Mapping current practices, challenges, and opportunities in E2U news: a survey of European organisations (original) (raw)

1 Introduction

“Easy-to-understand language” (E2U) is an umbrella term encompassing different linguistic varieties that aim to enhance comprehensibility [1]. It includes Plain Language and Easy Language (henceforth referred to as PL and EL), as well as any other intermediate varieties. These two varieties share several characteristics and rules. The main difference lies in their purpose, target audiences, and level of simplification. On the one hand, PL is addressed to a broader audience. It is often used in specialised texts, such as legal and institutional communications, and is much closer to standard language. On the other hand, EL is simpler and follows a stricter set of rules, including paralinguistic and visual elements to support understanding. It is particularly intended for persons with cognitive disabilities, be they acquired or congenital, persons with reading difficulties, and language learners [2,3,[4](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR4 "Lindholm, C., Vanhatalo, U.: Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2021). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628

            ")\].

E2U language can be used as an accessibility service in various contexts and across diverse text types and genres, including news. Journalism should provide citizens with the necessary information so that they can act freely and independently. Professionals in the field should take up this mantle and ensure that information is proportionate, understandable, relevant and interesting to addressees [5]. The right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media” is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [6]. Likewise, Article 21 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities establishes that all states parties should guarantee persons with disabilities can exercise this right, encouraging mass media and private entities to provide information and services that are accessible through all means these groups might choose or require [7].

E2U language is one of these means. In this context, the ongoing ENACT project (Easy-to-Understand News for Collaborative Transformation), of which the authors are members, aims to foster transformative change across the European Union by developing E2U news for the web, radio, and television. The two-year project (2024–2026), funded by the European Union through Creative Europe “CREA-CROSS-2024-JOURPART”, involves partners from Austria (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation), Italy (Uniamoci APS), Latvia (Latvia’s Radio), Slovenia (Radio and Television of Slovenia), and Spain (Autonomous University of Barcelona, Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation).

ENACT intends to map the state of the art of E2U news in Europe, promoting exchange among professionals and end users. Moreover, it plans to develop a set of recommendations for E2U journalism and E2U news production. In this context, we designed a survey and distributed it to European broadcasters and other media organisations in several countries with the aim of studying current practices in E2U news production and journalism for the web, radio, and television.

This article presents the results of the survey in an attempt to fulfil this goal and analyse current challenges, needs, and opportunities in E2U journalism. Firstly, we provide an overview of key concepts in the field, focusing on the main obstacles and limitations. We highlight previous research projects and publications that have delved into E2U implementation in various text formats, paving the way for ENACT. This overview is followed by the methodological approach we adopted to design the survey and analyse the data we gathered. We then present and discuss its results, leading to a series of conclusions. We acknowledge shortcomings in our research and suggest future undertakings that will contribute to complementing and contrasting the results of the study.

2 E2U Language and media accessibility

As introduced in Sect. 1, the term “E2U” encompasses different linguistic varieties that aim to enhance comprehensibility, including PL and EL. These two varieties can, in fact, be considered within a complexity-comprehensibility continuum. Within this framework, a variety is considered more comprehensible the simpler it is. EL would be at one end in the spectrum and would imply the highest degree of comprehensibility and simplification, whereas expert language would be at the opposite end. This perspective allows for intermediate varieties, such as Easy Language Plus, which is more perceptible and comprehensible, although not to the same degree as EL [[8](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR8 "Maaß, C.: Easy Language—Plain Language—Easy Language Plus: Balancing Comprehensibility and Acceptability. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2020). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42089

            ")\]. It is closer to PL and, thus, also to standard language.

Although E2U research and standards have seen significant development in recent years, experts in the field are faced with a terminological issue [9]. A wide range of terms are used to refer to different E2U varieties across languages and countries [[4](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR4 "Lindholm, C., Vanhatalo, U.: Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2021). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628

            ")\]. Furthermore, the focus has traditionally been on written texts, strongly linked to the concept of “easy-to-read” (E2R). However, this type of language can be described using the term “Easy Language”, in accordance with ISO/IEC 23859:2023, “as it can be applied not only to written content which is read but also to oral or multimodal content” \[[1](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR1 "ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) ISO/IEC 23859:2023: Information Technology—User interfaces—Requirements and recommendations on making written text easy to read and understand (2023)")\].

There is a lack of systematic E2U research, since it is only at its early stages in many countries [[4](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR4 "Lindholm, C., Vanhatalo, U.: Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2021). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628

            ")\]. Additionally, there is usually not enough research backing up recommendations included in E2U guidelines \[[4](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR4 "Lindholm, C., Vanhatalo, U.: Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2021). 
              https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628
              
            "), [8](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR8 "Maaß, C.: Easy Language—Plain Language—Easy Language Plus: Balancing Comprehensibility and Acceptability. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2020). 
              https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42089
              
            "), [10](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR10 "Gónzalez-Sordé, M., Matamala, A.: Empirical evaluation of easy Language recommendations: a systematic literature review from journal research in Catalan, English, and Spanish. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 23, 1369–1387 (2024). 
              https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-00975-2
              
            ")\]. A literature review focusing on previous research in Catalan, Spanish, and English on EL guidelines revealed that, although there was empirical evidence for some recommendations, findings were neither conclusive nor generalisable \[[10](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR10 "Gónzalez-Sordé, M., Matamala, A.: Empirical evaluation of easy Language recommendations: a systematic literature review from journal research in Catalan, English, and Spanish. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 23, 1369–1387 (2024). 
              https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-00975-2
              
            ")\].

