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A stack of media. From bottom to top a ream of newspapers, then a computer and monitor, topped with a radio, topped with a television set

Welcome to the OAJ Style and Accessibility Guide, a product of Organization for Accessible Journalism.

News is a public good, and it’s supposed to inform. But it’s not reaching everyone.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • 28.2 percent of American adults are disabled;
  • and 50 percent of American adults have a chronic illness.

Digging deeper into those CDC numbers we find:

  • 6.2 percent of American adults have a hearing disability;
  • 5.5 percent have a vision disability;
  • 13.9 percent have a cognitive disability;
  • and 12.2 percent have a mobility disability.

Another lesser known statistic is that among American Adults, 54 percent have a literacy level that is below 6th grade, according to the National Literacy Institute.

Improving accessibility across written, audio, and video news is the best way to reach all audiences with facts and maintain trust.

Whether you write for a newspaper or online media, produce for television or video, or record for radio or podcasts, we hope you will use this guide to improve your consistency with words, style, and accessibility.

We hope this guide helps you become a more accessible journalist.

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Thank you so much for participating! This information helps us build a better Style and Accessibility Guide for you.