Mapping current practices, challenges, and opportunities in E2U news: a survey of European organisations

“Easy-to-understand” is a term encompassing different language varieties that aim to make information more comprehensible. Although interest in this field has grown significantly in recent years, the focus has been on written formats. Given the role of journalism and that access to information is a universal human right, news should be understandable for everyone. Taking this into account and considering the research gap in relation to easy-to-understand journalism, the aim of our study is to identify current practices, challenges and opportunities in the field. To this end, we designed a survey, which was distributed online among European broadcasting organisations and associations working with persons with disabilities. The survey consisted of several sections, related to different aspects of easy-to-understand news production. A total of 39 valid responses was obtained. Our analysis reveals a growing interest in offering easy-to-understand content. Although written formats are still predominant, less traditional media platforms, such as the web, are considered by organisations; 56% of them produce easy-to-understand news and most intend to increase their offer. However, production and validation processes mostly follow a non-born accessible approach. Participants mention other challenges, such as the need for more funding and promotion, in addition to specific training offers and clearer, unified guidelines. Although our study is not without limitations, it provides a broad overview of the current state of the art of easy-to-understand news across Europe.