Research to date on E2U has primarily focused on written formats. Nonetheless, a few initiatives have investigated the possibility of implementing and studying these language varieties in other formats. The integration of E2U in several traditional audiovisual accessibility services, taking into account that they are inherently multimodal and intersemiotic, has been considered to generate hybrid “easy” accessible formats [11,12,13]. In the same vein, different publications have explored E2U implementation in various accessibility services, such as subtitles [14,15,16,[17](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR17 "Oncins, E., Bernabé-Caro, R., Montagut, M., Anaíz-Uzquiza, V.: Accessible scenic arts and virtual reality: a pilot study in user preferences when reading subtitles in immersive environments. MonTI: Monogr. De Trad E Interpret. 12, 214–241 (2020). https://doi.org/10.6035/MonTI.2020.12.07

            ")\], live subtitles \[[18](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR18 "Eugeni, C., Rotz, A.: The communication project: proposal to ease written communication in international contexts. In: Conferenze del Congresso INTERSTENO di Berlino (2017)")\], audio description \[[19](#ref-CR19 "Arias-Badia, B., Matamala, A.: Audio description from an easy-to-understand perspective: a corpus-based study in Catalan. Jostrans: J. Spec. Transl. 40, 268–296 (2023)"),[20](#ref-CR20 "Arias-Badia, B., Matamala, A.: Audio description meets easy-to-read and plain language: results from a questionnaire and a focus group in Catalonia. Z. für Katalanistik. 33, 251–270 (2020)"),[21](#ref-CR21 "Pujadas-Farreras, M., Matamala, A. (forthcoming) Creation and translation of audiovisual content in oral easy-to-understand language (eds.): insights from interviews with professionals. Hermeneus: Rev. de Trad. e Interpret 27"),[22](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR22 "Taylor, C., Perego, E.: New approaches to accessibility and audio description in museum environments. In: Braun, S., Starr, K. (eds.) Innovation in Audio Description Research, pp. 33–54. Routledge, London (2021)")\], and live interpreting \[[23](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR23 "Nahón-Guillén, M.: Simultaneous simplification. Commun. J. 76 (2020)"), [24](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR24 "Schultz, R., Degenhardt, J., Czerner-Nicolas, K.: Easy Language interpreting. In: Hansen-Schirra, S., Maaß, C. (eds.) Easy Language Research: Text and User Perspectives, pp. 163–178. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2020)")\].

The possibility of applying E2U language to audiovisual services has also been looked at considering a series of key parameters that are related to its feasibility. It should be considered whether the audiovisual text can be scripted directly in an E2U variety or this component can be added to the original text. Moreover, it should be taken into account whether this addition is planned from the start, following a born-accessible approach. The term “born-accessible” is strictly linked to the concept “design for all”, which is defined under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as “the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design” [7]. Thus, a born-accessible approach should ensure the final product is accessible for everyone from the design stage and ideally involve end users from the start. Finally, text genre and addressees also play a significant role. Attention should be paid to whether the content is fictional or non-fictional, and whether it is aimed at children or adults [25].

Admittedly, E2U integration can be hindered by different aspects, such as acceptability, which is a major issue, especially in aesthetic texts [26]. If we look at multimodal content, medial restrictions, such as time constraints, are an added obstacle. E2U integration does not seem feasible for some accessibility services, be it for acceptability issues, technical constraints, or each service’s characteristics and associated expectations from addressees [25]. When it comes to journalism and news in particular, its implementation also poses some problems and might meet resistance, as E2U may go against accuracy, a key principle closely related to other journalistic values, such as factuality and reliability [[27](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR27 "Porlezza, C.: Accuracy in journalism. In: Nussbaum, J. (ed.) Oxford Research Encyclopaedia of Communication. Oxford University Press (2019). https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.773

            ")\]. Using E2U to enhance comprehensibility may, therefore, have a detrimental effect on users’ and journalists’ perception. There is certainly a stigma attached to these varieties, as they might be considered a threat to standard language and an attack on culture \[[28](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR28 "Bredel, U., Maaß, C.: Easy Language. In: Maaß, C., Rink, I. (eds.) Handbook of Accessible Communication, pp. 241–260. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2024)")\].

There are also some projects that have investigated E2U beyond written formats. Some of the aforementioned studies [13, 21] are linked to the ongoing WEL project (From written to oral texts in Easy Language: easy audios in cultural visits and video games), which focuses on E2U oral language [[29](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR29 "WEL project: (2023–2026) WEL (From written to oral texts in easy language: Easy audios in cultural visits and video games). https://webs.uab.cat/wel/en/

            ")\]. It aims to analyse its characteristics, map current practices, and explore how E2U audio formats can be produced and used in cultural visits and videogames.

