Combating misinformation and disinformation has become a significant challenge in today’s media environment. The rise of artificial intelligence in content creation makes it harder for people to identify false, misleading, or biased information. According to a 2023 poll by Morning Consult, nearly three-fourths of more than 10,000 respondents in the United States and United Kingdom expressed low confidence in their ability to spot misinformation. About half said they encounter false or misleading images on a weekly basis.
Jennifer Proffitt, Theodore Clevenger Professor of Communication at Florida State University (FSU), is an expert on media literacy. Her research covers topics such as media ownership, labor issues within the newspaper and digital industries, media regulation and its history, alternative media, and media literacy itself. She teaches courses at FSU including Political Economy of Communications, News Media Ethics, Media and Society, Media History and Theory, and Critical Media Studies. Her work has been published in several academic journals.
Proffitt emphasizes the importance of introducing media literacy education early in schools: “There should be a greater push for media literacy curriculum in schools,” she said. “Media literacy needs to start at an early age so that students are aware of the issues. Awareness is key to creating change.”
She identifies concentrated ownership as one of the main problems affecting today’s media landscape. Citing Medill’s 2025 State of Local News report, Proffitt notes that since 2005 almost 40% of local newspapers have closed nationwide; over 130 closed just last year alone. This decline is linked partly to advertising revenue moving from print newspapers to digital platforms. As fewer companies—especially hedge funds and private equity firms—own more outlets, there is less diversity in content and coverage of local issues.
“With each merger and acquisition, journalists are the first to go,” Proffitt said. “That leaves fewer reporters to cover community, state and national issues. Why does this matter? The loss of newspapers has created news deserts across the country. Without journalists holding power to account in these communities, citizens are left in the dark. As people turn to social media for news, misinformation and disinformation often spread unchecked. The standards journalists follow — objectivity, fact checking and professional ethics — are not the same standards held by social media platforms and users.”
Proffitt also outlines three key aspects of media literacy that benefit everyone:
– Understanding how content is produced—including awareness about filters or editing tools that can distort reality; recognizing how algorithms shape what people see; identifying AI-generated deepfakes; and using AI responsibly.
– Recognizing social, economic, and political contexts behind media—including who owns it; regulations involved; or how advertising influences messages.
– Considering effects—how exposure shapes perceptions about oneself or others.
Reporters interested in interviewing Professor Proffitt about these topics can contact her via email at jennifer.proffitt@cci.fsu.edu.
