Dpto. Comunicación e Información Periodística

In recent years, there has been an increased emergence of studies focusing on the media coverage of the Paralympic Games. Until recently, studies have predominately used quantitative content analyses that, although providing useful interrogation of observational patterns, limits the understanding of and appreciation for the contexts that may have shaped the production of information. By focusing exclusively on the ‘what’ and on the ‘how much’ it is difficult to reveal the ‘why’ and to identify the underlying motives of any changes. This paper recognizes the nuances of the editorial decision-making process by using a mixed methods approach; employing quantitative and qualitative data drawn from a case study focusing on the Spanish media coverage of the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games. An initial content analysis of all news published in Spain’s twelve highest-circulation newspapers during Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games was undertaken. Subsequently, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with journalists that were also sent to these two iterations of the Paralympic Games by Spanish media. Drawing on conceptualisations of media framing, the results highlight that the numerical data alone shed insufficient light on the complexity of the news-making process. The semi-structured interviews brought to light issues such as editorial management buoyed by commercial imperatives, and organisational interjection in journalists’ narratives and authorship, that also contoured coverage and content. In addition to further debate about the complexities of media coverage of Paralympic sport, the study also underscores the utility of incorporating and combining qualitative methodologies within sport media and communication research.

Today, Spain is an advanced country in the field of sport for people with disabilities. Thanks to social movement led by National Blind Organization (ONCE) since the mid-80s, the Paralympic Games in Barcelona in 1992, the birth of the Spanish Paralympic Committee in 1995 and the Paralympic Sport Support Plan (ADOP) by the Government, Spain is a Paralympic power and many athletes with disabilities are socially known and admired people. However, there are yet situations of social and economic discrimination. Surely the media have powerfully influenced for improve the image of these athletes with disabilities, but still they use to give the sport for people with disabilities much less coverage than they give to other sports. From a sociological point of view, the study of sport is consolidating as a scientific area and in recent decades it has highlighted the connections between sport and society in various fields. In particular, sport for people with disabilities has become one of the areas that has evolved, especially in relation to their physical, psychological and social benefits. However, the study area relating adapted sports and mass communication is poorly developed in Spain and the references are still sporadic. The aim of this article is to show the current state of studies on sport for people with disabilities from the point of view of sociology and communication sciences in Spain, as well as the relevance of deepening these studies to achieve understanding and, as far as possible, improve the situation of these people. / Hoje, a Espanha é um país avançado no campo do esporte para pessoas com deficiência. Graças ao movimento social liderado pela Organização Nacional das Cegas (ONCE) desde meados dos anos 80, os Jogos Paraolímpicos de Barcelona em 1992, o nascimento do Comitê Paralímpico Espanhol em 1995 e o Plano Paralímpico de Apoio Esportivo (ADOP) pelo Governo, a Espanha é um poder paraolímpico e muitos atletas com deficiência são pessoas socialmente conhecidas e admiradas. No entanto, existem ainda situações de discriminação social e econômica. Certamente, a mídia influenciou poderosamente para melhorar a imagem desses atletas com deficiência, mas ainda assim eles usam para dar ao esporte para pessoas com deficiência muito menos cobertura do que dão a outros esportes. Do ponto de vista sociológico, o estudo do esporte está se consolidando como uma área científica e, nas últimas décadas, destacou as conexões entre esporte e sociedade em vários campos. Em particular, o esporte para pessoas com deficiência tornou-se uma das áreas que evoluiu, especialmente em relação aos seus benefícios físicos, psicológicos e sociais. No entanto, a área de estudo relativa aos esportes adaptados e comunicação de massa é pouco desenvolvida em Espanha e as referências ainda são esporádicas. O objetivo deste artigo é mostrar o estado atual dos estudos sobre o esporte para pessoas com deficiência do ponto de vista da sociologia e das ciências da comunicação em Espanha, bem como a relevância do aprofundamento desses estudos para alcançar a compreensão e, na medida do possível, melhorar a situação dessas pessoas. / En la actualidad, España es un país avanzado en el ámbito del deporte para las personas con discapacidad. Gracias al movimiento social liderado por la ONCE desde mediados de los 80, los Juegos Paralímpicos de Barcelona de 1992, el nacimiento del Comité Paralímpico Español en 1995 y el Plan Apoyo al Deporte Objetivo Paralímpico (ADOP) del Gobierno, España es una potencia Paralímpica y muchos atletas con discapacidad son personas conocidas y admiradas socialmente. Sin embargo, perduran situaciones de discriminación social y económica. Sin duda, los medios de comunicación han influido poderosamente a mejorar la imagen de estos atletas con discapacidad, pero continúan otorgando al deporte para personas con discapacidad una cobertura mucho menor que la que dan al resto de deportes. Desde el punto de vista sociológico, el estudio del deporte se está consolidando como área científica y en las últimas décadas se han puesto de relieve las conexiones entre el deporte y la sociedad en distintas esferas. En particular, el deporte para personas con discapacidad se ha convertido en una de las áreas que más ha evolucionado, en especial, en relación con sus beneficios físicos, psicológicos y sociales. Sin embargo, el área de estudio que relaciona el deporte adaptado y la comunicación de masas todavía está muy poco desarrollada en España. El objetivo de este artículo es mostrar el estado actual de los estudios acerca del deporte para personas con discapacidad desde el punto de vista de la sociología y las ciencias de la comunicación en España, así como la relevancia de profundizar en estos estudios para conseguir comprender y, en lo posible, mejorar, la situación de estas personas.

The Paralympic Games are one of the world’s most important multisport events, maybe second only to the Olympic Games. However, research conducted to date shows that the media do not devote as much space to them as would accordingly be expected. This article proposes, through a case study, a new way of approaching this hypothetical discrimination by comparing the attention that the London Paralympic Games received from the Spanish print press with the attention that other sports received (football, basketball, tennis, cycling, motor sports and other minority sports) while those Games were being held. The main finding of our study is that, over the period analysed, the Spanish press devoted less space to the Paralympic Games than to any other sport.