Two notable European initiatives in this area are the projects SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion) and EASIT (Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training). The ERASMUS + project SELSI mapped current practices and end users’ perception and needs regarding spoken easy language, an underexplored field [[30](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR30 "SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion): Mapping end-users’ needs and professionals’ strategies. Project report. (2023). www.selsi.eu

            ")\]. Considering the data they gathered, they developed and tested specific guidelines for spoken easy language \[[31](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR31 "SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion): Selsi guidelines for spoken easy language (2024). 
              www.selsi.eu
              
            "), [32](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR32 "SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion): Testing the guidelines. Project report. (2024). 
              www.selsi.eu
              
            ")\]. Similarly, EASIT analysed current E2U practices in the European Union and found potential areas of need and improvement \[[33](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR33 "EASIT (Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training): Intellectual Output 1—Final Report. Project report. (2019). 
              https://webs.uab.cat/easit/en/
              
            ")\]. It also designed a series of recommendations to produce E2U audiovisual information \[[34](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR34 "EASIT (Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training): Intellectual Output 2—Final Report. Project report. (2019). 
              https://webs.uab.cat/easit/en/
              
            ")\]. The main output of the project was an online platform containing comprehensive, introductory training materials to equip professionals with the necessary knowledge to work in the field \[[35](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR35 "EASIT (Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training): EASIT. (2021). 
              https://transmediacatalonia.uab.cat/easit/
              
            ")\]. It consists of several units that deal with a wide array of topics, from media accessibility in general and E2U concepts, legislation and guidelines, to its integration in different services, including E2U audio description, E2U subtitling, and E2U journalism and news.

The ENACT project and the study presented in this article are inspired by these collaborative efforts. We wish to further develop E2U implementation and research in different formats and distribution channels. Even though the focus has mainly been on written news, a large market exists for this type of services [25].

3 Methods

To conduct our research, we followed a methodological approach with several steps. These include survey design and distribution, and the subsequent analysis process.

3.1 Survey design and distribution

Firstly, a draft of the survey was designed and shared with project partners, who provided comments. Suggestions were then addressed at an online project meeting for open, effective discussion. Partners reached an agreement on the necessary changes. They were mostly related to terminology, which was unified, and aimed to improve efficiency and presentation, and to avoid potential misinterpretations. For example, it was decided that no additional questions to those in the draft version would be included in order to facilitate the task for respondents. Instead, they could use the box for open comments at the end of most sections to provide further information or any clarification.

The final version of the survey consisted of 77 questions, which were organised into nine sections: (a) Identification and profile, (b) Offer, (c) Legislation, (d) Languages and recommendations, (e) News selection, (f) Audience, (g) Professionals and workflows, (h) Funding and promotion, and (i) Challenges and future plans.

While questions were written in English, respondents were given the possibility of having them translated and being guided through the process, in agreement with E2U principles. Access to the survey was granted via Microsoft Forms. This platform facilitated distribution and sped up the subsequent analysis stage, since it can provide a summary of the most relevant, common answers to each question and create statistics from participants’ replies, such as percentages and the number of respondents that select a given option.

The survey was distributed through relevant contacts by project partners. Even though broadcasting organisations were prioritised, partners also contacted associations working with persons with disabilities that might produce E2U news, with the objective of getting a more comprehensive picture of current E2U practices. In total, 49 organisations were directly contacted to ask for their participation. Conversely, European broadcasting organisations were reached through the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the International Cooperative for Research and Action on the Field of Communication (CIRCOM), the association of European regional public service television stations.

The survey was designed and disseminated in accordance with the current ethical procedures outlined by Orero et al. [[36](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR36 "Orero, P., Doherty, S., Kruger, J.L., Matamala, A., Pedersen, J., Perego, E., Romero-Fresco, P., Rovira-Esteva, S., Soler-Vilageliu, O., Szarkowska, A.: Conducting experimental research in audiovisual translation (AVT): A position paper. JAT: J. Audiov. Transl. 30, 105–126 (2018). https://doi.org/10.26034/cm.jostrans.2018.198

            ")\]. Additionally, our research was granted approval by the Autonomous University of Barcelona’s ethical committee.

3.2 Analysis process and respondents’ profile

Respondents had a month to access and complete the survey, between January and February 2025. It was then closed, and a copy of the data was created and stored as an Excel file to ensure their preservation and facilitate their processing.

Initially, a total of 43 responses was obtained. However, three organisations replied twice to the survey. Thus, responses were merged in these cases. In addition, data from one participant was disregarded, as their answers were difficult to understand without additional contextualisation and were not aligned with the questions. Therefore, the final number of valid responses was 39. A complete list of participants organised alphabetically by country can be found in “Appendix A”.

