Reflection on the Paralympics, A Main Event, But Not Broadcast in Latin America
By Paulina Cavada, Disabled People International, Chile
In Latin American countries generally the Paralympics are not shown on regular television stations as are the Olympics, due to the fact that the TV channel managers and decision makers in these countries do not find it marketable. Judging from what is now on the media market, it seems that the public in general do not appreciate seeing people with "problems" on TV. For some, "it is not very attractive to see athletes without arms or legs". It is believed that this type of program would just provoke pity and that viewers would simply turn their channels to a different TV program.
Because of this kind of thinking and reaction, mass media buyers seem to believe that it is not profitable to buy the rights to re-broadcast such games on TV channels in countries throughout the Region, since the rights are extremely expensive. For instance, this year the Olympics cost about 1/3 of the annual budgets for purchase of television rights.
Although the 2000 Paralympics was broadcast on commercial and educational channels in European Countries, Japan and USA, neither the Paralympics nor the Abilympics have ever been broadcast on network channels in Latin America.
Furthermore, according to arguments given by the Olympic committees in Chile, the rules and conditions of the Paralympics are somehow different from those of the Olympics, and there is no sports specialist in the media that understands enough about the Paralympic games to allow a good broadcast with corresponding comments and information. For the media, the lack of information in this field is another reason not to broadcast it.
It is time for reporters and journalists to become informed about issues and activities involving people with disabilities, the same way they learn about all the other matters that are part of society. The Paralympics is just one of these activities.
There are many different ways of showing or telling the same story and the attitude of the media professionals can really make a big difference on the final message received by the public. A good example of disability being very profitable in Latin America are the Teletons that, in only 24 hours, are able to raise millions of dollars every year, in many of the countries of the region. Unfortunately, the main motivation is still charity and pity. The public contributes, presumably believing that by doing so they will not have to think about the situation of disadvantaged groups, such as people with disabilities, for at least one more year.
We have to find the right cultural way of approaching disability issues as ordinary, regular people's issues, as daily life issues. Not only showing the Paralympic super heroes or the "poor crippled children" unable to survive without charity. But showing disabled students, workers, parents, people included in their communities as everybody else. We have to work with and get the support of the mass media professionals to change the marginalized and discriminatory image that the Latin American society still has of people with disabilities. We can help our societies to understand and respect the beautiful diversity of its people.
|
