Ofcom is the communications regulator. We regulate the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms and mobiles, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. We make sure that people in the UK get the best from their communications services and are protected from scams and sharp practices, while ensuring that competition can thrive.
The promotion of media literacy is a responsibility placed on Ofcom by Section 11 of the Communications Act 2003. Ofcom’s definition of media literacy, developed after formal consultation with stakeholders, is “the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts”. The purpose of this report is to provide a rich picture of the different elements of media literacy across the key platforms of television, radio, the internet and mobile phones. It is a report that looks specifically at adults (aged 16+) from ethnic minority groups (EMGs) within the UK population. People surveyed for this research will be of ethnic origin and may have been born in the UK or overseas but now reside in the UK. Respondents were given the option of conducting the survey in English, Punjabi, Gujarati, Urdu, French, Somali or Arabic North African.