Two distinct groups completed the survey: (a) European broadcasting organisations and media, which amount to 27 respondents (69%) and (b) Associations working with persons with disabilities, which amount to 12 participants (31%). Respondents’ place of origin was more diverse. They come from a total of 20 European countries, 15 of which are part of the European Union. Spain is the country with most participants (15), followed by Austria (4). Together they represent 48% of all responses. Finally, concerning the respondents’ role at their organisation, they work in fields such as accessibility and diversity, communication and public relations, or news creation.

4 Results

The findings from the survey are grouped into nine categories, mirroring sections b) to i) in the questionnaire, which have been outlined in Sect. 3.1. Data on “Identification and profile”, which includes respondents’ job roles, the type of organisation they work for, and their country of origin, is excluded, as it has already been presented in Sect. 3.2. The results have been included as part of an official project report [37]. It is available on ENACT’s website and can be consulted for further information, including references to participant organisations’ E2U news offer, legal frameworks they abide by, and specific guidelines they follow, among other data.

4.1 Offer

Participants were asked several questions related to offer, mainly whether they provided E2U news. Respondents described their current E2U news provision in terms of length, formats, and distribution channels, and explained their plans for the future implementation of this accessibility service.

4.1.1 Overview of E2U offer and implementation

A total of 25 out of 39 survey respondents stated they offer E2U content. However, our analysis and further consultation with organisations revealed three of them do not actually produce E2U news. These are Spanish regional broadcasting organisations Canarian Radio and Television and the Public Radio and Television Entity of the Balearic Islands, and Slovak Television and Radio. The information they provided in subsequent questions was not considered, since the rest of the survey focused on organisations that offer E2U content, which amounts to 22 (56%). They are 13 broadcasting and media organisations and 9 associations working with persons with disabilities.

Only six organisations (43%) that do not provide E2U news plan to in the future. Most of them (83%) are broadcasting and media organisations. Reasons for not envisaging the possibility include insufficient resources, a lack of knowledge, and a conservative journalistic stand. Some organisations provide details on this future implementation. For instance, the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation might offer the day’s most relevant news on its website and produce a bulletin presented by people belonging to target groups. The Spanish Broadcasting Corporation intends to create a simplified version of its daily news programme, which would be aimed at persons with cognitive disabilities, while the French production company France.tv Studio wants to design a fully accessible E2U magazine. Finally, Accaparlante Social Cooperative, an Italian organisation working with different groups, including persons with disabilities, indicated it is currently designing a local newsletter that will contain both news in EL and PL.

Regarding formats and channels considered for implementation, data shows that audiovisual formats (56%) are the most popular, followed by written (33%) and audio formats (11%). In relation to distribution, the web (50%) stands out, followed by streaming platforms (25%), linear television (17%), and the radio (8%). There seems to be no considerable difference between broadcasters and organisations working with persons with disabilities in terms of distribution channels and formats.

In comparison, organisations currently offering E2U news seem to prefer written formats (54%), followed by audiovisual (27%) and audio formats (19%). The web (91%) stands out clearly as a distribution channel, followed by the radio and streaming platforms (27%), with linear television (14%) coming last. The fact that written formats lead the list and are the second most popular choice for those considering E2U implementation suggests the focus is still on this type of texts and it is a prevailing trend. A summary of the data on formats and distribution channels is presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Formats and distribution channels for E2U news

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Data on E2U implementation at organisations aligns with the development of E2U language in general as an emerging field. Although only a few respondents provide concrete dates, results suggest there is no considerable difference from one distribution channel or format to another. Regardless of the platform, most organisations started offering E2U news in the last five years, with a few implementations dating back to the late 2010’s. The Finnish Broadcasting Company is an exception. It states it started offering E2U news in Finnish in 1992, while its offer in Swedish started in 2019. This data is corroborated by previous research that highlights E2U is a well-established practice in the Nordic countries, where several cooperative initiatives have been undertaken [3, 38, 39].

4.1.2 E2U news provision across Europe

Although not all respondents provided concrete information on their E2U offer, data suggests it is diverse and varies depending on the organisation. If we look at Baltic countries, Latvia’s Radio stands out. It is the country’s public radio organisation, part of Latvia’s Media Corporation, and provides daily E2U news in Latvian on its trademark radio station. The same items are later broadcast on the organisation’s Russian-speaking station and transcriptions are made available on the organisation’s official website. This is a pioneering initiative in a country where E2U language in the media had little or no development a few years ago [40]. In contrast, the Independent Living Association, which works with persons with disabilities in Lithuania, offers written news on the website Skaityk lengvai (Read easily in Lithuanian).

As far as the Nordic countries are concerned, the Finnish Broadcasting Company is experienced, as it has been offering E2U content for over three decades. It currently provides news both in audio and audiovisual formats. It produces 5-minute news radio programmes both in Finnish and Swedish. The first is broadcast on weekends, while the latter is circulated on weekdays. Moreover, it offers another 5-minute audiovisual news programme in Finnish on weekdays. Its whole offer is available both on its website and on its streaming platform, Yle Areena.

On the flip side, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, Norway’s public broadcasting organisation, includes a summary of its long articles that is easier to understand on its website. Additionally, it has a section of news addressed to migrant groups that offers information about life in Norway and focuses on video formats, which include subtitles in several languages: Arabic, Dari, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian.

