A national charity is encouraging people to vote for the best – and worst – media coverage of older people.
Counsel and Care, a charity that works with older people, is asking the public to vote online for individuals and organisations that they feel portray older people positively or negativel.
The charity will be giving out The Older People in the Media Awards at its annual Graham Lecture in London in September.
The awards aim to recognise work that portrays older people positively, but will also be handing out ‘Raspberry awards’ to those that take a more negative attitude.
Stephen Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care, said: “The way that older people are portrayed in the media has a crucial effect, not only on how they are treated by wider society but also by care and support services.
“This competition aims to confront this, with a view to influencing journalists to think harder about what they say and write about older people.”
A downloadable nomination form is on the Counsel and Care website. The winners will be chosen by a panel of expert judges.
The awards will have several categories including, best and worst print coverage (newspapers, magazines and brochures), best and worst radio coverage, best and worst television coverage, best and worst web coverage and overall best and worst portrayal of older people in the media.
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