The content in this newsletter is a collection of media literacy related news and information from a wide range of sources and inclusion does not imply the endorsement of Media Literacy Ireland.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The big news this month is that the MLI Awards are now open for entries. There are six categories this year. Closing date for entries is 4 September, but don\u2019t leave it until the last minute to enter. Journalists feature heavily in this month\u2019s edition. There is a national survey to assess the mental health of Irish journalists; the publication of the Media Pluralism Monitor; and a call for participants for the Youth Facing Disinformation \u2013 Why Journalists Matter <\/em>event in Strasbourg. There is also a feature on empowering disabled people through AI, and a five-part series focussed on the need for better representation of disabled people in media. For readers who are trying balance screen time and hands-on family fun, Google provides some helpful tips. Read on for lots more media literacy related news, events and information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s Media Literacy Ireland Awards are now open for entries. Submissions are invited in six categories, with the aim of recognising the great work that is being undertaken across Ireland to help people, especially within communities, develop the media literacy skills they need to make the best use of media. The deadline for entries is Friday, 4 September.<\/strong> Don\u2019t leave it until the last minute! Shine’s Media Programme and Maynooth University are inviting journalists and media workers from across Ireland to participate in a new national survey<\/a> examining mental health, wellbeing and the realities of reporting on mental illness in today’s media landscape. The study seeks to better understand the challenges facing journalists and identify practical actions that can strengthen supports, training and workplace wellbeing across the sector. The Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) is a comprehensive tool that analyses more than 200 variables per country to assess media conditions across Europe. It takes into account not just press freedom and the safety of journalists \u2013 which remain essential \u2013 but also the financial health of the media sector, patterns of media ownership and their influence on editorial independence, inclusivity within the media, and much more.\u00a0You can view the 2026 results for Ireland here<\/a>. AILiFE+<\/a> (Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Inclusion, Futures and Employment) is a project that combines academic expertise with lived experience of disability to bridge research and reality. The project aims to co-design practical workshops and rights-based, accessible digital education grounded in disabled people\u2019s perspectives, priorities, and needs, with a focus on enhancing workforce readiness through AI literacy. Access Media<\/em> is a five-part online series, running from July to November, that explores how disabled people are represented in Irish media and what needs to change. Funded by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n under its Media Skills and Development Programme, the sessions have been created by Disabled Women Ireland and the Disability Participation News Hub and will feature webinars and panels on the challenges and opportunities for disabled people in accessing and working in media spaces, and what can be done to further inclusion and representation. Summer holidays bring a familiar seasonal challenge for parents and carers: managing digital screen time. Rather than treating device usage purely as a distraction, digital tools can be a launchpad for curiosity, hands-on learning, and real-world play. Google and YouTube have highlighted three practical approaches to help families establish healthy digital habits while keeping children active and engaged all summer long. SharedTime is an EU-funded project built around a newsletter for families, designed to help them explore and better understand the digital world. It encourages children aged 8\u201312 years to develop critical and safe online habits, while bringing adults and young people together to navigate the digital environment and build media literacy and critical thinking skills. The platform is free to sign up<\/a> and the newsletter is delivered to your inbox monthly. Cheap, fast, and highly sophisticated, AI tools are reshaping how disinformation and deepfakes spread. To assess the real-world impact of AI-generated disinformation and find out if people can spot fakes, Cantivia, an Irish research group founded by three secondary-school students, has created an anonymous three-minute survey, the results of which will help inform ways to build better defences. The intersection between media and information literacy and financial literacy is closer than you might think, especially in areas such as the impact of AI and the critical need to develop digital knowledge and resilience. For more information about what is happening in the financial literacy space, take a look at the What\u2019s News in Financial Literacy<\/em> newsletter which is hosted on the recently updated National Financial Literacy Strategy website<\/a>. When choosing which digital tools we want to use, there are economic, labour, cultural\/social, political and ecological issues that we should consider. Tactical Tech has created a comprehensive set of questions to help guide that decision-making process. The Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society (FuJo) at Dublin City University is inviting submissions for the 3rd FuJo PhD Conference 2026, which will take place on Friday, 4 September. The conference provides a platform for PhD researchers from across the island of Ireland to present their research, exchange ideas, and engage in interdisciplinary discussions on the evolving relationship between media, democracy, and society. The deadline for submissions is 2 August<\/strong>. The Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative, co-funded by the European Union, invites media outlets to apply for grants towards their Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification audit. JTI is an international ISO-type standard that promotes good governance, self-regulation, and independence in journalism and six grants are available with amounts ranging between \u20ac1,500 and \u20ac5,000. Applications are open until 11 August.