Organisations from Mediterranean countries are prominent in the survey. For example, the Italian association Uniamoci ASP first offered a 5-minute E2U news programme. Now it provides a longer, more educational programme lasting from 15 to 20 minutes that is streamed and available on YouTube.

Spanish organisations are particularly prevalent, as already mentioned. The main E2U initiatives in Spanish media have been launched by associations working with persons with disabilities [41]. Plena Inclusión, a Spanish confederation of associations working with persons with disabilities, produces E2U news in three different formats at a national level. It provides written news on its website and radio news about persons with cognitive disabilities in collaboration with the Spanish National Radio, which broadcasts the programme on one of its stations. Additionally, the confederation provides an audiovisual programme on YouTube in collaboration with Servimedia, one of Spain’s prominent news agencies. It is broadcast nine times a year on average and is presented by persons with cognitive disabilities.

Regional organisations are predominant among Spanish participants. For example, Basque Radio and Television, the public broadcasting organisation from the Basque Country, offers a digital news service both in Basque and Spanish. It is intended for a young, mobile-centric audience who prefers quick news consumption, and is particularly designed for mobile platforms such as WhatsApp or Instagram.

If we look at Catalan-speaking regions, the Catalan Down Syndrome Association, on the one hand, offers both written and audiovisual E2U content. Written news is available in its online magazine Èxit21 (Success 21 in Catalan), while audiovisual items can be found on its YouTube channel. Although it produces all types of content, it focuses on its activities and the rights of persons with cognitive disabilities. On the other hand, TEB Cooperative Group, a Catalan association working with persons with cognitive disabilities, is a news provider for both the supermarket chain Veritas and the Catalan newspaper Crític, which offers E2U content every two months. The newspaper publishes between six and nine digital articles a year, which are promoted as part of an E2U newsletter. This content can be found on the organisations’ respective websites.

Similarly to Spanish organisations, participants from German-speaking countries are predominant, and their offer is diverse. Interest in E2U has considerably grown in this part of Europe, particularly in Germany, closely linked to significant research initiatives, such as the Research Centre for Easy Language, founded at the University of Hildesheim [42]. However, E2U media products are still scarce, both in Switzerland and Germany [42, 43].

In Switzerland, the online magazine Infoeasy offers both written and audiovisual E2U content. It provides written news articles in E2U on its website. Moreover, it publishes video interviews and produces wisseneasy (Knowledge easy in German), a series of informative videos where a concept or a term is explained. On the contrary, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, Germany’s second nationwide public channel, has a limited E2U offer. It only produces news about relevant elections, such as German and American elections. This content is available both on its website and its app.

In the Netherlands, the neighbouring country, the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation produces a weekly 8-minute news bulletin that is available on YouTube.

In Austria, another country bordering Switzerland, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation offers a wide variety of E2U news in written, audio, and audiovisual formats, and collaborates with several organisations. Its E2U offer is available either on its website or its on-demand streaming platform.

Its written news selection consists of five news articles, which are published daily on its website and produced by the Austrian Press Agency in collaboration with the inclusive editorial team Inklusive Lehrredaktion. Inklusive Lehrredaktion collaborates writing both short and long articles, the latter addressing cultural topics. The association LebensGroß GmbH’s inclusive editorial team also produces written articles for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, in addition to the newspaper Kleine Zeitung.

The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation’s radio offer is more diverse. A weekly news programme, Einfach! Wichtig! (Easy! Important! in German), airs on Sundays on the station Radio Wien, whereas all the organisation’s regional studios produce a daily news overview. Both Inklusive Lehrredaktion and LebensGroß GmbH collaborate with the organisation working on radio programmes that are offered on some of its radio stations. The first produces the short, monthly programme Einfach Erklärt (Explained Easily), while the latter offers a weekly overview called Die Woche in Einfacher Sprache (The Week in Easy Language).

Finally, The Austrian Broadcasting Organisation also produces a 5-minute audiovisual news overview called Nachrichter in Einfacher Sprache (News in Easy Language). It is broadcast on weekdays.

In Slovenia, Austria’s neighbouring country, the situation is also encouraging. Although its tradition of E2U language is not as long as that of other European countries, it has experienced notable growth and rising recognition in recent years [44]. Radio and Television of Slovenia offers two to three written E2U news items daily, on weekdays. In early 2025, it started producing one daily piece of news in audiovisual format. All its content is available on its website.

4.2 Legislation

Participants were asked to indicate whether they are legally obliged to provide E2U news. 15 out of 22 respondents stated they are not, which represents 68%. Respondents who indicated they are obliged are mostly broadcasting and media organisations (86%). Their answers reveal they are bound by different legal frameworks, ranging from their own institutional rules and regional laws to national laws.

Although some participants pointed out state institutions are progressively required to use an easier language to ensure accessibility, our data suggests there is much room for improvement at broadcasting and media organisations in this respect. Most legal frameworks provided by respondents do not include any specific E2U requirements and, when they do, broadcasters do not usually need to meet them.

