George Webster, 21, actor and Mencap Advocate from Leeds, has set a record as the first Down’s syndrome-affected presenter on children’s program for the BBC. His induction received good feedback on social media, with several advocates and activists for people with disabilities praising it as a fine example of equal treatment in the workplace.
While George expressed excitement and positivity about his new position, he stressed that there is an urgent necessity increased media depiction of disabled people. Although, we are diverse, he continued, there has to be a call for equal treatment.
Removing the barriers
Those with disabilities both in front and behind the screen are already battling their way for their space. There are already restrictions in community that prevent disabled people from entering the profession; additional people working between and in front of the cameras, on television, and in newspapers would assist in eradicating these restrictions.
Broadcast of the Paralympics on Channel 4
Channel 4’s broadcasting of the Paralympics in London in 2012, Rio in 2016, and much more subsequently the postponed Tokyo 2021 games has provided a strong presence in the media. Each moment, the station streamed over 150 hours of content, beaming it to more than 100 nations and 3.8 billion people in total. This event had a profound impact on the lives of disabled people around.
One-third of those polled in the UK after the Paralympics reported changing their views on persons with impairments, and 65% said that the events had a significant impact on how individuals with disabilities are perceived. The Last Leg with Adam Hills was born out of the footage and features a number of the Paralympics broadcasters who are disabled. This tabloid late-night chat and comedy programme includes a variety of comedic speakers and perspectives on current events. Despite initial lukewarm reviews, the program consistently drew upwards of a million subscribers every night during the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Media representation
The Last Leg with Adam Hills was born out of the footage and features a number of the Paralympics broadcasters who are disabled. This tabloid late-night chat and comedy programme includes a variety of comedic speakers and perspectives on current events. Despite initial lukewarm reviews, the program consistently drew upwards of a million subscribers every night during the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Stand-up entertainer and presenter Adam Hills uses a prosthetic because he was birthed without a right foot. His co-host Alex Brooker was birthed with twisted right leg and had to be amputated as a baby, deformed hands and arms, and wears a prosthetic limb. Through a handicap structured development programme, Alex was selected to speak on the programme.