Dec 2013
Chairs briefing: ILiS Solutions Series – Mock the weak: the
representation of disabled people in the media
This briefing is in 2 parts – part 1 (p1 – p7) is the event briefing, part
2 (p8 – p17) provides further information on the subject matter and
on independent living
Part 1
Where: BBC Scotland studios, Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G511DA
When: from 12 noon until 5pm
Follow the discussion on Twitter #thesolutions
Thank you for agreeing to chair this pop up think tank. The Solutions
Series offers a high level space for discussion between invited
participants, to consider a specific issue in relation to the realization of
independent living and to seek solutions in the area. This is an invite
only event.
1. Practical arrangements
The ILiS team will meet you at the BBC Scotland reception at
11.30pm noon on the 18th of December.
Lunch will be served between 12 noon and 1pm. The discussion will
run from 1pm to 4pm. There will be a short comfort break. You are
invited to stay for a networking drinks reception from 4pm – 5pm.
2. About ‘The Solutions Series’
The Independent Living in Scotland (ILiS) project is working with the
Scottish Government, disabled people and other key stakeholders on
the strategic interventions that will make independent living the reality for
disabled people in Scotland (see appendix 1 for detail on independent
living and human rights).
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“The Solutions Series” which is hosted by ILiS is a series of solution
focused discussions – ‘pop up think tanks’ – designed to bring together
Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), decision makers, academics,
public service leaders and other key experts from across Scotland and
beyond. Each pop up Think Tank in The Solutions Series will consider,
and seek solutions to, a specific issue which has been identified as
preventing or hindering progression of independent living in Scotland.
Each Solutions Series discussion results in a report capturing the
solutions offered. This will be used to promote wider awareness and
understanding of the issue and to initiate, influence and direct change at
national and local levels – more detail on the Solutions Series is
provided in appendix 2.
“Mock the weak – the representation of disabled people in the
media” is the 5th pop up Think Tank in the series.
A list of invited participants is provided at appendix 3.
3. Focus of the pop up think tank: “Mock the weak – the
representation of disabled people in the media”
A combination of desk based research and conversations with Disabled
People’s Organisations (DPO’s), academics, representatives from the
media and decision makers helped determine the specific emphasis for
the discussion ahead. It found that whilst there are examples of positive
representations of disabled people in the media, largely, disabled people
are both ‘under’ and ‘miss’ represented and used in the media:
 disabled people are often defined or portrayed as free-loaders,
scroungers, skivers, ‘poor wee souls’, miracles or ‘super
human’…some have suggested that Government
ideology/policy/rhetoric drives this
 there are poor links between disabled people, their organisations and
the media
 disabled people don’t come forward to be in the media very often –
they are frightened that if they do, they may lose what support they
have, they might be seen as ‘too capable for support/benefits’ or they
fear they might get bullied, harassed or experience hate crime
 despite this, talent spotters have limited ‘go-to’ lists and disabled
people rarely feature on these – when disabled people are engaged,
the same people or person can be over-used
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 where they are approached, disabled people are usually invited to
comment/appear as ‘users’, they are rarely considered or approached
as ‘experts’
All of this has a huge impact on disabled people and on the media:
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disabled people and their organisations struggle to get their version
of events across – progressing disabled people’s equality and human
rights is harder because the focus is on welfare, dependency and on
the limited role that disabled people can play in society as
benefactors, not contributors – the focus often accentuates the
negative rather the positive
misrepresentation has created a ‘crisis of identity’ for disabled
people, hate crime has increased and disabled people have lowered
aspirations
the media don’t benefit fully from the expertise of disabled people –
as colleagues, employees and contributors on screen and off
there is a lack of disability awareness in the media and very little
awareness among disabled people and their organisations of the way
the media works.
The pop up think tank will seek to address these issues by
considering:
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how disabled people are portrayed in the media – including the
language and imagery that is used around disability
the way in which the industry recruits and retains people (both as
employees and in terms of the ‘go to’ people for
interviews/news/expertise on a particular subject)
the role of the editors Code and regulation
how disabled people, their organisations and the media interact
To help the discussion flow, the chair will ask:
a) What do we want to achieve
b) how do we do it?
c) Who can help?
For a detailed outline of the rationale behind the questions posed,
please see appendix 4.
