When did your organization launch and why?
Conscious Media Consulting, LLC (CMC, LLC) launched in mid-2018 to fill a specific content analysis gap many organizations experience. As well, to use conscious media literacy lenses to advocate that media-justice is given to social justice issues.
What does your organization do? What are its main goals? Main projects?
Our main goal is to provide inclusive and representational, competently conscious, analytical lenses at the content creation table. We do that through thought-partnering, project consulting and professional development training tailored for content creators, media sponsors and promoters.
What makes your organization stand out? What would you say is the most unique thing about your organization?
CMC, LLC standouts for the innovative tools we design for expanding perspectives on how to develop media literacy skills in conscious ways. A unique service of our organization is our “Listen-In! Watch-Out! Word-Up!” training curriculum.
It is customizable for a range of industries that seek media literacy education for inclusive and accurate content creation purposes.
What are recent projects or new resources that your organization would like to share with other NAMLE members?
We have a consciousness-raising, emotional intelligence building and empathetic inquiry series of quick stories called “A Few Minutes Fable.” A new fable is released monthly that addresses a social justice or esteem development issue consciously.
In our current climate of social distancing, we understand that people want to be connected, engaged and to share thoughts in creative ways. With that in mind, we’re excited to provide a complementary service called “Conscious Conversations” that features a fable theme.
A facilitated fable is a fun way to get an organization, association, or group together virtually to explore themes through engaging, media literacy developing conversations. You provide the attendee list, CMC, LLC will coordinate and provide the hosting platform.
What are the connections between the work of your organization and media literacy?
The ability to recognize problematic content is a skill of media literacy on both the part of the media consumer and the content creator. Toward that end, we have developed “6 Spheres of Conscious-Concern ©,” a content analysis framework.
It is comprised of: Cultural, Linguistic, Social Issues, Gender, Narrative, and Representation considerations for content creation.
Keeping those 6 considerations in mind can avoid causing offenses we regularly see in content. When content creators, sponsors and promoters fail to analyze these components properly, they can create inaccurate narratives and misrepresentations (often historical and false).
That failure of consciousness in overall messaging can cause measurable harm to consumers — not to mention what it can do to an organization’s credibility.
Why is media literacy important to your organization?
CMC, LLC believes that content creators have always had enormous power to influence society at-large. Frequently, content manipulated discourses, distracted, and divided society. We see that still occurring in content today.
Media literacy skills are important to develop so we can discern manipulative discourses, false narratives, and misrepresentations in media. When we have those types of skills, we can correct content and avoid internalizing harmful messaging. Yet, media literacy skills are not so easy to develop — especially in climates where many content creators proffer disinformation.
We think if as a society at-large; we will ever reach a more perfect union, media engagers need to recognize when those attempts are occurring in real time, in content, to correct course. So that means media literacy requires a commitment to consciousness and to a lifetime of learning.
CMC, LLC wants to contribute to the collective good by committing to do good through conscious content creation.
Anything else you want our readers to know about your organization, your mission, or your staff?
We encourage the content continuum to seek conscious analysis proactively. Before they release content to the public, they can correct it if need be.
We know that not all organizations have staffing capacity to hire someone full-time who can analyze their content in conscious ways. As consultants, CMC, LLC provides support at any stage of content creation, so they won’t have to forgo that critical aspect of content creation.
From concept to completion, we are here for the continuum of content influencers who want to elevate their messaging by demonstrating accuracy in narratives and representations.
The views and opinions expressed in the Organizational Spotlight blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the Organizational Spotlight blog is to highlight our Organizational Partners and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.