Newspapers came under fire today for using inaccurate stereotypes and outmoded language when they report about disabled people.

The findings come in the second major survey of its kind by disability charity Scope. The charity originally researched the way newspapers portray people with disabilities in 1991.

Scope said today that there had been little change in the disappointingly poor quality and standards of reporting which the earlier research revealed.

Authors of the new report – called Stop Press! – used focus groups and questionnaires to gather disabled people’s opinions.

They also analysed more than 1000 cuttings from regional, local and national newspapers.

Although Scope found some good practice, Stop Press! revealed that more than 80 pejorative terms were used on over 800 occasions.

Scope has come up with 10 recommendations for journalists including:-

• Remember that disabled people are your readers; one-in-four of your copies ends up in a household that includes a disabled person.
• Update your style book – rule against outmoded over-negative words like cripple, sufferer, useless, helpless etc.
• Examine the context of your article – would you detail this person’s ethnicity or gender in the same context? Details of the person’s impairment should be an integral part to the story.

Other recommendations include the introduction of disability awareness modules in pre-entry and mid-career training by the industry and journalism schools.

Scope also urges disabled people, their families or networks to write constructively to their newspapers when they find poor practice, or if forced by inaction or continued offence, complain to the Press Complaints Commission.

Liz Daone, Scope’s campaigns manager said: “We are calling on the press to question their practices, overturn stereotypes and act in their traditional role as a force for social reform.

“Without change, the newspaper industry risks increasingly alienating millions of disabled readers and their families as well as failing all their readers by not reflecting a true picture of society as disabled people find it.”

• Copies of the Stop Press! report and campaigns pack are available from Scope LIU, 6 Market Road, London N7 9PW. The cost is £15.00 for organisations and £3.00 for individuals.

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