Media Guide: How to cover the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games

The media plays a fundamental role in the trans- mission of cultural values and in the production and dissemination of social representation. However, various international studies have shown that the standard of media coverage of the Pa- ralympics has fallen well below the standards set by the Olympics. Unfortunately, the majority of media professionals has little knowledge for the Paralympic Games, which leads to a stereotypi- cal coverage of the event and of the Paralympic athletes.

In order to promote a more inclusive and fairer coverage of sports for people with impairment, two academic institutions, the University of Kent and the Federal University of Parana, have joi- ned forces and, with financial support from the Newton Fund/Araucaria Foundation, have pro- duced this guide (which was in its original version is in Portuguese) for the use of professionals in the Brazilian media so that they can promote a more inclusive image of people with impairment during Rio 2016.