OTTAWA – A year after submitting a report to the CRTC on the presence, portrayal and participation of people with disabilities, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has outlined plans to help influence a positive shift in attitudes.
It announced today a three-pronged campaign to help counteract negative social attitudes and misinformation about people with disabilities.
The campaign includes the release of “Recommended Guidelines on Language and Terminology – Persons with Disabilities”, a glossary and manual for news professionals.
A public service announcement, entitled “Open Your Mind”, has been prepared to encourage the hiring of people with disabilities in a variety of fields. The PSA will be aired throughout 2007, and will feature four people living with disabilities from various occupational backgrounds. It will be made available to television stations across the country in HD and in English and French.
The third initiative is the preparation of a brochure on employment opportunities in the Canadian broadcasting and affiliated production sector.
The brochure is aimed at improving the participation of people with disabilities in the industry, and will be made available to community disability organizations, educational institutions, and relevant government agencies, as well as on the CAB’s Diversity in Broadcasting web site.
“As broadcasters, we recognize the potential influence programming has in shaping public attitudes and perceptions about persons with disabilities, and in doing so, can take concrete steps to encourage attitudinal shifts,” said CAB President and CEO Glenn O’Farrell.
