Busola Oladotun
Given the myriad of challenges Persons with disabilities face daily and inability or lack of requisite knowledge by many media houses on how to mainstream issue of disability and inclusion in the media, Busola Oladotun, program officer at the Centre for Disability and Inclusion Africa shared a few thoughts
Persons with Disabilities(PWDs) and Disability issues suffer different types of discrimination compared to persons without disability. Disability inclusion implies that attention is given to disability issues and Persons with Disabilities.
Discrimination against persons with disability in the media takes different forms from very little representation of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria Newsroom, to little coverage of disability issues. There is also the use of stigmatizing and inappropriate language in news reports.. There are organizations in Nigeria working hard in this area of disability and inclusion reporting, but there is still gaps;
The problems do not stop there, there is lack of knowledge and low training among journalists, even though our commitments here are changing the landscape. More than the above, there is also a clear low enthusiasm among journalists and media entrepreneurs who consider disability and inclusion reporting not a lucrative and profitable expedition.
Some of the above have contributed to the low media literacy about disability and exclusion in the media as well as media contents.
The following are tips to mainstream disability inclusion in media and ensure a disability inclusive media house plus media contents.
1. Intentionally increase coverage of disability issues by setting smart goals for coverage of disability issues.
2. Readiness and willingness to cover and showcase great and impactful disability activities by promoting the rights and dignity of persons with disability as well as their success stories.
3. Constant and strategical newsrooms members training around on specialized disability skills: Disability etiquette, proper language use, disability interviewing techniques.
4. Creation of a disability desk in the Newsroom. Hiring of PWD reporters, PWD experts to amplify their voices and perspective
5. Make reasonable accommodations for staff with disabilities. In media content production, there is a need to use simple language for persons with cognitive impairment.
6. When in training session, ensure the use large fonts for audience with low vision as well as Use high contrast colours for persons with colour blindness
7. For your audio visual contents, incorporate Caption for your deaf news consumer audience.
8. During your major bulletins, incorporating a sign language interpreter which allows deaf audience news items consumers to follow/enjoy
9. When it’s a show that include journalists and guest, it is ideal to provide image descriptions of guests for audience with blindness
10, Do not always forget to mention the name of your guest so visually impaired viewers can relate.
