EDMOND, OKLA, Sept. 24, 2021 — Marking 10 years in business with a renewed focus on the power of storytelling, Price Lang Public Relations is establishing the Price Lang Media Literacy Fellowship, a graduate level program at the University of Central Oklahoma.

“We are a team of storytellers, and the clients we work with know that we are dedicated to telling their stories well, because their stories matter,” said Price Lang Co-founder Emily Lang. “We believe the stories journalists tell matter too. They matter a great deal to our democracy, but their work is under attack, and media literacy is on the decline. It is becoming more difficult than ever to distinguish between fact-checked news copy and unvetted information spread on social media. By funding this fellowship, we hope to gather research and create a curriculum that can help our fellow Oklahomans better understand what is and isn’t vetted information from credible news sources.”

Media literacy education is taking hold in other states, including Texas, Florida, Washington and New Mexico; but no such focus exists in Oklahoma, and there is currently no research or programming in the Sooner state focused on Oklahomans’ level of media literacy.

It’s a critical problem, as nationwide studies show media literacy impacts people of all ages, with people as young as early adolescents affected in their knowledge surrounding health, body image, violence and drug use.

Lang and Price Lang co-founder Charlie Price are both graduates of the University of Central Oklahoma.

“Improving media literacy can impact our state in a way that is truly generational,” said Price. “We are proud to pioneer this program at UCO and directly impact quality journalism in our state.”

“From elections to the pandemic, it’s been proven that misinformation, disinformation and faked media are increasingly polarizing our society,” said Joe Hight, UCO’s endowed chair of journalism ethics and director of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. “The need for media literacy is even more important today and may become vital in protecting our cherished First Amendment and democracy. I think and hope Price Lang’s partnership with UCO will have a lasting impact on this state and beyond. That impact could certainly help future generations navigate and overcome the issues that we face today.”

Price Lang provides tailored communications and public relations services for a diverse client base that includes small businesses, global corporations and local nonprofits. Price Lang’s services include a range of communications and public relations functions, including community advocacy, copywriting, social media support, graphic design and strategic and crisis communications.

For more information about the Price Lang Media Literacy Fellowship, visit www.pricelang.com/scholarship.