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4. Your role on the day and your role as chair (see more at
appendix 2)
Heather Fisken, Manager, ILiS Project, will announce the discussion and
welcome people. She will introduce the Solutions Series and will outline
the fact that there is no ‘them’ and ‘us’ in these discussions and that we
must focus on solutions. Heather will highlight that a report of the
solutions will be published and circulated – she will note that people can
speak freely in the event and that no comments will be attributed to
individuals. This report will be used by ILiS to instigate change and
others are invited to use it too.
Pam Duncan, Policy Officer for the ILiS Project, and Kainde Manji, PhD
student, Glasgow University, will take a note of the discussions which
will result in the final report.
As chair, you are asked to keep the discussion flowing, allow
everyone the chance to speak, and stay focused on solutions.
We’d like you to open with introductions; to participants and to the
reason the subject has been chosen – highlighting some of the work and
research that has led to this conclusion (see above and information at
appendix 4); and to outline what is expected from the event – including
confirmation of understanding, highlighting possible areas of contention
and common ground.
At this point it might be useful to take the opportunity to ask some of the
following questions to help with this – please spend a maximum of 30
minutes on this (you could use the barriers outlined at section 3 as
prompts if needed and also refer people back to their pre-event briefing):
 What are the challenges as you understand them – examples
could include; timescales, fear (both in terms of the media around
addressing disability generally or from the point of view of disabled
people who fear repercussions of publicising their circumstances),
capacity, language, the need for ‘public interest stories’ and case
studies, knowledge gaps around how the media works or on ‘disability
issues’ and so on?
 How do they affect you in your organisation – DPO’s may mention
the lack of coverage that supports their specific aims (as opposed to
stereotypical coverage around the ‘super-crip’/’the scrounger etc…),
problems in getting their version of events across, the implications of
their invisibility on their funding/respect/kudos…and representatives
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of the media might note a lack of case studies means they have a
small ‘go-to’ group from within the disability sector, a reluctance to
cover stories for fear of repercussions…)
This will allow us to get to a point early on in the discussion where
people know the specific barriers we are trying to address and are ready
to talk about moving forward.
As the discussion flows, you may need to push people for ideas and
divert them from going over the problems again. This means that if
someone makes a suggestion, it will be your role to get some specific,
tangible actions from these, perhaps by asking questions like; “so who
could make that happen?”, “who will do ‘x’ about this”, “how could we
make progress on this” and so on.
The questions set out above, and again below – with prompts – should
be used to help focus of the conversation on solutions.
Some prompts and guidance is outlined under each of the set questions
for your support:
a) What do we want to achieve and how do we do it?
 How could disabled people and the media work better together and
be better connected?
 Is there a way to get the right balance between human interest and
messages on equality and human rights of disabled people?
 How can we help disabled people and their organisations to
understand how the media works and what they want – and how can
we help the media to understand disability, disabled people and the
role of their organisations?
 What is the role of regulation – could third party representation to a
regulator help?
 Is there a specific role for social media?
 How can we turn the tide on negative attitudes towards disabled
people – is there a role for the media in addressing stigma?
 How can we encourage reporting of miss representation in the
media?
 Is there a way that disabled people and their organisations could help
the media to get case studies/stories that would mean disabled
people weren’t afraid to ‘speak out’?
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 How can we address the under-representation of disabled people
employed within the media industry?
 Is there a way for disabled people and their organisations to ensure
the media get a balanced view of reality in terms of statistics and the
impact of disability on people’s lives?
b) Who can help?
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How could programmers influence this?
Are there communications officers in DPOs could help?
What could talent spotters do?
Partnership opportunities?
What role do the regulators have?
Are there role models in the media who could help champion better
relationships and better reporting/representation?
 Do any of the suggestions require people who are not round the table
to take action?
 What could you and/or your organisation do today?
There will be a wide range of people from a number of organisations at
the think tank (see appendix 3 for list of participants). Please ask direct
questions and prompt action as you see fit.
Possible solutions:
Whilst it will be for the think tank to come together to find solutions, there
are some potential suggestions outlined below to use a prompts, if
needed:
 A forum with representatives of the media and of disabled people
could be set up
 A mutually beneficial training relationship could be agreed and
developed e.g. where the media trains disabled people and where
disabled people train the media
 A meet and greet event could be organized so that organizations can
build connections with one another
 The media could take on disabled people as interns – both to build
skills of disabled people but also of the media organization employing
them
 Talent spotters could build links with DPOs or specialist drama
groups
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 A strong and enforced approach to the use of derogatory terms and
language
Crucially, it will be important to determine what can and should be
done and who is going to take the next steps to progress what
action.
