refer to the original information


created by a local group of people. This also refers to content about
indigenous people that may be distributed through dominant forms of
media or through forms of communication unique to their people group.

Importance of Indigenous Media and Information

• Popular media cannot reach some rural areas. While print, broadcast
and new media have a wide reach, there are still areas that these
forms of media have not reached.
• Indigenous media and information are highly credible because they
are near the source and are seldom circulated for profit.
• Indigenous media are channels for change, education and
development because of its direct access to local channels.
• Ignoring indigenous media and information can result in development
and education programs that are irrelevant and ineffective.
• Forms of indigenous media and their local examples:
a. gatherings and social organizations
b. direct observation
c. records (may be written, carved or oral)
d. oral instruction
e. ethnographic films
f. aboriginal media

Libraries

The library in its most traditional sense is defined by the Merriam-


Webster’s dictionary as a place where books, magazines, and other
materials (such as videos, and musical recordings) are available for people
to use or borrow.

Due to the wealth of information in a library, it is important to know the


following:

• the access tool to use


• how the information being accessed may be classified
• the depth of details required (i.e. some libraries provide only an
abstract of the topic)
• more detailed information requiring membership or some conformity
to set rules of the source (e.g. databases)

Characteristics of libraries in terms of reliability, accuracy and value

Libraries of published books are often considered highly reliable,


accurate, and valuable. Books and documents from dominant sources are
often peer reviewed. ISSN or ISBN registration ensures that standards
were followed in producing these materials.
The Internet

The Internet is a vast network that connects computers all over the
world. Through the Internet, people can share information and
communicate from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Internet Live Stats has reported over a million of registered websites.


Indeed, it is impossible to run out of content from the web of information
known as the internet. Experts, scientists, professionals, intellectuals, have
pooled their works and resources together in cyberspace.

Characteristics of internet information in terms of reliability, accuracy,


value, timeliness and authority of the source

Information found on the Internet may be quite varied in form and


content. Thus, it is more difficult to determine its reliability and accuracy.
Accessing information on the internet is easy but requires more discipline
to check and validate. Factual and fictitious data are often merged together.
Sources always have to be validated.

Alternative Media

Other alternative forms of communication and distribution have


become popular. These include social media, blogs, and flash mob
performances. These alternative forms provide greater freedom and power
to ordinary individuals and are a quicker way of distributing information.
The downside is that a lot of the information being passed around is biased
and inaccurate.
Evaluating Information

a. Reliability of information - Information is said to be reliable if it can be


verified and evaluated. Others refer to the trustworthiness of the
source in evaluating the reliability of information.

 Check the author. The author’s willingness to be identified is a


good indication of reliability.
 Check the date of publication or of update. While the information
may be true, it may not be reliable if it is outdated and may have
lost relevance.
 Check for citations. Reliable authors have the discipline of citing
sources of their information
 Check the domain or owner of the site or page. The domains
.edu and .gov are reserved for academic institutions and the
government respectively. Information from such sites are
presented with caution and are usually well-grounded. Site
owners may have an agenda that affects the manner by which
information is presented.
 Check the site design and the writing style. Credible sources
take time to make their information accessible and easy to
comprehend
b. Accuracy of information - Accuracy refers to the closeness of the
report to the actual data. Measurement of accuracy varies, depending
on the type of information being evaluated. Forecasts are said to be
accurate if the report is similar to the actual data. Financial information
is considered accurate if the values are correct, properly classified,
and presented
 Look for facts.
 Cross-reference with other sources to check for consistency.
 Determine the reason for writing and publishing the information.
Check if the author is objective or leaning heavily on a certain
point of view.
 Check for advertising. Advertisers may use related information
to market their product.

c. Value of information - Information is said to be of value if it aids the


user in making or improving decisions.
d. Authority of the source - Much of the information we gather daily do not
come from a primary source but are passed on through secondary
sources such as writers, reporters, and the like. Sources with an
established expertise on the subject matter are considered as having
sound authority on the subject.
e. Timeliness - Reliability, accuracy, and value of information may vary
based on the time it was produced or acquired. While a piece of
information may have been found accurate, reliable, and valuable
during the time it was produced, it may become irrelevant and
inaccurate with the passing of time (thus making it less valuable).
Other information may be timeless, proven to be the same in reliability,
accuracy, and value throughout history

On your own, read the article on page 1 of your E-books and evaluate it based on the
set of criteria that we discussed.

Learning Task 6: Write True if the statement is correct and False if it says

otherwise. Do this in your notebook.

_____1. Indigenous knowledge refers to knowledge that is unique to a


specific

culture or society.

_____2. Information is said to be of value if it aids the user in making or

improving decisions.

_____3. Libraries of published books are often considered highly reliable,


accurate and valuable.
_____4. Accessing information on the internet is easy, but requires more
discipline to check and validate. Sources do not have to be validated.

_____5. Information which is true is reliable even if it is outdated.

_____6. Gathering and social organizations are forms of indigenous media.

_____7. Indigenous communication is a means by which culture is


preserved,

handed down and adapted.

_____8. Indigenous media and information are highly credible because


they are

near the source and are seldom circulated for profit.

_____9. Cross-referencing with other sources to check for consistency is a


way to

determine the timeliness of information.

_____10. Ignoring indigenous media and information can result in


development

and education programs that are irrelevant and ineffective

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