University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2011 An exploration of the adherence of journalists in Australia to established media guidelines on the depiction of people with disability Shawn G. Burns University of Wollongong Recommended Citation Burns, Shawn G., An exploration of the adherence of journalists in Australia to established media guidelines on the depiction of people with disability, Master of Arts - Research thesis, University of Wollongong. Faculty of Arts, University of Wollongong, 2011. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/3406 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact Manager Repository Services:
[email protected]. An exploration of the adherence of journalists in Australia to established media guidelines on the depiction of people with disability. How do journalists use frames to depict people with disability in the media? Why do journalists apply particular frames? What impact does that media coverage have on community perceptions of people with disability? A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts - Research University of Wollongong By Shawn G. Burns University of Wollongong 2011 1 Abstract The representation of people with disability in the news media has been the focus of attention in Australia and beyond for many years. There has been much written about how people with disability are shown in television news bulletins and daily and non-daily newspapers. At the heart of much of this writing has been discussion about the frames journalists use to represent people with disability.