Media has been all around us for a while; we’ve had our choice of TV, newspapers, live news, and radio for close to a century. Yet, with the rise of social media, the landscape has evolved significantly.

So often, we hear about the dangers of social media and the threats of fake news and misinformation, but what about the positives? Well over half the world’s population owns a smartphone and, therefore, has access to the entirety of social media. Media has historically been a luxury for the wealthy in developed nations, but this dynamic has shifted, and it’s not just the developing world that benefits.

Accessibility For All

Social media has notably influenced how all people interact with news, but for some, the benefits are particularly impactful. Those with disabilities now have access to a wider array of news sources because news has been made easier to access and, therefore, more inclusive. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram now come with various features like screen readers, closed captioning, and alt text for images so everyone can stay in the loop.

Fortunately, these features are being increasingly recognized, so if they interest you—whether you are a fresh graduate, a curious mind looking for postgrad courses like a digital journalism masters, or a serious researcher—there are many ways to learn and share all the tips and tricks that people with disabilities can benefit from when it comes to news accessibility.

Tools and Strategies for Accessibility

There are numerous ways that social media and news have become more accessible for people with different needs, making information more widely available:

Alternative Text

Commonly known as alt text, this feature gives those who cannot see or interpret images a brief overview of what information an image conveys; however, it’s not limited to images—graphs, maps, and other infographics can all have alt text added to them. Even adding a small amount of information can make content far easier for people with disabilities to understand. For instance, blind or low-vision people who use a screen reader would get to know what the image is about. Some people with cognitive disabilities find excessive images overwhelming or overstimulating; if the image contains alt text, they can disable images and simply read the text.

Closed Captions

Commonly known as subtitles, captions that can be turned on or off (closed captions) are a valuable option for people who struggle with hearing. These are nothing new; however, the way in which captions are generated has advanced considerably in recent times.

Sites like YouTube can autogenerate and even auto-translate audio in many videos; while the captions are not always perfect, the rise of generative AI has led to the development of many different subtitle-generating programs that get more and more accurate by the day.

When it comes to breaking news events or live streams where immediate access to information is crucial, the ability to generate instant captions is a significant advancement. The 2024 presidential debates are a great example. The first debate was viewed by over 51 million people, many of whom would have benefited substantially from captions instantly generated by advanced AI programs. As AI continues to improve and iterate, the future suggests the potential for increasingly precise captions, ensuring that anyone with hearing difficulties can fully participate in the digital age of media consumption.

Text To Audio

Many traditional media sites have shifted to social media and embraced features like an audio version of news articles, read in an engaging way by the writer or a voice actor, which is often welcomed by those who use voice-to-text software with limited variation in tone.

Audio versions of news stories also help people who experience difficulty reading or those who prefer auditory learning to consume as much news as the rest of us. Even if the text is not read by a human, the previously mentioned advancements in natural language processing are contributing to improvements in the quality of text-to-audio conversion, offering clear and more natural-sounding voices.

The Cost Of Media

Let’s face it: high-quality media requires funding to produce. Journalists need to be compensated, resources can be expensive, and advertising revenue has its limits. Traditionally, media production came with substantial costs, including salaries for staff, expenses for equipment, materials, and technological investments required for filming, editing, or distribution.

Some traditional media outlets have experienced a decline in advertising revenue, leading many to adjust their pricing structures to maintain operations. However, social media presents a different landscape. In the US alone, social media revenue has reportedly increased by over 13% in the past five years, and projections suggest it could become a $105 billion market in 2024.

Unlike traditional media, a significant portion of social media remains free to use, supported primarily by ad revenue. This has helped lower barriers to knowledge, potentially making a broader range of content more accessible to diverse audiences.

Digital Literacy Advancements

Unlike traditional media, social media does not have a paper alternative, shifting what we have traditionally thought about literacy. The American Library Association defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” The technical skills they refer to are especially relevant today, as readers must navigate an overwhelming amount of available information with discernment.

Encouragingly, the ability to use technology for communication appears to be becoming more equitable. Innovative software like ChatGPT offers free levels of access, AI caption-generating tools are becoming more affordable, and alt text usage continues to grow as a standard accessibility feature.

The Future of Media

The influence of social media on news consumption has presented notable opportunities, particularly in terms of accessibility, which has the potential to create more inclusive and equitable access to information.

With the widespread adoption of smartphones and the growing availability of free or affordable digital tools, access to quality news is expanding, making information more widely available beyond traditional economic barriers.

It could be argued that the digital age is still in its early stages. As technology advances, it will be essential to thoughtfully consider and harness the potential of social media for positive impact. By doing so, there is an opportunity to foster a more informed and connected global community where individuals, regardless of their abilities or socioeconomic background, can more easily stay informed and engaged.

Published by Tom W.