News Literacy Now

Real news. Fake news. Alternative Facts. We are living in the Digital Age of Disinformation where factual news, opinion and disinformation exist side-by-side in the media culture. How do we know who and what to believe?

News Literacy Now introduces a new way to "read" the news. Based on the intersection of media literacy, news literacy, information and web literacy skills, this hybrid strategy adapts the media literacy framework developed by the Center for Media Literacy to analyze the nature of news, explain professional journalism practices and standards, and apply lateral reading to verify facts and empower informed participation in democracy.

Written in a Q and A format from the news consumers’ perspective, the book asks and answers questions to think critically about our personal news experiences, the news-gathering process, and the vital roles journalism and the First Amendment play in a democracy. It connects key concepts with strategies to deconstruct misinformation and disinformation that have weaponized falsehoods and disrupted the flow of trustworthy news.

Challenged by a news credibility crisis, news media literacy has never mattered more. What we need are skills to think like a journalist and search like a fact-checker. Whether you are a media literacy expert or newbie to media and news literacy, this book is essential for everyone who uses media—teachers and students from middle and high school to higher ed, parents and grandparents, media and youth advocates, and anyone who cares about living in a world where facts matter.

Bobbie Eisenstock (Ph.D., USC Annenberg School for Communication) is a media literacy educator and advocate. Her teaching and research intersect media and news literacy with community-engaged learning to educate and empower students to use their voice for personal and social change. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Media Literacy Education and was honored with their Elizabeth Thoman Service Award for her contributions to the field. Among her other honors are the National Eating Disorders Association Award for Activism and Advocacy and the Visionary Community Service-Learning Award from California State University, Northridge where she teaches in the journalism department.