5. Contacts
Both Pam Duncan (Policy Officer) and Heather Fisken (Manager) will be
available on the day.
Contact number on the day: Pam 0786 226 3081 Email address:
pam@ilis.co.uk or heather@ilis.co.uk Website: www.ilis.co.uk
As well as visiting our website, why not call in on us via Facebook and
Twitter (#thesolutions) and tell us your independent living news and
views? Don’t forget to like us!
@independentlivinginscotland
@ilisproject
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Dec 2013
Part 2
Appendix 1
Independent living, equality and human rights – an
understanding
Independent Living is defined by disabled people themselves as
meaning “disabled people of all ages having the same freedom, choice,
dignity and control as other citizens at home, at work, and in the
community. It does not mean living by yourself, or fending for yourself. It
means rights to practical assistance and support to participate in society
and live an ordinary life”.
For many disabled people, this practical assistance and support (such
as access to the environment, advocacy, personal assistance, income,
and equal opportunities for employment), underpinned by the principles
of independent living, freedom, choice, dignity and control is essential
for them to exercise their rights and duties of citizenship, via their full
and equal participation in the civic and economic life of Scotland.
Without it, many disabled people cannot; enjoy the human rights they
are entitled to1 on an equal basis to others – as set out in the Human
Rights Act and the European Convention of Human Rights, live free from
discrimination and harassment as the Equality Act 2010 promotes, nor
contribute to a wealthier and fairer, healthier, safer and stronger, smarter
and greener Scotland2.
Independent living thus promotes a modern understanding of disability
and disability equality that can support policy and practise to protect the
human rights of disabled people. It achieves this by recognising the
essential role of “material support” in ensuring disabled people can
“participate in society and lead an ordinary life”.
The role independent living plays in protecting the human rights of
disabled people is recognised and underpinned by international human
rights and equalities obligations to which the UK and Scotland are party
to; including the recognition that all of the rights outlined in the ECHR
and Human Rights legislation belong to disabled people, and that these
1
2
ILiS; “ILiS Response to the JCHR Inquiry into the Implementation of Article 19 of the UNCRPD”, 2011
ILiS; “Response to the SDS Strategy in Scotland”, 2010
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are further strengthened and contextualised by the rights set out in the
UNCRPD.
Appendix 2
An introduction to “The Solutions Series”
Independent Living in Scotland (ILiS) was established in 2008 to
strengthen and develop the Independent Living Movement throughout
Scotland and to support the involvement of disabled people in shaping
approaches to independent living.
We know that policy and practice work best when those who have
interest in a subject come together to share knowledge, expertise, ideas
and experience and to develop collaborative responses and activity.
ILiS will host a series of subject-specific ‘pop up think tanks’3, as part of
The Solutions Series, between March 2012 and April 2015. This note
provides a brief overview of the purpose and format of these. Separate
pre-event briefings are provided on the specific subjects being
discussed, as and when appropriate.
Aims and outcomes
The Solutions Series aims to support meaningful, solution-focussed and
strategic-level discussion across a range of perspectives by hosting a
series of subject-specific pop up think tanks and reporting these. It is
hoped is that mutual engagement is increased, through the sharing of
perspectives and knowledge. To support this, the pop up think tanks will
use the principles and practices of coproduction. They will be safe
spaces, where people with different perspectives can talk freely and
openly – protecting this, the reports will not align comment to specific
individuals. Working in this way will mean that future action on and
reaction to the subject will be better able to take account of and respond
to different, indeed, opposing, views in a way that supports the honesty
and integrity needed to drive forward change.
It is hoped that in doing this; disabled people, their organisations, policy
makers and other key ‘movers and shakers’ e.g. sectoral leaders,
academia; will be better equipped to collaborate again; including when
appropriate drawing on cross-border perspectives. Both the think tanks
3
A pop up think tank is a one off, subject specific, topical think tank
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themselves and the resulting reports will be used as opportunities to
influence change on independent living.
Subjects
There are many possible subjects for the pop up think tanks. The aim is
that they will focus on strategic and timely issues that would benefit from
the cross-sectoral engagement approach suggested, particularly where
there are significant areas of divergence in thinking.
The pop up think tanks will be both pro-active; addressing issues of
strategic importance for the furtherance of independent living; and
reactive; responding to particular strategic policy/piece of
research/reports/societal reaction on a given area, of relevance to
independent living.
