Media & Disability

MEOSZ is the National Federation of Disabled Persons` Associations in Hungary founded by grassroot associations of people with disabilities. Almost 100 disability associations are member of MEOSZ, operating more than 500 local groups.

Thorugh MEOSZ member assocations and their local groups disabled people are represented all over Hungary.

Media contacts play a very important role in the activities of the MEOSZ Headquarters and its member associations. It is a very important tool to advocate disabled persons` interests on local and national levels.

Contacts with the TV

• page of the Hungarian Television`s teletex service is operated by MEOSZ
• Interviews of disabled activists with the representatives of public and commercial TVs on actual disability issues

Contacts with the press

MEOSZ Headquarters:

• Every 6 week a press conference is held on the invitation of the MEOSZ Headquarters on actual or hot issues of disability.
• During the period between press conferences disability news are sent to the daily and monthly newspapers.
• Every day contacts with the journalists

MEOSZ member associations:

regular contacts with the loacl media (newspapers, TV, decision makers press staff)

Contacts with stakeholders through printed and electronic media

Humanitas – monthly periodical issued by MEOSZ

Humanitas

A monthly disability specific periodical has been issued by MEOSZ for already 23 years. The target audience is mainly for persons with physical disability, their assistants and experts.

The aim of the periodical is to give information about and for people with disabilities on their rights to live a full and independent life (topics in all walks of life are included, like education, employment, family, love, motherhood, fashion, beauty care, etc.) The periodical is issued in 10000 copies every month. It can be ordered via post office and be subscribed in all over the country. The periodical is distributed to ministerial offices, MPs and other stakeholders in the disability field

Publications to change the public attitutude – issued by MEOSZ

1. Not a private issue

   Nem magánügy

   Hiedelmek, stigmák, elõítélék

2. People with disabilities are also going to Europe

   Towards an accessible Europe?

   Akadálimentes Európa felé?

   Europa akadálymentessége a jogi szabályozás tükreben)

   Publications are issued prior to Hungary`s accession to the European Union.

Media training for people with disabilities

Training for people with disabilities has been several times organized for MEOSZ disabled activists.

Main topics of the training:

• How to be prepared for an interview (how to speak, behave, dress)?
• How to establish good relations with the representatives of local press?
• What makes an event to be a news in the media, how to sell ourselves?
• How to organize a press conference?

Internet portal

Visited by non-disabled people who get impression about joys, problems, life and successes of people with disabilities e.g. in the field of sport and culture.

Homepage

MEOSZ operates its own home page; www.meoszinfo.hu
Links to home pages of MEOSZ member assocations can also be found on this web page

Future plans:

• training for people with disabilites, spokes persons
• training for media representatives (with the help of media staff producing and editing disability sepcific progrmmes
• launch of call for proposals in the field of best portrayal of people with disabilities in the printed and electronic media

Being aware of the role of media in the social inclusion of people with disabilities MEOSZ attaches great attention to improve this field.