Aims and objectives
The UK project explores how disability is represented across contemporary British screen media and whether these representations have the potential to influence public attitudes. While disabled people are becoming increasingly visible in film and television, there is still limited evidence about how audiences respond to different forms of representation and whether these portrayals contribute to greater social inclusion.
To better understand how disability representations influence public attitudes, the research examines how they are shaped within the media industries and how they are understood by audiences. The findings will inform the development of an evidence-based framework for understanding disability representation.
The project has three main objectives:
- To understand how media representations shape audience perceptions of disability.
- To explore how media professionals approach disability representation across different forms of screen media.
- To develop an evidence-based framework that supports more inclusive approaches to disability representation in research and media practice.
Methods
Methodology
The project uses a multi-method approach to explore the relationship between disability representation and audience attitudes. Informed by media studies, disability studies and social psychology, it examines how disability is portrayed on screen, how these portrayals are shaped within the media industries, and how audiences respond to them.
Read more about the methodology
The research begins with an analysis of contemporary British screen media to examine how disability is portrayed across a range of genres and formats. This stage explores patterns of representation, characterisation and storytelling, providing a foundation for the rest of the project.
The next stage focuses on media production. Interviews with commissioners, producers, filmmakers and diversity practitioners explore how disability representations are developed, the considerations that shape creative decisions, and the opportunities and challenges involved in creating more inclusive content.
Audience research forms the final stage of the project. Through focus groups, interviews and survey research, we examine how viewers respond to different representations of disability and how these responses vary across audience groups.
Findings from each stage inform the next, allowing the project to connect media content, industry perspectives and audience responses. This evidence will contribute to the development of an evidence-based framework for more inclusive media practice.
Work packages
The research is organised into four interconnected work packages that follow disability representation from screen to audience. Each work package focuses on a different aspect of the research, with findings informing the next stage of the project.
WP1: Media Analysis
WP1 examines how disability is portrayed across contemporary British screen media, including television drama, feature film, documentary, current affairs, advertising and reality television. The analysis explores patterns of representation, characterisation and storytelling, providing a foundation for understanding how media portrayals may shape audience attitudes.
WP2: Industry Perspectives
WP2 focuses on the people involved in creating screen content. Interviews with commissioners, producers, directors, writers, editors, cinematographers and diversity practitioners explore how disability representations are developed within contemporary media industries. The findings provide insight into creative decision-making, industry priorities and current approaches to inclusive representation.
WP3: Audience Reception (Qualitative)
WP3 explores how audiences interpret and respond to disability representation. Through focus groups and interviews, participants discuss selected media content and reflect on their responses to screen characters and narratives. This stage provides a deeper understanding of how different audiences make sense of disability portrayals.
WP4: Audience Reception (Quantitative)
WP4 examines audience responses on a larger scale through survey-based research. Participants view selected media content and complete a series of measures exploring their perceptions and reactions. The findings allow us to identify broader patterns in audience responses and compare how different forms of representation are understood across groups.
Stakeholders
The UK project works with people and organisations from across the media, disability and research sectors. Their contributions help shape the research and ensure that it reflects a range of professional and lived perspectives.
Disabled people and disability organisations are involved throughout the project, contributing perspectives on disability representation and its significance within everyday life and culture.
The project also engages with broadcasters, commissioners, filmmakers, editors and diversity practitioners. Collaboration with organisations, such as the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky, the British Film Institute (BFI), the Creative Diversity Network (CDN) and the TV Access Project, provides direct insight into contemporary industry practices around disability representation, accessibility and inclusion.
The project maintains close links with researchers, educators and organisations working across disability, media and social inclusion.
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