The ENACT project focuses on easy-to-understand (E2U) news. E2U news provides easier access to news for diverse users. ENACT views E2U news as a journalistic discipline of its own which requires specific training and expertise.
After a series of exchanges among project partners, multiple training workshops and thorough internal research carried out during the first year of the project, the ENACT partners have produced an initial list of recommendations. This list of recommendations was revised in the second year of the project, after user consultation sessions, during the online co-design sessions among the ENACT partners.
All these recommendations concern E2U news and are divided into three main areas: a) Editorial and Organisational, referring to issues such as planning, coordination, promotion, training and collaboration; b) Journalistic, concerning news selection, editing and verification; and c) Language and Presentation, including aspects shared with other types of content and aspects specific to E2U news, such as video presentation and voicing.
Editorial and Organisational
Popularizēt E2U jaunumus
Ir jāveicina informētība par E2U ziņām dažādos līmeņos. Tāpat ir svarīgi informēt par E2U ziņu piedāvājumu saprotamā un stigmatizāciju neveicinošā veidā, lai potenciālie lietotāji zinātu par šī pakalpojuma pieejamību. E2U ziņu atrašanai jābūt vienkāršai visiem lietotājiem. Tāpat jābūt viegli atpazīstamām ziņām, kas ir E2U ziņas. To var panākt, piemēram, izmantojot īpašu noformējumu E2U audiovizuālajām ziņām vai pievienojot īsu aprakstu.
Veiciniet komandas darbu un sadarbību organizācijā.
Komandas darbs un dažādu speciālistu sadarbība palīdz padarīt E2U ziņu veidošanu efektīvāku.
Journalistic
When creating E2U news, consider the following recommendations:
Offer E2U news on different platforms and in different formats
Offering E2U news across platforms and in different formats can increase audience reach and ensure a greater impact. The specificities of each medium (for instance, radio, television, or the web) should be considered when creating E2U news.
Explore technologies while keeping humans at the core
Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support the creation, adaptation or delivery of E2U news, always under human supervision. If you use AI in E2U news production, state it clearly.
Revise E2U news before publishing
Before broadcasting, airing or publishing E2U news, a professional should revise it. In other words, the four-eyes principle should be applied especially in relation to accuracy and understandability.
Provide additional accessibility services for E2U news, if possible
Different accessibility services and features may be added to E2U news. For example, subtitles, sign language interpreting and audio subtitles for audiovisual news; interactive transcripts for radio news; web accessibility features, such as text-to-speech functionalities for written website news.
Create specific resources for E2U news production
A handbook with guidelines can support the work of professionals who create E2U news. Other useful resources include glossaries and dictionaries of difficult words.
Language and Presentation
When creating E2U news, many recommendations that are used for E2U written, oral or audiovisual content can be applied.
These recommendations concern both linguistic and presentation aspects, such as using clear and common vocabulary, explaining abbreviations and acronyms, using direct and short sentences, organising information according to its importance and following a natural chronological order of events. There are international recommendations, but there may also be some national recommendations or standards.
Key international recommendations include:
– Information for all: European standards for making information easy to read and understand, by Inclusion Europe. The document provides guidelines for written information, but also for electronic, video and audio information.
– SELSI Guidelines for Spoken Easy Language: these guidelines are the result of the European project SELSI and provide guidelines on: a) how to engage your conversation partner or listener, b) how to structure your talk, c) how to adapt your language, d) how to use non-verbal communication, and e) how to use supporting materials.
– ISO/IEC 23859:2023 Requirements and recommendations on making written text easy to read and understand. This international standard covers different easy-to-understand language modalities, from less simplified to more simplified ones. It provides recommendations on the processes of creation, adaptation and evaluation. It also includes requirements and recommendations on: a) language in written text, b) content presentation, c) audio alternatives, d) hybrid access services, e) identifying and accessing easy content, and f) procurement of easy content.
– ISO 24495-1:2023 Plain language Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines. This international standard focuses exclusively on Plain Language and provides general guidelines for the four principles of Plain Language: a) Principle 1: Readers get what they need (relevant); b) Principle 2: Readers can easily find what they need (findable); c) Principle 3: Readers can easily understand what they find (understandable), and d) Principle 4: Readers can easily use the information (usable).
Although most recommendations for E2U language apply to E2U news, some recommendations may be more specific to E2U news:
Avoid using direct quotes
Avoid using direct quotes in your E2U news as they can make the text harder to follow. Instead, paraphrase what people say in clear and simple language while keeping the original meaning. This helps maintain clarity and ensures the news stays easy to understand. However, opt for short direct quotes, accompanied by E2U explanations if needed, when reporting on sensitive content, such as statements from politicians, officials, or controversial topics.
Keep a clear and natural style with a suitable pace
Speak in a clear, natural, non-monotonous and non-robotic way, not too fast, not too slow. For instance, an audiovisual news presenter may read the news slightly slower than usual but should not sound artificial or patronising. E2U news should be engaging. Use pauses between sentences in a way that facilitates comprehension. Take into consideration that pauses which are too long may make the content more difficult to understand.
Offer a personalised experience
Users may have different preferences, so give them the option to choose. For instance, allow adjustable audio and video speeds, font size or line spacing, subtitle size, or the option to add or remove tunes in your E2U news.
Incorporate appropriate pauses between news topics
Preferably use audiovisual elements (such as jingles) or moderate-length pauses between news. Take into consideration that silent pauses which are too long may make the content more difficult to understand.
Make sure the combination of different elements supports the user
When creating written or audiovisual E2U news, consider how visuals can support the user in understanding the news. Use visual elements that are consistent with the text or narration.
Make sure graphics are simple and understandable
Charts and animations often change quickly and are visually dense. This reduces clarity, despite verbal descriptions. If used, the graphics should be visually unambiguous and present on the screen for a longer duration than usual.
Keep shots longer and pacing clear
Three to five seconds per shot is a common guideline for standard broadcast news items. In E2U news, longer, steadier cuts make information easier to follow.