JMI – Amman
A study conducted by Hanin al-Sha’ar, the master’s student at the Jordan Media Institute, revealed that visually impaired citizens believe that local Jordanian media does a “weak and insufficient” job at covering the issues faced by them, and usually reflects stereotypes about them.
Al-Sha’ar sheds light on how the media can cover visual disabilities, according to ethical and legal standards, while also taking into consideration the perspective of individuals with these disabilities. She highlights the need for a study examining the media’s coverage of these issues based on her own personal experience of losing her eyesight after birth. Despite her disability, she was not deterred from achieving her dream of working in the media industry and supporting people with different disabilities. Al-Sha’ar’s story is ultimately one of persistence and ambition.
Results from an opinion poll revealed that there are 350 individuals with a visual impairment in the governorates of Amman, Irbid, and Karak. A majority of them receive news from the internet and social media platforms because these platforms provide media content in a form that is suitable for them. The study’s findings point out that mainstream media, on the other hand, does not use methods like braille or audio that are more appropriate for individuals with visual impairment.
The study’s findings indicated the media’s commitment to ethical standards when covering issues of individuals with visual impairment, was perceived at an average of 65.8% by the sample of individuals who participated in the study.
The individuals who participated in the study were of the opinion that the media’s coverage of issues faced by individuals with visual impairments is weak and insufficient. The participants maintained that the media “does not understand the nature of the lives of individuals with visual impairments” and is “preoccupied with other issues unrelated to the plight of individuals with visual impairments.”
Over half of the respondents at 52.5% believe that the media reflects stereotypes about individuals with visual impairments. Al-Sha’ar, the first graduate of the Jordan Media Institute who has a visual impairment, strives to change this reality after she earns her master’s degree with distinction.
The Jordan Media Institute through its master’s program in journalism and modern media cultivates students seeking to develop and strengthen media content. Over 250 Jordanian and Arab students have graduated from the institute’s 10 cohorts to this moment. These students go on to use their advanced skills to play important roles in the journalism industry, both locally and internationally.