View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
September 5, 2016

Journalists cautioned against using terms such as ‘brave’, ‘lucky’, ‘sufferer’ and ‘superhuman’ in reports of Paralympics

By Freddy Mayhew

Calling athletes “superhuman”, “heroes” or “brave” in reports on disability sports could offend some disabled adults, a media survey carried out ahead of the Paralympics has revealed.

The English Federation of Disability Sport’s Media Research Report also showed a mixed response to the terms “victim” and “sufferer” from the 30 disabled adults interviewed.

Seen as negative were “lucky”, “sufferer”, “confined”, “impaired”, “wheelchair-bound” and “handicapped”, while “inspiring” and “disabled” were deemed positive words.

Said one anonymous interviewee: “Brave is a bit of a tricky one I think because it can border on patronising.”

Another added: “Sufferer, impaired, trapped, confined. They are all quite restrictive, they’re all quite negative. It’s about someone’s ability and what they can do, rather than what they can’t.”

The report comes as the world’s media prepares to cover the Paralympics in Rio, which starts on Wednesday.

It also indicated a preference among disabled adults for reports to “honestly and openly address the topic of disability”.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

“This includes a preference for using clear and correct terminology to describe disability, rather than using vague descriptions such as ‘difficulties’ or ‘issues’,” the report said. “The overall sentiment seems to be that of ‘say it once, say it clearly, and then move on’.”

A dozen sports journalists were also interviewed for the report, alongside 20 non-disabled adults, who identified a number of barriers to “excellent reporting”.

They said problems included the lack of a clear sporting calendar for disabled sport, poor quality press releases and weak relationships with sports clubs and National Governing Bodies.

Journalists also claimed that more clarity and consistency over language and sports classifications would be useful.

“Making these resources easily accessible to journalists and ensuring links are being built between NGBs, local sports clubs and journalists is key to maintaining momentum to increase coverage of disability sports at all levels,” the report said.

Picture: Channel 4

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network