National News Literacy Week encourages us all to recognize misinformation and not to spread it

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As misinformation spreads at alarming rates and puts our health and democracy at risk, the News Literacy Project and The E.W. Scripps Company are continuing to promote the need for greater news literacy, a fundamental and important skill that empowers people to make fact-based decisions about their lives and their governance.

The third annual National News Literacy Week begins today, with "Stop the flood of misinformation … care before you share" as its theme. This initiative is backed by more than 30 news organizations that have signed a letter in support of news literacy, agreed to publish it and/or donated ad space to help promote the week. The letter says: "In our role as the Fourth Estate, it is our mission to keep the public well-informed and to provide high-quality journalism that holds those in power accountable… We pledge to double down on efforts to be fair, accurate, representative and transparent in our journalism — and crystal clear on what is opinion and analysis and what is straightforward news reporting."

"We asked news organizations all over the country to unite behind this cause, which we believe is crucial for a healthy democracy," said Alan Miller, founder and CEO of NLP. "Their response underscores that journalists recognize that they too have a stake in ensuring that the public is able to discern credible, verified and impartial information in today's challenging information landscape."

This year's National News Literacy Week features a public service announcement conceived of by the global communications and advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi. The campaign stresses the role everyone plays in sharing information and everyone's responsibility to do so mindfully and responsibly. This theme is reflected in the video of people in an elevator who are nearly drowned by a flood of misinformation before they work together to stem the rising water.

Throughout the week, the News Literacy Project will engage educators, students and the public with quizzes, tips and tools through the organization's social media channels and at NewsLiteracyWeek.org.

The public, educators and journalists can get involved with National News Literacy Week in several ways:

• Visit NewsLiteracyWeek.org to learn about events happening during the week and specific actions you can take to improve your own news literacy skills.
• Share your support for news literacy via social media by using this social media toolkit.
• Consider running a letter supporting news literacy signed by numerous news outlets.
• Attend any of the educator events taking place throughout the week.
• Watch and share the public service announcement.
• Join the conversation on social media using the #NewsLiteracyWeek hashtag.

The E.W. Scripps Company (Scripps; NASDAQ: SSP) is a presenting sponsor for the third year.

"My colleagues and I talk about this all the time, within our organization and throughout the industry," said Adam Symson, Scripps' president & CEO. "We need our communities to be informed and to share news responsibly. This is something we all agree on."

• Print, digital, broadcast and social media assets are available in support of the five-day campaign or for ongoing placement throughout 2022. For print assets, contact Darragh Worland, NLP's vice president of creative services, at [email protected].
• Journalists interested in covering the campaign or news literacy can connect with NLP to learn more about its resources for the public and educators, including The Sift^®, a weekly newsletter covering topical news literacy issues, the Checkology^® e-learning platform, the Newsroom to Classroom program, and NewsLitCamp^® — a professional development event for educators, hosted by news organizations and taught by journalists and NLP experts. For more information, contact [email protected].

Below is an open letter from the members of National News Literacy Week presented by the News Literacy Project and The E.W. Scripps Company:

Dear Reader,

"With imperfect information, we make imperfect decisions."

That line, taken from the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder, neatly summarizes why the crisis of mis- and disinformation demands urgent attention from all sectors of society — including the news media.

Our newsrooms are supporting the third annual National News Literacy Week (Jan. 24-28) to help more people learn to determine the credibility of content they encounter and use the standards of fact-based journalism to know what to trust, share and act on.

It is vital that news consumers attain the skills to discern fact from fiction, understand how our newsrooms decide what is newsworthy, and recognize the standards we follow to ensure trust in what we publish or broadcast. This is essential if fact-based information is to remain central to our discourse and the functioning of our democracy.

In our role as the Fourth Estate, it is our mission to keep the public well-informed and to provide high-quality journalism that holds those in power accountable. In addition, our audiences must be news literate — and empowered to make fact-based decisions about
their lives.

We pledge to double down on efforts to be fair, accurate, representative and transparent in our journalism — and crystal clear on what is opinion and analysis and what is straightforward news reporting. Everyone — including educators, students, parents, community members, business leaders, politicians, and social media influencers — relies on the fact-based information we provide every day.

We urge you to take a moment to become news literate. Visit NewsLiteracyWeek.org to learn more about what you can do to avoid spreading misinformation.

Please join us in securing a fact-based future where we can all make the best decisions for our communities and our country.

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About Scripps

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in 41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Newsy and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Grit, Laff, Court TV Mystery, Defy TV and TrueReal. Scripps is the nation's largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."

About the News Literacy Project

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan national education nonprofit, provides programs and resources for educators and the public to teach, learn and share the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company