Next step for disabled farmer_Daily Dispatch_ 27 April 2015

NAME OF THE ARTICLE: Next step for disabled farmer

NAME OF THE PUBLICATION: Daily Dispatch

DATE: 27 April 2015

COUNTRY: South Africa

THEME: Disability  

GENRE: News

GEM classification: Gender Aware 

Analysis

Headline shows life as a journey where there is continuity even if a person has challenges physically. A positive headline that imparts hope or is encouraging to the reader who might be in the same situation

The reporter interviews only one woman in the story. This becomes and I story. The disabled woman is able to speak on her own behalf about her own story to tell her lived experiences. This helps to give the woman a vibrant voice. Writer recognizes the woman living with disability. Giving the woman a voice in a media platform is a way of empowering the source. The reporter is able to help the woman speak up for herself

Language is any overtly sexist language used. Are adjectives relevant and objective, or do they convey biases and stereotypes? Language is gender neutral and non-stereotypical. The image used in the story is that of the woman who is on the interview. She is the focus of the story and hence the image relates to the story.

This article is a classic case of this once able-bodied woman is now a physically disabled woman who is going against all odds to uplift herself and continue to progress in life. Her voice and viewpoints are all over the story. The story’s perspective help to challenge prevailing stereotypes on disability.

It promotes men and women with disabilities who are usually invisible in the media except appear on certain occasions like International day of people with disability. Media’s coverage of disability is usually event based missing the opportunity to portray people living with disabilities in different ways. 

The story is on page 4 at the right hand corner of the page. The story covers most of the newspaper space on the page. With its bold headline, the story is the major story on the page. It appear adjacent to another story on farming.