LONDON, June 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Barchester Healthcare, the national care provider for older people, and Counsel and Care, the national charity working with older people, their families and carers to get the best care and support, are calling for journalists to submit their work in a competition looking for positive examples of media coverage relating to older people and their care and support.

The Older People in the Media Awards 2010 will recognise individuals and/or organisations for positively portraying older people, their carers, and the contributions that older people make. Entrants will be able to nominate in seven categories with an overall winner then chosen for an eighth award.

Mike Parsons, Chief Executive of Barchester Healthcare said:

We are sponsoring these awards to highlight the positive contribution made by journalists when reporting fairly on issues affecting older people. We hope to encourage journalists, broadcasters, producers, editors and anyone else in the media to think about older people, who are often marginalised by mainstream media

Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, said:

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Barchester Healthcare this year to produce our second Older People in the Media Awards. One of the things that emerged from research for our older people's manifesto was that older people and their carers are concerned about the way that they are portrayed in the media.

This competition once again aims to highlight and celebrate the best examples of coverage of older people and their carers in the media, with a view to influencing journalists to think harder about what they say and write about 'older people' - and to better recognise the immense contribution that older people make to our society. We also want to recognise the important role played by the media in the debate about the future of care in this country.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The closing date for entries is Tuesday 30 June 2010. The awards will be announced at Counsel and Care's Annual Debate, Graham Lecture and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 8 September 2010.

More information and an entry form can be obtained from http://www.counselandcare.org.uk

SOURCE: Barchester Care Homes

CONTACT: Contact: Anna Passingham +44(0)20-7241-8523 (out of hoursCaroline Bernard +44(0)7760-191579)