In line with the agreed ILiS business plan, some of the subjects will be
suggested by ILiS and will likely focus, although not exclusively, on the
wider work of the national programme on independent living4. However,
it is hoped that others may consider the Solutions Series as an
opportunity to address specific issues. While resource limitations mean
that it may not always be possible to take up suggestions, ILiS welcome
an approach to ILiS to instigate a pop up think tank on a particular
subject as part of the series.
Format
The Solutions Series will pull together experts in a particular area to
respond to a given subject, agenda or consultation, in a one-off think
tank on the subject. Participants will be targeted for their expertise, their
capacity to effect change and their capacity to represent their community
of interest. They will be asked to come up with; through sharing
expertise, innovation and dialogue; some of the potential solutions –
including cross-sectoral responses to and suggestions for policy,
practise, research and legislative change – to sometimes quite
contentious issues that create barriers to the realisation of independent
living.
Chairs will be people with an in depth knowledge in the specific area
concerned. Their role will be to keep the discussion flowing, on topic
and solution focused.
4
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/04/8699/1
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It is expected that there will be between 10 and no more than 20 people
at each pop up think tank. This is to help ensure that in depth
discussion is possible. Participants will be asked to come with an
informed, learned opinion on the subject matter, taking account of the
people they represent if and where appropriate. Each participant will
take part on an equal basis, there will be no need for participants to
prepare presentations ahead of the think tank. The format will be round
table discussion.
Think tanks will usually last for half a day, with lunch in the middle.
The chair will open with introductions; to participants and to the reason
the subject has been chosen; and outline what is expected from the
event – including confirmation of understanding, highlighting possible
areas of contention and common ground. The chair will also ensure the
think tank is solution focussed; they will encourage people to identify
specific suggested ways forward and – where appropriate – will highlight
next steps, including possible future actions needed.
The report will be drafted shortly after the think tank and participants will
have an opportunity to comment on this, before it is published. They will
be advised of timescales for this.
The role of the ILiS project in the Solution Series
ILiS will host the Solutions Series, providing facilities and secretariat
support. This will include: developing, including in partnership with
others, the strategic focus of the pop up think tank; providing premeeting briefings; facilities and support for participation; setting the date,
time and venue; taking notes, including action points; and circulating a
report. They may also take part in the series, where appropriate.
Briefings issued ahead of the pop up think tanks will include the purpose
of them including the motivation to host it; details of the relevant
background and context; and the relationship between the subject and
independent living.
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Appendix 3
List of invited participants to ‘The Solutions Series: Mock
the weak – the representation of disabled people in the
media’ – as at 3rd December, many others invited but
unconfirmed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Carron Munro – Talent Associate, STV
Cheri Burns – Social Media Moderator/Marketeer, Media Scotland
Douglas Fraser – Business and Economy Editor, Scotland, BBC
Scotland (chairing the think tank)
Heather Fisken – Project Manager ILiS (introducing the think tank)
Jennifer Johnston – Communications Manager, SHRC
Kainde Manji – PHd student (reporting the think tank)
Katherine Quarmby – author of ‘Scapegoat; are we failing disabled
people?’
Mairi McLeod – Scotland representative, Ofcom's Communications
Consumer Panel
Mike Jempson – Director, Media Wise
Pam Duncan – Policy Officer ILiS (reporting the think tank)
Paul Carter – Director/founder, Littleman Media
Professor Nick Watson – Chair of Disability Studies, Strathclyde
Centre for Disability Research
Pru Davies – Volunteer and treasurer, Bi-polar Scotland
Sally Witcher – Chief Executive, Inclusion Scotland
Stephen Brookes – coordinator Disability Hate Crime Network and
ex NUJ
Stephen Naysmith – Society Editor, The Herald
Steve Robertson – Chair, People First
Tressa Burke – Chief Executive Officer, Glasgow Disability
Alliance
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Appendix 4
The representation of disabled people in the media – a
briefing
Background
“The press provides an essential check on all aspects of public life.
That is why any failure within the media affects all of us”.
Lord Justice Leveson opening the hearings of the Leveson inquiry on the
14th of November 2011
The term ‘media’ is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “the main means
of mass communication (television, radio, and newspapers)” and by
Wikipedia as “technologies through which communication takes place” –
this also includes social media.
