Positive Images: Positive portrayal

Young People Now is calling for entries for its second Positive Images Awards, to be presented next spring. The awards, which are open to youth groups, young people, local authorities and media outlets, aim to celebrate positive views of young people in the media and proactivity among groups and councils in showing affirmative images of young people.

Since Young People Now commissioned exclusive research from Mori last year, which showed that more than seven in every 10 press stories about young people are negative, and only eight per cent of stories about young people actually quote them, media demonisation has continued apace. The word "hoodie" looks set to replace the word "yob" as the headline-writer's favourite. But there are also plenty of examples of good practice in the media, and that is what these awards hope to highlight.