How One News Organization is Making an Impact on Journalists with Disabilities
Breaking into the journalism industry has always been a formidable challenge, and for journalists with disabilities, additional barriers often hinder their entry. In 2014, Grant Logan took a significant step toward addressing this issue by launching Ability Today, a U.K.-based platform dedicated to publishing news, spotlighting research, and creating pathways for journalists with disabilities.
Logan himself has a spinal cord injury from a road accident 20 years ago. Originally named Disability Today, the platform underwent a rebranding in 2019 to Ability Today, reflecting its focus on positive developments, advances in disability research, and community advocacy.
“[At first] it was just myself and my laptop finding news from around the world on different disabilities. If someone wrote an article about muscular dystrophy in Australia, it would pop into my inbox and I would push that on to the community,” Grant told the International Journalists’ Network (IJNET).
The flagship initiative of Ability Today is its Academy for Disabled Journalists, inspired by the success of the 2018 program called Roving Reporters. This initiative encourages journalists to produce stories on diverse topics, moving beyond disability-related issues. Launched in 2020, the Academy has seen nearly 100 disabled students, some of whom now work for prestigious media outlets like the BBC and ITV, with articles published in well-known publications such as Glamour UK and Metro.
Traditional workplaces and schools often lack resources and accommodations for students with disabilities, but Ability Today addresses this gap. The Academy offers online courses with transcripts, ensuring accessibility. Unlike traditional settings where journalists with disabilities might find themselves assigned only disability-related stories, the Academy encourages students to explore diverse topics that interest them. It equips students with practical skills and connects them with practicing journalists through partnerships with renowned organizations like News UK, NewsQuest, and CNN.
“Disabled journalists don't want to be pigeonholed in the disability sector. A lot of our journalists in the Academy don't necessarily want to report on disability issues all the time. It shouldn't always be ‘we've got a story on disability, so we'll give it to that disabled reporter,’” said Logan.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been noteworthy, with the widespread acceptance of remote work and learning. This shift is particularly beneficial for journalists with disabilities, given that many industry jobs in the U.K. are London-based. While the Academy primarily targets local applicants, it is increasingly open to international students, with successful applicants from Kenya, the Philippines, and Romania.
Logan also acknowledges that there is still a significant lack of representation in decision-making roles within newsrooms and production companies. Ability Today aims to address this gap by expanding its course offerings, with plans to launch a bookkeeping academy, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse media environment.
