Presentation Focus

Making a Difference in Partnership with the Media provides unique insights into the portrayal of people who have a disability by journalists, broadcasters, and communications professionals.  Illustrating commonly-used language, John’s message challenges current practices. This dynamic presentation encourages representatives of the media to convey a more positive image of people who have a disability through accurate portrayal, thoughtful language and a focus on the person, not the disability. This presentation offers practical suggestions for enabling journalists, broadcasters, and communicators to be effective partners in achieving full citizenship for people who have disabilities, including the following key components:

• Words Matter:  Language can contribute negatively or positively to the portrayal of people who have disabilities.
• “Nothing About Us Without Us”: People with disabilities should be consulted about issues that affect them.
• Make No Assumptions: Plan ahead, ask and use common sense when interviewing a person with a disability.

Target Audiences

• Media organizations
• Professional journalist, editor and writer associations
• Public relations and communications businesses and associations
• Post-secondary students in journalism, public relations and communications faculties and programs