ABSTRACT
For many years, researchers, educators, and policy-makers from around the world have acknowledged the role the media play in the development of young people’s social attitudes, political knowledge, and democratic engagement. In the United States, more than a decade ago, the president of a foundation dedicated to the advancement of teaching concluded:
It is no longer enough simply to read and write. Students must also become literate in the understanding of visual images. Our children must learn how to spot a stereotype, isolate a social cliché, and distinguish facts from propaganda, analysis from banter, and important news from coverage.
(Boyer as cited in Kubey & Baker, 1999, p. 1)