The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation is a notable exception. It must abide by the Federal Act on Austrian Broadcasting, commonly known as ORF Act [45]. In accordance with its latest version, published in May 2025, the public broadcaster must continuously and gradually increase its accessible audiovisual content, including E2U language. It is currently obliged to offer at least one news programme in E2U language daily.

4.3 Languages and recommendations

Participants were asked to specify in which language(s) they offer E2U content. They also indicated which term they use to refer to it and whether they follow any guidelines. Regarding European languages, a total of 15 are represented: Basque, Catalan, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Slovene, Spanish, and Swedish. Some organisations offer E2U news in two languages. This is the case for many Spanish organisations in regions where there is a co-official language (Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia), but also for the Finnish Broadcasting Company, which offers content in Finnish and Swedish; both are official in Finland. Finally, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s E2U service for migrants provides videos in Norwegian with subtitles in Arabic, Dari, Tigrinya, and Ukrainian, as noted in Sect. 4.1.2.

As far as the terminology organisations use to refer to their E2U content is concerned (see Table 2), “easy language” is the most common term (55%), followed by “plain language” (18%). The same number of respondents (18%) use both terms. Additional information provided by participants showed many organisations that chose the option “easy language” actually refer to the term “easy-to-read” in their comments, with a focus on written content. They are mostly organisations working with persons with disabilities. This term is also used by some respondents who selected the option “Other”, in addition to “easy-to-understand”. Finally, organisations allude to the differences in the degree of simplification between PL and EL and their requirements to explain why they use one term or the other.

Table 2 Terms used by organisations to describe their E2U offer

Full size table

As regards recommendations for creating news in E2U news, most organisations (86%) follow guidelines. Respondents provide diverse references, ranging from European and national guidelines to internal guidelines and recommendations provided by other organisations. Several participants refer to E2R guidelines specifically and many indicate they resort to different sets of rules that may be complementary.

Radio and Television of Slovenia is a clear example: They use Inclusion Europe’s recommendations, along with SELSI’s guidelines for spoken EL [[31](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR31 "SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion): Selsi guidelines for spoken easy language (2024). www.selsi.eu

            "), [46](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR46 "Inclusion Europe: Information for All: European standards for making information easy to read and understand (2021)")\]. This is probably due to the fact that Inclusion Europe focuses on written formats and SELSI’s guidelines can be complementary for aural and audiovisual content production. However, the organisation adapts these rules to ensure accuracy and uses a less simplified language when it is not possible to strictly follow all EL guidelines. These adaptations are supported by research and consultation with target groups. The respondent provided an example, referring to modifications in the way statistics and large numbers are addressed. Results from the study backing up these adaptations are publicly available \[[47](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR47 "Tomažin, A.: Large numbers and statistics in Easy Language news. In: Deilen S, Hansen-Schirra S, Hernández-Garrido S, Maaß C, Tardel A, (eds.) Emerging Fields in Easy Language and Accessible Communication Research, pp. 53–78. Frank and Timme (2023) ")\].

Concerning participants who indicated they do not follow any guidelines, all of them agree it would be useful. They mention it would be particularly helpful to raise awareness among professionals in journalism and avoid subjectivity.

Even though organisations either follow some type of E2U recommendations or are willing to, results confirm they resort to different guidelines. It hints that there is still a need for unification and a common standard for creating E2U content, which can be adapted to the specificities of journalistic genres and different languages.

4.4 News selection

Participants selected the type of E2U news they produce, both thematically and in terms of geographical scope. Different options were considered for geographical scope: “Local News”, “National News”, “European News”, and “World News”. As can be seen in Table 3, national news (30%) was most prominent, followed by local news and world news (26% each), and European news (19%).

Table 3 E2U news offer by geographical scope

Full size table

Our data suggests that national broadcasting organisations are more likely to produce all types of news, whereas organisations working with persons with disabilities, particularly regional ones, focus on local news. However, two broadcasters, the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation and the Finnish Broadcasting Company, clarify they prioritise national news. Conversely, data from regional media organisations is more varied. Contrary to regional associations working with persons with disabilities, they do not seem to have a preference for local news, which suggests associations and broadcasters prioritise news differently in terms of geographical scope.

As regards news in terms of topics, seven options were included: “Politics”, “Economics”, “Sports”, “Culture”, “Entertainment”, “Science”, “Health”, and “Other”. The percentage for each category is presented in Table 4.

Table 4 E2U news offer by topic

Full size table

In this case, results do not indicate any significant differences depending on the organisations’ profile. However, participants did provide other topics they address. They are varied and range from feminism, law, ecology, and nature to educational tips and help, cultural news, and recipes. News and information about disabilities are also included among these topics, particularly at associations working with persons with disabilities, which usually inform members about their activities.

4.5 Audience

Respondents were asked to specify the targets groups for which they produce E2U news, as well as whether they gather feedback. Moreover, they provided figures for their audience reach.

