Miller looks at news literacy’s impact on local news

As part of its local news initiative, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation asked NLP’s founder and CEO, Alan C. Miller, to consider how news literacy correlates with improved trust and understanding between the public and local news outlets. He immediately saw the connection and shared his thoughts, which were posted Jan. 9 on the foundation’s website. (Disclosure: Knight Foundation is NLP’s largest funder.)

“Supporting news literacy education at the local level will lead to deeper interest in the work of local news outlets — the ones that hold local businesses and local elected officials accountable,” Miller wrote. “When news consumers learn how to verify the credibility of information, they become empowered. Our students tell us that as a result of lessons in our Checkology® virtual classroom, they plan to become more engaged in civic issues and more active in their communities.”

Please read Miller’s essay — and after you do, contact your local school to support the inclusion of news literacy in its students’ education experience.