f Developing Media Literacy by Teaching Citizens the Standards of Professional Journalism

The lifeblood of developing democracies is a well-informed and engaged electorate, which requires a free and vibrant press. However, where journalistic standards are lax, and media often face pressure from government and business, a lack of media literacy hampers a citizen’s access to accurate and independent media. Citizens become accustomed to the poor journalistic standards and lose all trust in the fourth estate including any independent media. Just as a more informed electorate demands better governance, Internews Network, an international media development NGO, hypothesized that a more media literate audience demands higher journalistic standards. Since 2003, Internews has implemented a comprehensive media development program in Ukraine, U-Media. Drawing on the work of experts like Renee Hobbs, Chris Worsnop, Neil Andersen, Jeff Share and Scott Sullivan, Internews has focused on journalistic standards and their relationship with media literacy.