As far as target groups are concerned, participants could choose one or more of the following options: “Persons with cognitive disabilities”, “Persons with learning disabilities/disorders”, “Persons with reading difficulties”, “Language learners”, “Migrants”, and “Other”. Data implies that traditional E2U target audiences still stand out (see Table 5), with persons with cognitive disabilities (24%), learning disabilities (23%), and reading difficulties (20%) being the groups organisations cater for the most. This is especially the case for some associations working with persons with disabilities.

However, several participants stress that other target audiences can benefit as well, in line with what Maaß proposes [[8](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR8 "Maaß, C.: Easy Language—Plain Language—Easy Language Plus: Balancing Comprehensibility and Acceptability. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2020). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42089

            ")\]. According to respondents, these could include older people, children, blue-collar workers, the youth, and people who do not speak the language well, besides migrants (15%) and language learners (14%). Other participants also acknowledge that traditional target groups are heterogenous. This suggests that organisations are aware of the potential of E2U language and diversity within target groups.

Table 5 E2U news target groups

Full size table

In relation to feedback from the audience, results indicate that only 13 out of 22 participants (59%) gather it. They correspond to seven broadcasting and media organisations and six organisations working with persons with disabilities. Those who do not gather feedback refer to a lack of resources and limitations because of how organisations are structured. Some organisations indicate they do not do it regularly for similar reasons. Means through which feedback is collected include, but are not limited to, surveys, interaction with the audience on social media, customer service and consultation, and cooperation with target groups or language experts.

Regarding the audience reach of organisations, results are diverse. Most respondents provide approximate figures, while others admit they do not know or have no way to measure it. Their audience reach sometimes varies greatly depending on the product or the platform where it is distributed. Despite these limitations, our study shows there is a considerable difference between associations working with persons with disabilities and broadcasting and media organisations. The former have a much lower audience reach in general. For instance, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation’s audiovisual news programme has about 48,000 viewers per episode. Similarly, around 310,000 people listen to Latvia’s Radio’s E2U content. In contrast, Uniamoci APS only reaches 15 to 30 people, whereas the Catalan Down Syndrome Association’s E2U magazine, Èxit21, has up to 150 monthly readers on average. This is probably because they have fewer means of promotion and distribution. Moreover, their content is exclusively addressed to current members.

Plena Inclusión is an exception. It produces Planeta Fácil, a news programme about persons with disabilities, in collaboration with the Spanish National Radio. Its audience reach is much higher, at around 150,000 listeners. However, this is likely because the programme is broadcast by the leading public media organisation in Spain.

4.6 Professionals and workflows

Organisations were asked to describe different aspects of their workflows, from E2U news creation and validation processes to their professionals’ expertise in E2U language and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

4.6.1 E2U news production processes and training

When asked about creation processes, 18 out of 22 organisations (82%) stated they adapt already existing news items instead of producing them from scratch, following a non-born accessible approach.

Despite the low percentage of organisations following a born-accessible approach drawn from our preliminary data analysis, further examination revealed that three organisations follow both approaches. They adapt existing news or produce them ex novo, depending on the product or platform. These are Crític, a Catalan-language newspaper; the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, and Infoeasy. In this regard, we acknowledge a shortcoming in the survey, since this question did not allow for multiple option selection.

Journalists and communication technicians are responsible for news creation and adaptation at most organisations. Few of them have staff working exclusively on this type of content. Similarly, only eight respondents (35%) state target groups are involved at this first stage. These are mostly organisations working with persons with disabilities, where target groups are supervised by fellow workers. They participate in different ways, such as writing the news, which are then revised by supervisors, suggesting and selecting topics or conducting interviews.

Concerning validation, the percentage is higher. In the survey, validation was defined as a task in which end users assess E2U content to confirm it can be understood. In this case, 12 out of the 19 organisations (63%) that answered the question state they involve target audiences. There seems to be no significant difference between broadcasters and organisations working with persons with disabilities when it comes to this later stage in news production. Production processes at organisations can generally be divided into four phases: (1) topic selection, (2) creation/adaptation, (3) revision/validation, (4) final check, sending, and publication.

Organisations that do not include target groups in creation or validation processes argue they do not have enough resources and refer to tight deadlines in news production. However, there seems to be a willingness to change this in the future, since several participants claim they plan to contact them and involve them in the process.

In relation to training, only one organisation said its staff working on E2U news has not received any, but agrees it would be useful, whereas three participants answered they do not know, as can be seen in Table 6. The remaining 18 participants stated their professionals have undergone some type of training, ranging from opportunities offered by other organisations and internal training with experts to bibliography and guidelines consultation, university courses, and collaboration with target groups and specialists. Some respondents simply mentioned their personnel has years of experience in the field, without providing further information.

Table 6 Organisations that state their professionals have received E2U training

Full size table

4.6.2 AI and technological support

The last part of the section was dedicated to professional and production processes. It included questions about the use and implementation of AI and technological tools in workflows. As regards AI, 10 organisations (53%) out of 19 organisations that answered the question claimed they use it. These correspond to five broadcasting and media organisations and five organisations working with persons with disabilities. Data on future implementation suggests some resistance, as most organisations (75%) that do not currently use AI do not plan to include it. In this case, there seems to be no significant difference between broadcasters and organisations working with persons with disabilities. Some of the reasons they give are the need for specific training, the complexity of E2U news production, and the lack of financial resources. Reticence is also illustrated by a comment made by one participant, who said they believe in the ability of their professionals to do their work without these tools.

