Media literacy in cultural and educational policy

For several years, the Finnish government has paid attention to media literacy and the question of safe media environment. The various administrative sections of the different ministries promote media education from different points of view, yet supportive of each other.

The prerequisites for children and young people's cultural activities, arts education and safe media environment are to be improved in accordance with the strategy of Matti Vanhanen’s second Cabinet. The government will also pay special attention to the position of children and young people as citizens of the information society, aiming at a digital environment that is safe for all. In addition it is committed to the promotion of creativity, diversity of abilities and innovation from early childhood on, as well as to supporting the development of online education and educational institutions’ projects dealing with the information society. 

The Government Information Society Programme (2007-2011) and the Policy programme for the wellbeing of children, youth and families feature objectives and measures involved in, among others, the safety of media environments, media literacy and online services.    The action plan of the Ubiquitous Information Society Advisory Board (2007 - 2011) also incorporates related objectives.

Administrative Section of the Ministry of Education

Media education issues are dealt with by both departments of the Ministry of Education: the Department for Education and Science Policy and the Department for Cultural, Sport and Youth Policy. The Finnish National Board of Education, the national agency in charge of education, plays an especially important role in the education sector.    

The 2003 Government Programme of the first Cabinet of Prime Minister Vanhanen proposed a resolution with the aim of limiting entertainment directed at children based on the showing of violence. In 2003 the Ministry of Education initiated a wide-reaching project, the Children and Media programme, in order to chart the different areas and required developments in children’s media environment. A number of authorities were consulted in the programme. A programme assessment published in 2004 identified nine separate areas from which operational conclusions were drawn. The areas included legislation protecting children from harmful material and criminal content, new aspects of media education, developing the distribution of information and promoting research, encouraging the production of quality content, the responsibilities of the media industry and supporting parents and the family. 

Many of the actions detailed in the programme have already been taken or are being continuously implemented. Assessments of the programme showed that broader implementation of media education was generally thought to be a priority. The first project initiated by the Ministry of Education focused on the development of media education for small children. 

Since 2005 the different focus points have come together in the Children and Media programme, which involves projects dealing with children’s and educators' media literacy as well as consolidating the position of media education. Central themes of the programme include the promotion of media education in the instruction of young children, supporting the distribution of information and the effects of media on the development of children and young people. In 2009 the specific focus is on the development media education in libraries. 

The administrative section of the Ministry of Education also supports organisations promoting media education and media educational projects in youth work, provides assistance for the acquisition of media equipment for municipal youth departments’ media centres, and promotes web-based youth work. The section also encourages the development of media-related arts education for children and assists libraries in acquiring media equipment.

The development of legislation for the protection of minors towards a more accurate reflection of the current media environment is another relevant plan of action. This could entail a reorganisation of the duties of The Finnish Board of Film Classification towards a more education-centred emphasis of activity, wider-reaching awareness activities and follow-up monitoring of the market. The current duty of the Finnish Board of Film Classification consists of inspecting all audiovisual content - such as films - that is distributed in Finland and exhibited to under-18s, determining relevant age limits and registering all unclassified audio-visual programmes, such as games.  

In 2007 The Ministry of Education set up a committee to chart the current state and development needs of media literacy in Finland. The result of the Committee’s work was the Proposal for an action programme for developing media skills and knowledge as part of the promotion of civil and knowledge society. The committee proposed a number of actions designed to promote media literacy. 

The proposals of the Committee involved changes related to laws concerning civil rights, core curricula and teacher training. The development of a national media education institute and a web portal dedicated to the field were considered a priority, because they would provide support for charting, assembling and promoting the production of learning materials. The Committee also proposed establishing and funding a multidisciplinary research programme in media education as well as promoting international cooperation.

Several of the proposals in the Committee's action plan have been incorporated as part of the Ministry of Educations policy guidelines. For example, according to the Education and research 2007-2012 Development Plan, the Ministry of Education will take steps to promote the development of methods and materials for the advancement of media education and media literacy for use in schools and educational institutions. Media literacy will be taken into account when developing the core curricula, and development initiatives to guarantee equal availability of media education and improvement of the media education skills of teachers will be put into place. As the agency in charge of development of education, the Finnish National Board of Education is responsible for designing the foundation for the core curricula and qualifications and in its part the organisation of continuing education and staff training.

Collaboration Between Different Administrative Sections

The Ministry of Education has begun to contemplate the question of national coordination of media education and the protection of minors. Different administrative sections, predominant representatives of media, organisations for the protection of children and scientific authorities in the field of media education and protection are involved in the wide-ranging discussions. Legislative work for the promotion of media literacy and a safe media environment is carried out, with the cooperation of media producers.

Media literacy and the promotion of a safe media environment are naturally connected to different administrative sections. For instance, the minister Suvi Lindén set up a media forum for children and young people operating under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The forum brings different representatives of the field together, facilitating a dialogue on current issues. Various governmental bodies, representatives of the media, local organisations and authorities participate in the forum. A report on national development needs in education, which took a look at the then situation of media education and development needs, was drafted in 2005 as a result of The Government’s Citizen Participation Policy Programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. 

In the changing media environment it is all the more important to make media education a part of everyday life. Parents and educators require support in their educational work. The emphasis is on informing and educating about the effects of media – both the risks and the possibilities -, the production of information relating to the media consumption of children and young people, and scientific research in the field. Developing the content of teacher training is also considered a priority.