Abstract:

Media literacy has been a widespread research topic among scholars in communication since the 1990s. The concept generally refers to a critical analysis process. It is common to define this idea as accessing, analyzing, evaluating, and creating new messages “.(Baran, 2004:50; Hobbs, 1998:16; Potter, 2005:22; Livingstone, 2004:4). Media Literacy is also defined as the ability to access, interpret, analyze, evaluate and transmit messages in a wide variety of formats such as television, video, cinema, advertising, and the Internet. In order to be able to recognize and receive relevant media messages and can be interpreted as active viewers, firstly education and then family structure, world view, economic situation, gender, age etc. are really important factors. In order to be aware of media literacy, critical media literacy trainings should be provided in all segments of society, especially children. Thus, society will be able to distinguish the line between the world shown by the media and the real world. Media literacy education includes cognitive processes used in critical thinking. Media workshops and curriculums emphasize moral values (defense, vaccination approach), distinctive response (critical audience), consumer revolution (Livingstone, 2004:3). Compared with European countries in Turkey's education received too late in the curriculum of Media Literacy course with following the correct media, analyzing the meaning of media messages is permeable to the mind and logic, is aimed to create an informed audience. Meaning is based on the media experiences (selective perception), the context in which they use the media (accommodation), and how and why they use the media (use and satisfaction). In this context, it is aimed to determine how Media Literacy is perceived by university students. In addition to this general purpose, raising awareness about media literacy is adopted as another goal.

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