June 2, 2025 (COLUMBIA, S.C.) — “In an era rife with disinformation and misinformation, understanding how to navigate online content is more crucial than ever. That’s why Columbia’s OTR Media Group is partnering with Richland Library to offer two free media literacy workshops, equipping teens and adults with the essential skills to critically analyze screen-based media and combat the spread of false narratives.”
OTR Media Group developed its “Screen Language” (SLM) methodology to address the overwhelming presence of screen-based media today. This innovative training doesn’t just teach theory; it equips individuals with practical, real-time skills to critically engage with content on any device. SLM focuses on teaching the fundamental ‘screen language’ techniques, allowing users to understand the basic communication methods of online content as they encounter it, rather than requiring them to exit applications. Our goal is to foster literacy, not just fluency, in the digital environments where disinformation often thrives.
“The COVID-19 pandemic helped me to clearly see the urgent need for new approaches to media literacy training,” says OTR Media Group Founder/CEO Shekeese Duvall. “We saw a critical flaw in popular media literacy strategies. Much of the advice required users to leave platforms like Instagram or TikTok to fact-check information—a fundamental disconnect from how people, like my 67-year-old mom, actually engage with screen media. Social media, for instance, is engineered to keep users scrolling, we knew we needed a solution that works while scrolling, making media literacy accessible and intuitive for everyone.”
There are two FREE Media Literacy Workshops scheduled for this summer:
- Workshop for Teens: Sunday, June 29th, 3:00–5:30 p.m.
- Workshop for Adults: Thursday, August 28th, 5:00–7:30 p.m.
All participants must register at the link on the event page.
Learn more about OTR Media Group’s Media Literacy Programs HERE.
