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WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY
DOWN SYNDROME INTERNATIONAL
MARCH 21, 2016
DOWN SYNDROME IN THE MEDIA
WHY YOUR STORY MATTERS
Melanie Perkins McLaughlin
Producer / Director
Project Productions
(617) 699-1962
Who Am I and Why Am I here?
• I am a documentary filmmaker with 25 years
experience sharing stories with national audiences.
• I am the mother of three children, the youngest of
whom has Down syndrome.
• I had a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, no
experience with people who have disabilities and
was uncertain and frightened for my family’s future.
• Your stories changed my life.
Some Early Images of People with Down syndrome in the Public Eye
French president, Charles DeGaulle, with his
daughter, Anne
American Actors, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, with their daughter, Robin Elizabeth
Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia with his
daughter, Alexandrine.
Charles Waring Darwin was the 10th and final
child of naturalist Charles Darwin and his wife
Emma. It is suspected through description
and the one surviving photograph that exists
of him that he was born with Down
Syndrome.
1960s and 70s Educational Films
“What is a Period?” Educational Film
Late 70s Sesame Street features children with Down
syndrome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
d3fH87YPQW0v=d3fH87YPQW0
1980s television commercial featuring Down syndrome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2TETZM0o8o
Life Goes On
Chris Burke, “Corky Thatcher” first actor
with Down syndrome in a network television series, 1987
In the News
In 1990, the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became the first news story on
disability issues to become a lead story on cable news broadcaster CNN.
Some Actors Today
Lauren Potter, Glee Marin Gerrier, Café de Flore
Gail Williamson / Talent Agent/Diversity Department
Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates
Sarah Gordy, Call of the Midwife UK
Edward Barbanell, Workaholics
Pascal Duquenne, Belgium
More Actors Today
Tommy Jessop, Hamlet, UK
Paula Sage, Afterlife SCOTLAND
Danny Alsabbagh, Summer Heights
High AUSTRALIA Blair Williamson, Scrubs USA
RTE Cartoon Show, Punky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCm1sjARU7E
Feature Films and Documentaries
A&E Television Series Born This Way
Down Syndrome in Advertising
McDonalds Superbowl Ad
114 Million Viewers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsogFwyDACY
Social Media Matters
DID YOU KNOW?
YouTube is the number two search engine in the world.
For the 18-49 age group YouTube has greater reach than any cable
network.
.
“Matty B Raps “True Colors”
62 million views!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXmaE0041Y0
“Dear Future Mom”, 6 million views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju-q4OnBtNU
DID YOU KNOW?
Facebook has over 3 billion video views per day with over 1 billion daily active users
Phone Camera Video
Over 1 million views
Changing Public Perception
Model, Madeline Stuart
Actress, Jamie Brewer
Garret Holeve, Mixed Martial Arts
Deondra Foxx, Ambassador GDS Grace McLaughlin, Time Square Video
Public Awareness Campaigns
My Great Story NDSS
youtube.com/watch?v=FgPUAL67qY
Lose the Label
See the Ability
Public Awareness Campaigns
DSI, World Down Syndrome Day
Your Next Star, Mass Down Syndrome Congress
Down Syndrome Association of Argentina
Jerome Lejeune Foundation
Down Syndrome Ireland
FUNDOWN Caribe
Why Does Media Matter?
IN THE USA
• Fifty years after IDEA only 17% of students with intellectual disabilities are
included in general education classrooms with their non-disabled peers.
• As adults, just 40% of people with intellectual disabilities receive a regular high
school diploma.
• More than 75% of people with intellectual disabilities are unemployed.
• Legislation is directly impacted by personal stories. • (ABLE Act, An Act Relative to Down syndrome, etc..)
Call to Action
Choose one way you will share your story.
Suggested Media Contacts ndss.org
Suggested contacts
• Print media • Community calendar editors
• Metro/city desk editors (or ask who covers community events)
• Health reporters
• Disability issues reporters
• Education reporters (for a feature story about an education issue impacting people with Down syndrome)
• Features editors
• Online editors (if there is different content on the publication's website than in the print edition)
• Television • Assignment editor
• Weekend news director
• Producer of a specific show (e.g. your local morning news show)
• Radio • News director
• Promotions director
See more at: http://www.ndss.org/About-NDSS/Media-Kit/Helpful-Tips-to-Secure-Media-Coverage/Steps-for-Securing-Media-Coverage/#sthash.HlQXkztz.dpuf
• Post between 1-3 times per weekday.
• Schedule in advance via HootSuite or other programs (8-9am, 12-1p,m
4-5pm, and 8-9pm are ideal time blocks).
• Include content that is both national and “local” to your community.
• Upload photos/video whenever possible. Photos receive more
engagement than any other type of post.
• Learn more here: http://www.nptechforgood.com/2014/10/19/10-
facebook-page-best-practices-for-nonprofits/
TIPS
• Post between 1-3 times per weekday
• Use Ow.ly or Bitly link shorteners
• Use #hashtags (2 max) whenever posting about common and/or trending
keywords or themes
• @Tag posts to other Twitter users whenever they are mentioned in or
affiliated with posts
• Learn more here: http://www.nptechforgood.com/2015/02/08/10-twitter-
best-practices-for-nonprofits/
Slide courtesy Dan Habib
TIPS
GENERAL SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS
• Have a plan (what channels and tactics will achieve your goals?)
• Know your audience
• Be responsive to direct messages
• Incorporate media whenever possible
• Switch up content formats (e.g., convert written content to a YouTube video)
• 20% self-promotion, 80% resources and other content
• Whenever possible, link to a page on your own website
• Gather individual email addresses at events and online
• Evaluate the impact (Google analytics, e-newsletter results, distributing surveys on site and as a
follow up to measure attitude and policy changes)
Slide courtesy Dan Habib
Grace’s Story
TIME Magazine
The Japan News
ABC News
MA State Governor Deval Patrick signs an
“Act Relative to Down Syndrome”
USA Today
CBS News
Additional Credits
Dan Habib, Filmmaker and Project Director
University of New Hampshire
Institute on Disability
www.iod.unh.edu/inclusivecommunities
A not for profit Powerpoint presentation
Gail Williamson / Talent Agent/Diversity
Department
Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates
11969 Ventura Blvd., 3rd floor
Box 7409
Studio City, CA 91604
t: 818 769-9111 c: 818 515-1375 f: 818 769-
1824
www.KMRtalent.com
Google Images