Listen to the 4th Episode of “Disability Rights and Wrongs – The David Lepodcast” to Learn from a Veteran Journalist How to Get the Media to Report on a Disability Barrier You Have Experienced

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update

United for a Barrier-Free Ontario for All People with Disabilities

Website: www.aodaalliance.org

Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com

Twitter: @aodaalliance

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aodaalliance

 

Listen to the 4th Episode of “Disability Rights and Wrongs – The David Lepodcast” to Learn from a Veteran Journalist How to Get the Media to Report on a Disability Barrier You Have Experienced

 

November 19, 2025

 

You can now listen to the fourth episode of the AODA Alliance’s new podcast: “Disability Rights and Wrongs – The David Lepodcast.” It is entitled: “Turning Barriers into Headlines: Practical Tips from a Veteran News Reporter.”

 

Getting media attention is an invaluable tool for disability rights advocates. Whether you’re trying to pressure your government or a private company, the public scrutiny of a high-profile media piece is often the decisive factor that turns an advocacy battle in your favour.

 

In this episode, AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky talks to Michelle McQuigge, a Canadian Press journalist of nearly 20 years. She is very familiar with the processes within news organizations that dictate whether a potential story gets published. News outlets receive dozens, if not hundreds of emails with potential stories every single day. Michelle shows us how to cut through that noise by telling us how journalists think and what editors are looking for when they decide whether to pursue a story. With the information found in this episode, disability rights advocates fighting disability barriers can confidently approach the media with

compelling stories that they’ll want to cover, having learned what goes on behind the scenes in newsrooms.

 

In many of our AODA Alliance Updates, we encourage you to reach out to your local media on disability issues that we highlight. This episode teaches you how to do this, even if you have no experience in doing so.

 

Get this podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or download it directly from various podcast platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and iHeart. In addition to this new episode, check out:

 

  • The first episode, which addresses David Lepofsky’s 12-year battle to get the Toronto Transit Commission to audibly announce subway, bus and streetcar stops.
  • The second episode in which built-environment accessibility whiz Thea Kurdi talks about battling against the many disability barriers in the built environment, and
  • The third episode, in which Bruce McIntosh describes the earliest years in the relentless grassroots campaign in Ontario by parents of children with autism to get better funding for needed services.

 

Our fifth episode will be released on December 3, the International Day for People with Disabilities. You’ll get quite a surprise when you find out who our guest will be on that episode!

 

Accessible Media’s (AMI) website has a helpful introduction to getting podcasts for those unfamiliar with this popular way to receive information.

 

You can also ask your smart phone, Alexa, or Google Nest (if you have one):

 

“Play podcast ‘Disability Rights and Wrongs!’”

 

If you want to read a transcript of each podcast, we understand that Apple Music can generate transcripts.

 

How You Can Help

 

  • Tell friends and family to listen to this podcast. Many learn about new podcasts by word of mouth.

 

 

  • Tell us if you put the podcast’s advocacy ideas to work. Did they help?

 

  • Send us ideas for future topics on the podcast.

 

Whether you get your podcasts from Apple Music, Spotify, or some other source, please give this podcast a good rating! That helps get the podcast providers to give it more profile.