Future of Media: Gate in danger - Speyer is fighting for media education!

Future of Media: Gate in danger - Speyer is fighting for media education!

The decision of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Media Institute to send its subsidiary Medien und Bildung RLP gGmbH into bankruptcy ensures concern. This not only raises questions about the future of media education work, but also affects the 16 employees directly. Such a procedure is considered particularly problematic, since in times of disinformation and hatred on the net, the need for professional media education appears all the more urgent.

In Speyer, the media: gate, a joint project between the state media facility and the city, celebrated great success. It serves not only as a place for creative possibilities, but also as a contact point for different age groups and interests. The Makerspace has developed quickly since the opening in 2022 and is supported as a lighthouse project by many cooperation partners, including the Children's and Youth Theater Speyer and the University of Speyer.

The meaning of the media: gate

The Media: Tor is more than just a room in which technology can be tried out. Here, digital participation is lived in the form of courses and workshops, which range from 3D printing to video production to laser cutting. These offers are an indispensable part of modern education, especially at a time when media literacy is crucial. The closure of the media and education RLP gGmbH puts the continuation of these valuable services in danger.

The fears about the future of media: gate are big. It is crucial that professionally trained employees are still available: inside to maintain the diverse offers. The OK Speyer, who has found a home in Media: Tor, is also affected. The concern for the continued existence of these initiatives has caused those responsible to contact the public. They demand that the media: gate is not simply regarded as another dispensable project.

The closure of the media and education RLP gGmbH does not meet the current requirements and challenges of the digital world. The hope is that the state media facility will recognize the importance of these facilities and that the offers and tasks will continue to provide in the future. If everything goes well, the third birthday of the project is coming up next year, an anniversary that should not be jeopardized lightly.

The SPD City Association Speyer and the SPD parliamentary group in the city council underline the importance of the current situation and hope for a positive turn. In the meantime, it is essential that the municipal and nationwide positions work together to guarantee the continued existence of the media: gate and to support the committed employees: inside who work tirelessly to offer creative and visual opportunities for the community.

The entire discussion about closure and the associated effects once again shows how important it is to further invest in education and media literacy in times of fake news and other challenges. More details can be found in a detailed report www.speyer-kurier.de .