Diane Bergeron, president of CNIB Guide Dogs, discusses the increased demand for guide dogs during the COVID-19 pandemic 
Producer Dawn Dickinson previews of The Guardian The Week with an article about a new study shows that one percent of people cause half of global aviation emissions in the world 
Community Reporter Elizabeth Mohler in Toronto tells us about Metamorphosis, a fictional audio trilogy that chronicles the progress of a fictional global pandemic. To access her full report visit here: ami.ca/report-central
Steven Scott from Double Tap Canada describes his experience accessing hundreds of magazines using the Apple News+ app
And, our colleague Sylvi Fekete discusses a recent survey that shows the lack of support for kids with autism in BC during the pandemic 

• Alex Bulmer and Bruce Horak chat about "Assassinating Thomson,” the first play in the Listening Stage Series by the Common Boots Theatre and Balance for Blind Adults. 

• As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we’re starting to see more references to pandemics in new films and TV series. But is this right time to present these stories to the public? Senior producer Andrika De Lanerolle shares her thoughts 
• Community reporters Milena Khazanavicius in Halifax tells us about the upcoming event “SHEroes Rising: The Spirit of Women with Disabilities.”
• Mike Agerbo of the App show describes MeowTalk, a newly designed app that can apparently translate a cat’s meows 
• And, veteran political correspondent Craig Oliver discusses: federal COVID policy, the Andrew Scheer controversy, and the latest news on Canada, 5G and Huawei

• Technical producer Sam Robinson discuss the criticism over director Christopher Nolan's poor sound mixing in his films. 
• Community Reporter Michelle Creedy from Duncan, BC tells us about an upcoming event by Cedar Farmers Market called “A Taste of Winter.” 
• Nelson Régo of Cool Blind Tech describes SoundBeamer, a new device that beams music into your head without headphones 
• And, contestants Karen Magee, Mark Phoenix and I put our knowledge to the test in today’s weekly news quiz! 

• Canadian Press news editor Michelle McQuigge recaps the weekend in national news 
• Digital Accessibility Specialist Denis Boudreau discusses the spending power of people with disabilities and its potential impact on the digital market 
• Film reviewer Amy Amantea shares her commentary on the Netflix horror film “His House” starring Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu 
• Marc Aflalo from Double Tap TV chats about the new iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini 
• And, our colleague Jim Krysko describes new research by the University of Alberta that identifies walking speed as predictor of dementia 
   

Below is a guest blog post by our entertainment critic Michael McNeely. Be sure to catch Michael every Friday on NOW with Dave Brown for his weekly film preview and discussions on the latest news in film! 

Michael writes: 

Sometimes, when you watch, listen to, or read a piece of entertainment, disability is present. For example, in the film Forrest Gump the title character is presumably a man with an intellectual disability, however the disability is never named. 

The following is a list of questions or things to look for to help you do a critical disability analysis of how disability is represented in entertainment.

Are there performers or people working behind the scenes with a disability? 

The Netflix series Special stars Ryan O’ Connell, who is gay and has cerebral palsy. He is also playing a character who is gay and has cerebral palsy. Ryan O’Connell also created and wrote the show himself. If the answer to the question above is yes, this may mean a closer approximation to the reality of someone with a disability.

Note: Many films that deal with disability issues work with consultants who have disabilities and lived experience. It is good to employ people with disabilities in any production, both in front and behind the camera (or microphone).

Is the material intended for people with disabilities, for the general public, or for both? 

When I reviewed Sightless, I found that the film had no bearing in reality to how people who are blind or low-sighted actually live. Sometimes pieces of entertainment geared to the general public sensationalize disability by making disability seem as if it is more of an issue than it actually is.  

How is disability addressed? 

Do the characters have disabilities? If so, what are they? If it is not known specifically what they are, is there a good reason for not providing a diagnosis of the disability? Not labelling a disability can be a positive thing: telling us that a label does not matter. At the same time, not labelling a disability can make the disability seem more frightening or humorous: it can mean different things to different people. Negative aspects of labelling can also lead to stereotypes and expectations that people will act the same way as the character in the piece of entertainment.

At the same time, if there is a diagnosis or label of a characters’ disability: is it realistic? False information can be damaging. 

Is disability negative, neutral, or positive? 

In Penguin Bloom, based on a true story, the main character falls while on vacation in Thailand, and finds life with paralysis rather upsetting and isolating. She does not meet others with disabilities, nor does she seek to find accommodations. Disability in this film is portrayed as heavily negative, and may reinforce ideas that disability always means needless suffering and limited options of finding happiness again.
Disability has had a long history of being portrayed as negative. Many films involving people with disabilities portray them as helpless, suicidal, and a burden on others in society. People with disabilities should be portrayed as human, first and foremost, and should not wallow in tragedy. More creative films and TV series have shown people with disabilities working hard to gain support systems in life or pursuing romantic relationships.

Physical disabilities have often been used as a short-hand in movies and TV shows as indicating that the character is evil. Note most Bond villains have some sort of physical disability or have clues that they are physically disabled – such as scars, paralysis, prostheses, missing body parts, etc. It is often the case that someone with a physical disability will be represented as having a mental disability, such as psychopathy, which can prove fatal to the main character.