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Media Awards

For Outstanding Coverage of People with Developmental Disabilities

For the 27th year, the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities is sponsoring its Media Awards. The awards are for articles, programs, and series that feature people with developmental disabilities in Wisconsin and/or focus on issues important to people with developmental disabilities.

Developmental disabilities include autism, brain injury, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Prader-Willi syndrome, mental retardation or other closely related neurological conditions.

Public attitudes and awareness of disability issues are greatly affected by what people read, see and hear. The Media Awards is the Council's way of recognizing Wisconsin's media for their efforts at portraying people with developmental disabilities as active and contributing members of our communities.

Awards are presented for coverage published or aired between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007.

JUDGING AND CRITERIA

Entries will be judged by a panel composed of members of the Council on Developmental Disabilities and communications professionals. Criteria for awards:

1. Journalistic quality: Display creativity and originality while fostering public understanding of people with developmental disabilities; use of person-first, non-offensive and affirmative language; maintain high journalistic and technical standards.
2. Understanding of people with disabilities: Demonstrate the accomplishments and contributions of people with developmental disabilities; recognize the needs and preferences of people with developmental disabilities, positively portraying them as valued citizens living normal and productive lives, having choices; participating in relationships; being involved in integrated settings, in age-appropriate activities; and having opportunities to develop and grow.
3. Depth and continuity of coverage: Choice of topics covers the full spectrum of issues related to people with developmental disabilities; demonstrates consistent and accurate reporting that raises public awareness of those issues.
4. People First Language: Using language that identifies the person as having a disability rather than being labeled by the disability, ex. the boy with autism rather than the autistic boy.

Winning Categories will Include:

• Feature Story
• Series in the Media
• Opinion Cartoon
• Editorial
• Photography

Please use the appropriate entry blank and send us the original broadcast or printed entries you believe best represent your work. Entries may be submitted by any media staff, including reporters, news directors, and editors or featured individuals or other interested persons and organizations.

Stations should submit tapes no longer than 60 minutes in length which contain complete programs or series, or a synopsis of a special series. If no tape is available, a script of a program that was aired is acceptable. Television entries must be submitted on 1/2" videocassettes or DVD. Radio entries must be submitted on audio cassettes or CD.

Entry Deadline is January 14th, 2008.

The nomination form the 2007 Media Awards for Outstanding Coverage of People with Developmental Disabilities is available on our web site as a Adobe Acrobat file (pdf). Adobe's Acrobat Reader (free) is needed for viewing and printing the form.