Media is an important part of our everyday life, it is critical in the
dissemination of information to the mass population. In doing this, it
holds a strong influence over society, reaches many people, and shapes
attitudes; “setting the tone of national thought and debate”5. Recently,
and most publically as part of the Leveson inquiry, the practices of the
press has come under scrutiny6.
The representation of disabled people and the media
The relationship between the media and disabled people has often been
turbulent7. Many have argued that despite protections in the Editors
Code of Practice8 and in equalities legislation (and for some parts of the
media this includes specific duties in the Equality Act 2010) the
representation of disabled people in the media has; entrenched
stereotypes9 – “the dominant images [of disabled people] are crude,
one-dimensional and simplistic”10, focused on the medical model of
Kavanagh (2012) “Summary of seminar 2, 6 October, 2011: the rights and responsibilities of the
press”. Leveson Inquiry
6 http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/
7 http://www.disabilityplanet.co.uk/critical-analysis.html
8
http://www.pcc.org.uk/assets/696/Code_of_Practice_2012_A4.pdf
9 Hunt, P (1991); “Discriminations – disabled people and the media”, article first appeared in Contact,
No. 70, Winter, pp. 45-48
10 http://www.disabilityplanet.co.uk/critical-analysis.html
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disability11 and more recently, vilified and victimized disabled people as
benefit cheats and scroungers – ‘Disabled Benefit? Just fill in a form’12,
‘No more £35k BMWs for Motability drivers: new rules will stop disabled
getting luxury cars on taxpayer’13 and repeating of reporting of wildly
inaccurate statistics ‘75% on sick are skiving’14.
It has been suggested that this latter sort of reporting represents a
significant shift in media portrayal from one which was largely
patronising “…to one where the predominant focus has been on
disabled people as scroungers”. Watson claims that, left unchecked,
this shift could “lay the groundwork for the removal of the support
structures and processes currently in place [leaving the media in] danger
of further adding to the oppression disabled people are experiencing”15.
The under-representation of disabled people in the media
Many16 have suggested that the under-representation of disabled people
in the media, has largely contributed to this miss-representation:
 research by Ofcom in 2004 found that only 12% of sampled programs
(on BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) included representations
of disabled people – with less than 1 disabled person/character in 100
of these programs17
 disabled people represent only 2% of the TV workforce, 1.6% of film
production workforce, 2% of the radio workforce (with higher rates in
local radio)18 and 12% of the publishing workforce19
There are a number of possible reasons for the under-representation of
disabled people in the media, including issues relating to the lower
numbers of disabled people in employment in general (46.9% of
disabled people are employed, compared to 71% non-disabled adults20,
disabled people are less likely to have a degree and more likely to have
11
Shakespeare, T. (1999) Art and lies? Representations of disability on film. In: Corker, M. and
French, S. (eds.) Disability Discourse Buckingham: Open University Press. p. 164-172
12 Daily Mail 11 November 2011
13 Daily Mail 25 November 2011
14 Daily Express 26 January 2011
15 Watson et al (2011) “Bad news for disabled people: how the newspapers are reporting disability”.
Inclusion London & Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research and Glasgow Media Unit
16 Hunt, P (1991); Watson, N et al (2011); http://www.disabilityplanet.co.uk/critical-analysis.html
17 Ofcom; “The representation and portrayal of people with disabilities on analogue terrestrial
television: Content analysis research report”, 2005
18 Creative Skillset; “Employment Census of the Creative Media Industries”, 2012
19 Skillset; “Publishing: Labour Market Intelligence Profile”, 2011
20 Annual Population Survey, 2010
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no qualifications than non-disabled people21). However, as shown
above, within the media industry the rate is even lower. This suggests
some particular issues within the industry which could include
recruitment styles and work patterns (which are more ad hoc, fluid and
unsociable than in other industries)22.
Engagement between disabled people and the media
In addition, engagement between disabled people and their
organisations and the media is not as strong as it could be. This is a
further factor that contributes to the miss-representation of disabled
people in the media.
Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs) are run by disabled people and
directly accountable to them. DPOs support and promote the social
model of disability as opposed to the medical model. The social model
of disability recognises everyone as equal, looks beyond a person’s
impairment at all the relevant factors including the barriers that affect
their ability to be a full and equal participant in society and promotes the
disabled persons right to participate in society with support to do so.
This empowers disabled people because it recognises that their
exclusion is caused by society not their individual impairments. As noted
above, the media have a tendency to operate using the medical model
of disability with a focus on impairments.
