Short answer

When designing communication strategies or experiences related to diverse groups, actively consider how to ensure equitable representation and avoid reinforcing narrow, potentially exclusionary, narratives.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Communication & Sport (2019)
Method: Mixed-methods research combining qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Evidence: Strong effect

Broadcasters strategically highlight medal-winning athletes and 'normative' disabled bodies to create compelling national narratives, influencing public perception and potentially marginalizing other disability classifications. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Communication & Sport. Using Mixed-methods research combining qualitative and quantitative analysis., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing communication strategies or experiences related to diverse groups, actively consider how to ensure equitable representation and avoid reinforcing narrow, potentially exclusionary, narratives.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Strategic media framing of Paralympic athletes cultivates national pride and influences perceptions of disability.

Communication & Sport · 2019

Key Findings

01Broadcasters prioritize coverage of successful, medal-winning athletes.
02There is a tendency to focus on athletes with 'normative' or more easily understood disabilities.
03High-value production techniques are employed to enhance the emotional impact of athlete stories.
04Commercial pressures influence editorial decisions regarding which disabilities receive media attention.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When developing marketing campaigns, event experiences, or informational materials that feature diverse individuals, ensure a balanced representation that goes beyond stereotypical or conventionally successful portrayals.

Project actions

01When analyzing media, consider *who* is being shown and *why*.
02Think about the emotional impact of the visuals and narratives you choose for your design project.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do media broadcasters strategically frame Paralympic athletes and their performances to construct national identity and influence perceptions of disability?

MethodMixed-methods research combining qualitative and quantitative analysis.

ProcedureThe research involved interviews with broadcast production and editorial staff, quantitative content analysis of media coverage, and qualitative analysis of moving images from the Rio 2016 Paralympics broadcast.

ContextMedia broadcasting of the Paralympic Games.

Variables

IV["Broadcaster's editorial strategy (e.g., focus on medal winners, types of disabilities highlighted)","Production techniques (e.g., emotional storytelling, high-value visuals)"]

DV["Public perception of disability","Nationalistic sentiment","Visibility of different disability classifications"]

CV["Specific sporting event (Paralympics)","Broadcasting channel (Channel 4)","Year of the event (Rio 2016)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes a mixed-methods approach for a comprehensive analysis.
+Investigates a critical intersection of media, sport, and disability studies.

Limitations

The specific choices made by a broadcaster might be influenced by unique commercial pressures or target audiences that differ from your project's context.

Reliability & validity

The use of multiple data sources (interviews, content analysis, moving image analysis) enhances the study's validity. Reliability would depend on the consistency of coding and interpretation across the qualitative and quantitative analyses.

Think critically

To what extent does the media's focus on 'normative' disability in the Paralympics inadvertently reinforce societal ableism by creating a hierarchy of disability?

Design Principles

"Inclusive representation requires conscious effort to showcase diversity and avoid prioritizing only the most 'visible' or 'successful' examples."

Understanding how media frames sporting events like the Paralympics is crucial for designers and researchers involved in public campaigns, event design, and inclusive product development. It reveals how narrative choices can shape societal attitudes towards specific groups and influence the perceived value of different abilities.

What This Means for Your Design

The way TV channels show the Paralympics often focuses on athletes who win medals and have disabilities that are easier for people to understand, making them national heroes. This can make people think that only these types of athletes are important, and others get ignored.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify your choices in media representation within your design project, explaining how you aim to avoid the pitfalls of selective framing.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This study highlights how media broadcasters strategically frame Paralympic athletes, often prioritizing medal-winning performances and 'normative' disabilities to cultivate affective nationalism. This approach, driven by commercial interests and production values, can lead to the marginalization of athletes with less visible disabilities, shaping public perceptions of disability and national identity.

Source

Communication & Sport

(Re-)presenting the Paralympics: Affective Nationalism and the “Able-Disabled”

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about strategic media framing of paralympic athletes cultivates national pride and influences perceptions of disability?: When designing communication strategies or experiences related to diverse groups, actively consider how to ensure equitable representation and avoid reinforcing narrow, potentially exclusionary, narratives. Evidence: Communication & Sport (2019).
Why does "Strategic media framing of Paralympic athletes cultivates national pride and influences perceptions of disability." matter for design?: Understanding how media frames sporting events like the Paralympics is crucial for designers and researchers involved in public campaigns, event design, and inclusive product development. It reveals how narrative choices can shape societal attitudes towards specific groups and influence the perceived value of different abilities.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing communication strategies or experiences related to diverse groups, actively consider how to ensure equitable representation and avoid reinforcing narrow, potentially exclusionary, narratives.
What were the main findings?: Broadcasters prioritize coverage of successful, medal-winning athletes.. There is a tendency to focus on athletes with 'normative' or more easily understood disabilities.. High-value production techniques are employed to enhance the emotional impact of athlete stories.. Commercial pressures influence editorial decisions regarding which disabilities receive media attention.
What research method was used?: Mixed-methods research combining qualitative and quantitative analysis..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Communication & Sport.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing marketing campaigns, event experiences, or informational materials that feature diverse individuals, ensure a balanced representation that goes beyond stereotypical or conventionally successful portrayals.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on one specific broadcast and event, potentially limiting generalizability to all Paralympic coverage or other sporting events.