<\/strong> The call is now open for young participants, project leaders, journalists, creators and experts for a high-level conference and interactive workshops exploring disinformation, media literacy, journalists\u2019 safety and youth storytelling. <\/strong>This Strasbourg-based event combines dialogue, practical exercises and exchanges with leading professionals. Applications close on 1 September<\/strong>. Between April 2023 and April 2025, the 14 national and regional hubs of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) implemented hundreds of media literacy activities across Europe. The bi-monthly reporting collected throughout this period provides a unique snapshot of how media literacy is evolving across Europe, with the findings revealing growing demand, innovative practices, and persistent structural challenges related to funding, engagement, evaluation and sustainability. The Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI: Evidence-based assessment of opportunities, risks and impacts of AI <\/em>is a first-of-its-kind independent scientific assessment of the capabilities, emerging opportunities and risks of AI. The panel, composed of independent scientists and experts from all five UN regions, outlined trends in AI and warned that current safeguards cannot keep pace with the growth of AI\u2019s capabilities. On 7 July, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on a strategy for media literacy and digital learning. The text highlights the fundamental importance of media literacy and digital learning as core competences in modern society and as cornerstones of resilient democracies. It makes a comprehensive series of recommendations for Member States to strengthen the pillars of the modern media ecosystem and promote a holistic and future-oriented education system. Ofcom\u2019s annual Media Nations report aims to capture evolving consumer\u00a0behaviours\u00a0and key trends in the media sector and to set out how audiences are served in the UK.\u00a0The 2026 report shows that broadcaster content still accounts for the majority of\u00a0video\u00a0watched in UK homes, despite the continued rise of streaming and video-sharing platforms. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n EDMO<\/strong><\/a> is an EU-wide network of factcheckers, media literacy practitioners and researchers seeking to build resilience to disinformation. EDMO Ireland developed the Be Media Smart \u2018Workshop in a Box\u2019<\/a>, works on media literacy research and standards, and co-hosts the annual Disinformation Forum with MLI. Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n<\/a><\/strong> is Ireland\u2019s agency for developing and regulating a thriving, diverse, creative, safe and trusted media landscape. Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n funds and facilitates MLI, and promotes media literacy initiatives for individuals, communities, policymakers and institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EDMO Ireland partners at TheJournal FactCheck<\/em> have been writing about controversial plans for ‘chat control’<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0viral misinformation about the hot weather<\/a>. EDMO Ireland is promoting\u00a0a survey on deepfake detection<\/a>\u00a0by students who won the Engineers Ireland STEPS Award. EDMO researchers were at the IAMCR conference to present work on the impact of disinformation and media literacy needs.\u00a0Finally, DCU FuJo\u2019s Media Literacy Incubator<\/a> event took place in DCU\u00a0on 30 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n\u00a0 opened applications this month for its\u00a0Community Media Scheme<\/a>,\u00a0which invites submissions from existing licenced community television and radio broadcasters and aims to support a sustainable, inclusive and participative community media sector that delivers social benefit for communities across Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the guides and resources<\/a> section of its website, Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n continues to update its step-by-step \u2018How to Report\u2019 guides to help users navigate the reporting mechanisms for harmful and illegal content on a number of major online platforms. In addition, new Student FAQs<\/a> have just been published, aimed in particular at\u00a0Leaving Certificate Politics and Society students but also\u00a0useful for students of CSPE, SPHE and Digital Media Literacy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Financial markets have become increasingly intertwined with social media, AI, and digital platforms, creating new opportunities for participation but also new risks for manipulation and misinformation. A Media & Learning Association webinar on 23 September<\/strong> will explore how financial manipulation operates in today\u2019s digital ecosystem and examine the tactics used to influence investment behaviour. The counter-disinformation community will meet for #Disinfo2026 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The main conference days on 7\u20138 October<\/strong> will feature a full programme of sessions in a variety of formats, and pre-conference workshops will be organised on 6 October. Registration for the event is now open. In 2026, Meda & Learning Association\u2019s annual conference \u2013 MLA4MedLit 2026: Whose Literacy? Whose Rights? Interrogating Digital and Media Literacy for Everyone<\/em> \u2013 turns a critical eye on the media literacy field itself. As media literacy becomes an ever more central pillar of digital citizenship and societal resilience, the conference will invite participants to question some of the field\u2019s own assumptions about who is being reached, who is being left out, and who gets to decide what \u2018literacy for everyone\u2019 really means. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n An EU Disinfo Lab webinar on 2 July explored the question of whether European software built on cheap Chinese AI models can be trusted. The session outlined how state-approved narratives are encoded into large language models and examined practical steps that European policymakers, developers, and other stakeholders can take to mitigate FIMI-related risks associated with Chinese AI models and to safeguard information integrity. Following the European Court of Justice ruling\u00a0that an online platform can be held responsible for\u00a0content\u00a0it stores and shares if it has control over it, Newstalk Breakfast discussed the policing of\u00a0social media algorithms with Dr. Tyler West, Communications and Media Lecturer at Dublin City University. Children and young people are increasingly exposed to a wide range of online harms. Digital platforms remain essential spaces for learning, culture, democratic participation and freedom of expression. Balancing protection from harm with the safeguarding of fundamental rights is therefore a central policy challenge. The European Audiovisual Observatory explored this and other questions at their Oslo conference. The 2025 MLA4MedLit conference \u2013 