The nature of the mass media and media literacy

Communication is the message, transmission and term used to designate operating systems that ensure the unity and continuity of human activity on a daily basis.
Mass communication - the process of production and reproduction of messages designed for mass consciousness by means of mass communication and their transmission by appropriate technical means - periodicals, radio, television and other means of electronic communication.

Mass Media - a set of public information transfer bodies using technical means.
Culture is human activity in its most diverse manifestations. It includes all forms and methods of human self-expression and self-knowledge, the accumulation by man and society as a whole of skills and abilities. Culture also appears as a manifestation of human subjectivity and objectivity (character, competencies, skills, abilities and knowledge).

In today's society, media play a huge role. Thanks to new media, we potentially have all the information accumulated by humanity. With the help of media we create a world for ourselves in which we will feel comfortable, with little concern for the objectivity of information in this artificial world. Since a modern person spends a lot of time in the media media space, it becomes for him a source of knowledge. Media in many respects forms a picture of the world, defines subjects of public discussion, imposes methods of solving problems.

Thus, we can say that the role of the media in modern culture is extremely large. They, forming the image of the modern world, can turn out to be both a source of growth of hatred and aggression, and a factor in improving human society, serve as a source and mechanism of successful intercultural interaction.

Innovative technologies, such as the Internet and similar ways of sharing opinions with the world, often cause more conflicting emotions in people than television media or the foreign press, which carries the characteristics and values of a different culture. However, given the inevitable development of technology and the human need for them, people need to learn not to avoid their impact, but to correctly understand and interpret information.

Media literacy means:
1) Thinking logically and independently about media content. Not simply being convinced by every media message and making sound judgement about said content.
2) Understanding the process of mass communication.

Awareness of the impact of the media on society and the individual.
Strategies for analyzing and discussing media messages.
An awareness of media content as a "text" providing insight into contemporary culture.

As previously described, media literacy is determined by a person’s ability to think sensibly and critically. This does not mean that any fact must be rejected, but there is always a need for the development of intuition in relation to the media and the ability to verify information.
In addition, to be media literate, you need:
Understand the role and functions of the media in a democratic society;
Understand the conditions under which media can perform their functions;
Critically evaluate media content in the light of their inherent functions;
Interact with the media to express themselves and participate in democratic processes;
Actualize the skills needed to create custom content.