Representation of People with Disabilities in Taiwan's Newspaper

• Main Authors: Hsueh, Shihhui, 薛詩慧
• Other Authors: Lien, Shuchin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35593469521108527502

碩士 === 國立臺灣藝術大學 === 廣播電視學系碩士班 === 101 === Disabled people, like everyone else, draw a part of their self-concept from the media. However, there is attention scarcely paid to the image of the disabled being described in the media, despite of the fact that the number of disabled people is increasing in Taiwan these years. In this study, two-month-period (July & October, 2012) collection articles of mainly published Taiwan newspapers have content and textual analyzed to identify proportion of news in different disabled categories, the main theme of news when concerned about the disabled, and portrait of the disabled. In total, it turns out to be 270 articles being included (31 articles from China Times, 35 articles from United Daily News, 33 articles from Liberty Times, and 29 articles from Apple Daily in July. And 33 articles from China Times, 33 articles from United Daily News, 53 articles from Liberty Times, and 23 articles from Apple Daily in October.) The findings indicate that these articles mainly hold friendly attitude toward disabled people; however, the words used still contain controversy and biased views. No matter they are purposely or carelessly used, the fact is that these inappropriate dictions indeed influence the newspaper readers. Furthermore, the topics of these articles too narrowly focus on certain fields in different categories of the disabled. This will provide the readers stereotypes and the worst is that many other important issues could be thus ignored. From this study, a well-defined standard of diction should be established and people who are working in this media-concerned environment should take their responsibility to provide reports with justice and humanism.