the Media & Learning Association\u2019s annual online event \u2013 examined how digital and media literacy can strengthen democracy, foster civic participation, and empower people of all ages to navigate today\u2019s increasingly complex information landscape. The conference theme Building Societal Resilience through Digital and Media Literacy for Everyone<\/em> was inspired by a growing recognition that the health of our democracies depends on an informed and engaged citizenry. Recordings of conference sessions are now available to view here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As more everyday services move online, digital confidence has become central to participation in society but, for many older people, the pace of change can feel overwhelming. To help address the challenge of digital exclusion, Hi Digital \u2013 Vodafone Foundation\u2019s national digital skills programme \u2013 combines online learning with trusted, face-to-face community support. The free HiDigital e-learning platform<\/a> offers bite-sized lessons including information on how to use smartphones and apps, staying secure online, creating an email and other essential everyday skills. The resources<\/a> section of the MLI website provides easy access to a variety of resources on a wide range of media literacy topics. You can now filter by topic, target audience and resource type. If you would like to submit a resource for inclusion in this library, please complete this<\/a> form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a colleague or friend who might enjoy these updates, they can register to become an MLI member<\/a> or just subscribe<\/a> to receive the newsletter. For any membership issues, or if you have something you’d like to include in next month\u2019s edition of the newsletter, please email us at info@medialiteracyireland.ie<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kind regards, <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Read the November MLI newsletter for media literacy related news and updates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1309,"featured_media":5551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,349,23],"tags":[294,162,267],"class_list":["post-7241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mli-news","category-mli-news-2","category-news","tag-media-literacy-events","tag-media-literacy-ireland","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThis Month in Media Literacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Announcements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Annoucements-cropped.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
The 2026 MLI Awards are open<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNational survey to explore the mental health of Irish journalists<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMapping risks for the safety of journalists across Europe<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nEmpowering disabled people through AI literacy: Introducing AILiFE+<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAccess Media Series asks who <\/strong>gets to tell disabled people\u2019s stories<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalancing screen time and hands-on family fun<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSharedTime Newsletter Project for families <\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSurvey to help combat disinformation and deepfakes<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nFinancial literacy update<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nChoosing digital tools in the age of AI<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCalls to the Media Literacy Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Call for papers: 3rd FuJo PhD Conference 2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nApplications open: Grants for the Journalism Trust Initiative certification audit<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCall for participants: Youth Facing Disinformation \u2013<\/em> Why Journalists Matter<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a>
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nResearch and Reports<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Research-and-Reports-3.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSuccesses and challenges from the EDMO Hub Network (2023\u20132025)<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nUN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nEuropean Parliament resolution on media literacy and digital learning<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOfcom Report: Media Nations 2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nKey Partner Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/EDMO-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cnam.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nEDMO Ireland Update<\/strong>s<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n Update<\/strong>s<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Events<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Save-the-date-cropped.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWebinar: Financial Manipulation: How money, markets and misinformation intersect online \u2013 23 September<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSave the date: Disinfo2026 \u2013 7\u20138 October<\/strong> <\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSave the Date: MLA4MedLit online conference \u2013 23 October<\/strong> <\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Case You Missed It <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/In-case-you-missed-it-cropped-.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWebinar: China\u2019s AI strategy and its impact on the global information space \u2013 2 July<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nPolicing of social media algorithms \u2013 3 July<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nProtecting young people from online harm in an open and safe public sphere \u2013 10 June<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n2025 MLA4MedLit conference \u2013 17 October 2025 <\/strong><\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Resource of the Month <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.medialiteracyireland.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Resource-of-the-month-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHi Digital: Building confidence and connection for older people<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nLooking for media literacy resources?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for reading!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The MLI Team<\/p>\n\n\n\n