andererseits

Project owner: Medienhaus andererseits GmbH

Responsible person: Lukas Burnar

2023

2,000 Euro Prize

AT

Commercial enterprise

Challenge

Despite the fact that 18.4% of Austrian citizens live with a disability, there are very few journalists with disabilities; as such, their perspective is missing in the media landscape. It is however, imperative for a functioning democracy, that their voices are represented in media and in broader social and political debate.

Idea

andererseits (On the other Hand) is the first media organisation in Austria, where people with and without disabilities work together equitably. Teams of contributors collaborate on stories on disability and society contained in the publication. The team therefore, not only add to public discourse, but also takes an active role in further developing the project.

Actors

The project-team consists of approximately 25 newsroom members, about half of which have a disability, who contribute to our investigations, organise events, graphic design and social media, and work on a freelance basis. The infrastructure is provided by a lead editor and two executive directors, who complete the team.

Impact

At its core, the project is about broadening the democratic discourse; readers with disabilities feel seen and heard, and those without disabilities gain a new perspective. andererseits drives the socio-political discourse and empowers people with disabilities to engage as equal actors and shapers.

Transfer

People with disabilities are underrepresented globally. andererseits therefore develops best practices for inclusive journalism and collaboration, which can in turn be a driving force for social innovation in the media industry as a whole.

 

Photos © Stefan Fürthbauer

Appreciation of the Jury

A pioneering project, bringing the concept of equality to the high-threshold media industry. Introducing a model, in which people with and without disabilities work together on equal footing, the project aims to make published content accessible and comprehensible for everyone. andererseits sets in motion an urgently needed shift towards more inclusive conditions in journalism.