The Effect of Media Literacy on Passive Audiences: The Case of Sakarya University Faculty of Communication

ABSTRACT

Today, with the increase in digitalization, the diversity of media content has increased, and this change has enabled individuals to access information easily without questioning it (Güneş, 2013; Avşar, 2013). This situation, in particular, causes students to consume media content passively. Media literacy is the ability that not only enables individuals to question media content from a critical perspective but also allows them to move beyond being passive media audiences. The aim of this study is to measure the relationship between the media literacy levels of students at Sakarya University Faculty of Communication and their passive audience behaviors (Avşar, 2013; Karaman and Karataş, 2009).

This study was conducted within the scope of a quantitative research method, using a relational survey model and a descriptive method. The relational survey model used in the study is appropriate for examining the relationships between variables, while the descriptive method is suitable for revealing the current situations and behaviors of the participants. The participants consist of 100 students aged between 18 and 30 from the Sakarya University Faculty of Communication. However, the analyses were conducted based on 96 valid questionnaires. The data were collected using the Media Literacy Scale developed by Karaman and Karataş (2009), whose validity and reliability have been established. Within the scope of the study, students’ passive audience behaviors were measured through critical consumption, which is one of the dimensions of media literacy. During the data collection process, a face-to-face questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire used in the study consists of two main sections: demographic information and scale items.

This study examined how the media literacy levels of students at Sakarya University Faculty of Communication affect their passive audience behaviors, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0. According to the findings of the study, it was determined that students with high media literacy levels at Sakarya University Faculty of Communication exhibit low levels of passive audience behavior.