MediaSmarts

The organization was founded as the Media Awareness Network (MNet) in 1994 under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The following year, MNet began to receive seed funding from Bell Canada, CBC, Western International Communications, CHUM Television, as well as from the federal departments Health Canada, Justice Canada, Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Soon after, in 1996, the MNet would be incorporated as an independent non-profit organization, along with launching its media education website. Three years later, it was granted charitable status.[2]

In 1999, with the help of MNet's work, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that it would not regulate the Internet. In 2001, with MNet as a key partner, the federal government released its "Cyberwise" strategy on addressing illegal and offensive content on the Internet.[2]

On 29 May 2012, one year after their 15th anniversary, the organisation was relaunched as MediaSmarts. The new brand was developed pro-bono by Toronto-based advertising agency, Brandworks.

In 2014, MediaSmarts partnered with the Information and Communications Technology Council to host a Youth and Digital Skills symposium to advance the development of digital literacy skills in Canada. In 2016, the organization partnered with the CRTC, NFB, and Canadian Heritage in a Youth Discoverability Summit, exploring the ways in which youth access content in the modern age.

MediaSmarts is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors, which includes representatives of media companies and such stakeholder sectors as education, libraries, and community- and youth-serving organizations.[8]

The 2020-2021 Executive Committee consists of:[8]

• Chair: Suzanne Morin — Vice President of Enterprise Conduct, Data Ethics and Chief Privacy Officer, Sun Life
• Vice-Chair: David Fowler — Vice-president of Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)
• Treasurer: Mara Tramontin — Director of Program Business Management, TVOntario
• Member-at-Large: Mary Cavanagh — Associate Professor, University of Ottawa School of Information Studies
• Member-at-Large: Michael Hoechsmann — Associate Professor, Lakehead University

The 2020-2021 board members include:[8]

• Ruby Barber — Assistant General Counsel of Legal & Regulatory Affairs, Bell Canada
• Serge Carrier — Director of Business Development, Société de formation à distance des commissions scolaires du Québec (SOFAD)
• Kevin Chan — Head of Public Policy, Canada, Facebook and Instagram
• Jérôme Dufour — Director General of Distribution, Communications and Marketing, National Film Board of Canada
• Monika Ille — Chief Executive Director, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)
• Nimtaz Kanji — Director – TELUS Wise, Telus Communications Inc.
• Normand Landry — Professor, TÉLUQ University
• Colin McKay — Head of Public Policy and Government Relations, Canada, Google Inc.
• Shelley L. Morse — President, Canadian Teachers’ Federation
• Ramona Pringle — Associate Professor of Media and Director of The Creative Innovation Studio, Ryerson University

MediaSmarts has received a number of awards for its work, including awards from UNESCO Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information, as well as several online awards for web-based content.

In 1999, MNet was awarded the inaugural Canadian Race Relations Foundation Award of Excellence by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation in recognition of its "extensive collection of anti-racism education resources." In 2006, MNet was included as a Canadian "best practice" in UNESCO’s comprehensive Media Education: A Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals.

• MediaSmarts
• HabiloMédias
• Taylor, Anne (Nov–Dec 1996). "The Media Awareness Network: Online for Teachers". Emergency Librarian. 24 (2): 32–33. ISSN 0315-8888. Retrieved 2008-12-04.