1. www.posabilitymagazine.co.uk 7372 www.posabilitymagazine.co.uk
MEDIA MEDIA
Fresh
perspectives
in
the
media
C
ontemporary
movements
campaigning for
socio-economic, gendered,
sexual orientation and racial
equality, back-lit by massive
movements, from Gay Pride
to UK Uncut to Women’s
Liberation networks, are
frames to the historic progress made by
Disability Rights campaigners and networks, which
have perhaps not been quite as prominent in the
central spotlight. However, marked progress has been
made towards improving awareness of disability here
in UK. For example, in media and broadcasting such
as during coverage of the 2012 London Paralympic
Games; the subsequent rise of programmes such as The Last Leg
and Channel 4’s production of Born Risky often explored disability
from a fresh, humorous and modern perspective, forcing much of
the general public to revise outdated attitudes. What I find most
surprising is the fact that my deafness, something that had often
frustrated and upset me as a child and teenager, adrift in an aural
world from which I often felt dislocated, isolated and
disconnected, was to lead me to attain a graduate media job with
the BBC that I’d hardly dared dream about.
Sitting on a train as it rattled southwards out of Glasgow into the
rolling hills and azure skies of the Scottish borders, I remember
my stomach churning and prickles of nerves shooting through
my wrists. The last thing I had expected when I picked up my
mobile after fruitless graduate job searches two months after my
graduation - while working part-time in retail at TK Maxx - was
an invite to an interview with one of the UK’s - and indeed the
world’s - most recognised broadcasters, the BBC. My deafness -
which I’ve had since birth - meant that I was qualified to apply to
the BBC’s Extend scheme, which has recruited over 513 disabled
people since the early 2000s. These range from long-term
debilitating health conditions, such as, arthritis to the ‘invisible’
disabilities of mental health conditions such as bipolar
disorder and autism to those with which the public might be
more familiar with from our telly screens, the physical disabilities
of wheelchair users or people who have MNS. I was selected,
amongst another twenty people who I met at a meet and greet
event in January 2014.
Much media coverage over the last decade has helped shift
perceptions of‘dis’ability from the medical model - wherein
disability is viewed as an inherent‘problem’to be resolved by the
individual - to wider acceptance and understanding of the social
model of disability - defined as disability being the result of social
norms being designed for a majority who are not disabled. There
is a recognition within the social model that there is a great deal
society can do to reduce, and ultimately remove some of these
disabling barriers, and that this task is the responsibility of society,
rather than the disabled person. The BBC has made a commitment
to increase its employment of Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME)
from 10.4% in 2013 to 15% by 2017, and to quadruple the on-air
portrayal of disabled people from 1.2% to 5% by 2017. Although
changing attitudes and exposure of the general public towards
various disabilities has certainly made progress over the past few
decades, it is increasingly important that companies and
organisations pay more than mere lip service to the 2010
Equality Act and actively aim to increase their hire of qualified
disabled candidates. The targets of the BBC, and its schemes such
as Extend, are an important initial step.
My interview was for a researcher post with CBBC Development, a
department that generates new programme series ideas in factual
and factual entertainment genres. Intense preparations over
the next two weeks followed before I set off on a day trip to
Manchester, to try for the job. Clutching my rolled up story-board
that circled around a television series about a Highland water
bus, with Katie Morag-esque story lines, I remember piling onto
Eilidh McEwan is a 24 year
old aspiring writer, she
lives in Glasgow and is
deaf. Last year she took
part in the BBC Extend
programme, a six month
paid placement that is offered to
disabled people who are appropriately
qualified or experienced in the media
industry. Here, Eilidh shares her
experience.
the Metro link after my three-hour train journey from Glasgow to
Manchester Piccadilly. Thirty minutes later, I was looking up at the
imposing facade of Mediacity’s glass fronted offices, framed by
the striking river backdrop of Salford Quays and the set of
Coronation Street across the river, beside ITV. Facing the formidable
BBC Boards, with a panel of three people interviewing me, the
interview was tough, with tricky questions but passed in a blur.
I received my interview result on the same day as I travelled home
from Manchester. I was convinced I was mishearing at first, as
my sister sat beside me, gesturing a thumbs up and grinning, as
through the incomprehensible crackle of the voice on the phone,
I surmised that I’d been offered a six month contract for the BBC
Researcher job. Shock, joy and a slightly hysterical emotion of
disbelief shot through me - these were all emotions that were to
routinely strike me again before the bizarreness of working on
television shoots, amongst famous faces and recognisable sets
such as BBC News and CBBC Newsround faded to being my
workplace normalcy.
The six-month job with the BBC as a researcher gave me the
opportunity to learn how to set up taster tapes, to write up
appealing programme treatment ideas, to design and pitch
programme ideas to senior producers, amongst a whole host of
other production quirks and tricks used in the media industry.
From the awe of being shown around the BBC Breakfast studio and
passing distinguished newsreaders in the canteen and corridors
of Mediacity; the nerve-wracking first couple of weeks of learning
what my job involved; to a training weekend with fellow Extendees
in March; the Extend scheme offered a fantastic support network
for the twenty disabled Extendees. The scheme provided me with a
six-month dream job; writing up ideas similar to Horrible Histories for
CBBC, meeting the Blue Peter presenters, Radzi, Helen and Barney,
alongside the puppy, Iggy, and filming wildlife in Blackpool Zoo
while with CBBC Newsround.
Aspects of my placement were definitely challenging and working at
a researcher level while I was new to the industry was tricky at times.
Other Extendees spoke about the challenges of dealing with their
disabilities in the high-pressure media environment of the BBC but,
I found the culture to be creative, innovative and open-minded. To
any disabled people reading this article, with dedication, persistence
and drive, you can find routes into the career you want - particularly
in the highly competitive media industry where diversity and fresh
perspectives have become the hallmark of the day. My deafness - or
rather, my‘dis’ability - led to my dream job and there’s no reason
why for others it can’t do the same.
My deafness - which I’ve had since
birth - meant that I was qualified
to apply to the BBC’s Extend scheme,
which has recruited over 513
disabled people
The BBC Extend programme
The team selected for the competitive
BBC Extend programme in 2014