DPOs represent disabled people, support them to have their voices
heard and to influence local and national attitudes and decision making,
taking this human rights based approach. Through their work, they
support the capacity of disabled people to engage and to make change
happen. Hearing and understanding real life stories and examples
directly from disabled people – who are experts by experience – can
help change public attitudes, and can change policy and decisions.
In this respect, they are a key resource for the media, however, this
resource is under-utilised. This is partly due to the capacity of underfunded/under-resourced DPOs to build links with the media or to
respond to media requests23 – particularly when they are often at short
notice – and partly due to the sorts of stories the media want.
Scottish Government; “Disability Evidence Review”, 2013
http://www.creativeskillset.org/research/overview/industries/
23 “Thriving or Surviving”; Disability Lib, 2008
21
22
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Focussing on equality and human rights, DPOs are not the natural ‘bedfellows’ of stories that seek to portray disabled people in stereotyped
ways. Disabled people and their organisations struggle to get their
version of events across – progressing disabled peoples equality and
human rights is hard when there is an overwhelming focus on welfare,
dependency and on the limited role that disabled people can play in
society as benefactors, not contributors.
Furthermore, the level of oppression and fear experienced by disabled
people themselves limit the number of people willing to ‘come forward’
and be used, so publically, as a case study.
Despite this, building on their links, their approach and their
membership, DPOs can support the media to do their job well, so that
the press can, as the Lord Justice Leveson described their role; “the
standard bearer for those who have no one else to speak up for them”.
The impact of the miss and under-representation of disabled
people in the media
As the title of a report into the issues outlined above suggests, this is ‘a
bad time to be disabled’:
 The welfare reforms announced in June 2010 will lead to 3.5 million
disabled people losing over £9.2 billion in benefits and have a
disproportionate impact on disabled people and in Scotland
 Disabled adults are twice as likely to live in low income households as
non-disabled adults with 30% already classed as living in relative
poverty – the proposed cuts to benefits will both increase the
proportion of disabled people living in poverty and the depth of the
poverty they experience24
 The public associate – and the media portray – disability as a benefit
problem, disabled people as burdens on the state and as fraudsters
more now than ever before – despite statistics on fraud in the
disability benefit system showing the opposite to be true25
 91% of disabled people said there was a link between negative press
portrayal of disabled people and rising hostility/hate crime26
Inclusion Scotland; (2013) “Welfare reform briefing”
Watson et al (2011) “Bad news for disabled people: how the newspapers are reporting disability”.
Inclusion London & Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research and Glasgow Media Unit
26 Disability Rights UK; (2012) “Press portrayal of disabled people – a rise in hostility fuelled by
austerity”
24
25
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 56% of disabled people have experienced aggression and even
violence from strangers because of a health condition and/or
impairment, half of disabled people say they experience
discrimination on either a daily or weekly basis; and 37% said
people’s attitudes have got worse over the past year 27
 The human rights and equality of disabled people in the UK has taken
a downturn in recent years28 29 30
For any of this to change, for hate crime to be addressed and for
disabled people’s long fought equality and human rights to be
safeguarded, it is crucial that public opinion supports the need to
promote, support and protect the human rights of disabled people and
no longer sees them as burdens or cheats. It is also therefore crucial
that the “tone” set by the media lends itself to such positive attitudes.
The solutions series: Mock the Weak – the representation of
disabled people in the media
This pop up think tank will focus on the “mass media” – forms of media,
used to reach a lot of people – and specifically; broadcast and printed
media; e.g. radio, newspapers/magazines, TV and films31. It will seek to
address the issues outlined above by considering:




how disabled people are portrayed in the media – including the
language and imagery that is used around disability
the way in which the industry recruits and retains people (both longterm and in terms of the ‘go to’ people for interviews/news/expertise
on a particular subject)
the role of the editors Code and regulation
how disabled people, their organisations and the media interact
27
See: http://www.scope.org.uk/news/attitudes-towards-disabled-people-survey
JCHR; (2011) “Inquiry into implementation of Article 19 of the UNCRPD”
29 EHRC & SHRC “Being part of Scotland’s story under the UNCRPD: report of the participation
event with disabled people”, 2011
30 Inclusion Scotland; “Inclusion Scotland response to UK Government’s report on the UNCRPD”,
2011
31 http://www.disabilityplanet.co.uk/critical-analysis.html
28
17