Слух и страх vs. медийна грамотност
Rumour and Fear vs. Media Literacy

Author(s): Plamen Atanasov
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Media studies, Communication studies
Published by: Факултет по журналистика и масова комуникация, Софийски университет „Св. Кл. Охридски”
Keywords: rumour; fear; media literacy; journalism; ambiguity
Summary/Abstract: A lot of rumours instil fear. Rumours disappear when the associated ambiguity is addressed, and the media are the tribune who are expected to achieve this. Media literacy amplifies this effect. The rumour is the oldest form of communication and is part of sociality. It is known that it is a function of importance, and ambiguity; it is not dependent on the truth; and nor could it be refuted by pointing to logical discrepancies, or with emotional arguments. Fear is inversely proportional to reason. However, its manifestation is more complex, due to the protective function of the reason–literacy–rumour chain.

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