Increasing Media Coverage

 

Increasing Media Coverage

Kyle Jones

    To increase media coverage of the Paralympics, I would start with having more commercials, and ads throughout the year, not just when it is getting close to the event. Since the Paralympics happens every four years, commercials would begin some time after the last one, but still a couple of years out from the next. As time passes, and we get closer to the event the ads will become more frequent. This will build anticipation, and almost a countdown until the event. Having the commercials air on sports related channels. This will grab the attention of people who are already invested in sports. Another place to have ads are on popular sports talk shows. For example the "Pat McAfee Show", is one of the most entertaining, and popular sports talk shows. If this talk show or similar, were to talk about the upcoming Paralympics, there would be much more people interested in watching. Having popular people who are involved in sports using their natural charisma to talk about the Paralympics, and other disabled sports, would bring more of a "buzz" to the sports.

    In the media there's an issue of showing the disabled as villains, supercrips, or helpless. I believe the media either makes the disabled seem helpless, and makes people feel sorry for their condition, or try's to make them seem superhuman, and in-turn turns them into inspiration porn. The media has a difficult time portraying the disabled in the right way. Just by looking at the title of two of the videos assigned we can see what I am talking about, "One Of The Most Inspiring Ads Ever",  and "We're The Superhumans". The media does not portray the disabled in the right light. The media must show people with disabilities as realistically as possible. By doing this it will "help create more awareness and opportunity for all people with disabilities" (Media and People With Disabilities).Showing disabled athletes realistically will normalize differences, challenge the stereotypes against the disabled, and provide more role models (Fjeld, 2024).I believe the best way to show the athletes as accurately as possible is by showing their training. We have all heard about how hard Olympic athletes train, and Paralympic athletes train just as hard. By showing the training this will show how strong the athletes are to endure the difficult training, while also showing the limitations that come with their disabilities appropriately. By showing this training the athletes will be celebrated as athletes, not just for their disabilities.

Briteweb. (2016, January 22). Media and people with disabilities: Are we represented accurately?. The Chicago Lighthouse. https://chicagolighthouse.org/sandys-view/media-and-people-with-disabilities/ 

Fjeld, S. (n.d.). Home. Eye. https://eye-able.com/blog/beyond-stereotypes-representation-of-disabilities-in-the-media 



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