Despite this, our analysis shows organisations seem to have an overall positive view of AI. Although they are aware of its limitations and express the need for continuous testing and research, as well as for AI-generated output to be reviewed by professionals, they deem it could be useful. Organisations that already include it in their workflows provide some examples of its applicability. Our findings align with suggestions made by academia: In an age where AI is ubiquitous, technological tools can be used to automatically simplify texts or assist professionals in the writing process [[48](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR48 "Matamala, A.: Llenguatges Entenedors: Del Llenguatge fàcil al Llenguatge Planer En textos escrits i orals. J. Lang. Law. 82, 12–29 (2024). https://doi.org/10.58992/rld.i82.2024.4293

            ")\]. Additionally, it is used as support to search and summarise information, identify mistakes, provide explanations of words to facilitate understanding, and transcribe interviews. By the same token, those planning to include AI think it may help speed up the creation process, enabling them to increase their offer.

Some organisations stress more research is needed to ascertain whether AI is effective in simplifying or even creating E2U news. For instance, Infoeasy is testing its efficiency, since it has not noticed a significant improvement in terms of speed in its workflow. Similarly, Radio and Television of Slovenia is currently testing whether it could be used in a born-accessible approach not only to simplify content, but to create the first draft version of news items.

4.7 Funding and promotion

Participants were asked to provide information on several aspects related to funding and promotion. The survey suggests there is a notable lack of funding, as well as funding strategies and opportunities. Out of 22 organisations, 12 (55%) stated they do not have a specific budged for E2U news creation. Out of the remaining ten, seven are broadcasting and media organisations. Similarly, only six participants (27%) said they receive funding for this purpose. In this case, four of them are associations.

The percentage of organisations that fund this type of content through collaboration with other organisations is slightly higher, at 36%. It corresponds to four broadcasters and four associations working with persons with disabilities. Collaboration is diverse: Some associations work with other associations, while others collaborate with broadcasting and media organisations or news agencies. Some broadcasting organisations also work together. This is the case for the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation, whose E2U project is financed by Dutch Public Broadcasting.

Numbers on promotion are much higher, with 19 out of 22 organisations (86%) promoting E2U content in different ways. As shown in Table 7, promotion through target groups (38%) is at the top of the list, followed by public speech (26%) and advertisement (21%). Other means and channels include the organisations’ own websites, written reports and press releases, surveys, social media, and collaboration with associations.

Table 7 Means through which organisations promote E2U news

Full size table

Although most organisations promote E2U news, 19 out of 22 respondents (86%) consider more promotion is needed. They mention the need for better interaction with target groups so that they know about the services that are available for them. Similar comments are made about funding. Several participants stress the importance of receiving public funding or raising funds, and regret not having enough resources.

4.8 Challenges and future plans

In the last section of the survey, respondents described the main challenges when creating E2U news. They were also asked whether they envisage increasing their E2U offer and how they plan to do it.

Among obstacles, respondents addressed difficulties when trying to strike a balance between key journalistic principles and simplification. They mentioned it is complicated to maintain accuracy, credibility, richness of information, and audience engagement while also ensuring accessibility. This is a major challenge that has been highlighted in research. Guaranteeing inclusion and visibility of primary target groups, such as persons with cognitive disabilities, could paradoxically have the opposite effect. It may contribute to stigmatisation, deterring secondary target groups and hampering progress [[8](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR8 "Maaß, C.: Easy Language—Plain Language—Easy Language Plus: Balancing Comprehensibility and Acceptability. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2020). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/42089

            ")\].

Regarding engagement, participants stressed the importance of considering that target audiences are extremely diverse and might require varying levels of simplification. This implies that a universal approach might not be effective. Additionally, some target groups may not have enough knowledge or access to new digital platforms. This digital gap needs to be overcome, according to respondents.

The lack of awareness and regular contact with target groups is also emphasised. According to participants, both audiences and professionals within organisations should be aware of the value of E2U content. This would help tackle stigmatisation and engage media organisations in accessibility and E2U language advocacy.

Participants mention different constraints along with these issues. Time and funding stand out. Respondents also mention linguistic and format constraints, such as the difficulty to adapt figures and long or compound words, and the need to consider additional aspects in spoken news, such as voice, tone, and pace. Other obstacles include the lack of specific training in E2U language, the need for specialised personnel to work exclusively on this type of content, and the unpredictability of legislative changes, which might affect workflows and E2U offer. By the same token, respondents indicate there is a lack of clear guidelines, in line with the findings presented in Sect. 4.3.

Regarding the future of E2U news in Europe, our analysis suggests offer is expected to grow, with 16 out of 22 participants (73%) stating they plan to increase their content. These are eight broadcasting and media organisations, seven organisations working with persons with disabilities, and Terrassa’s City Hall, a local governmental institution in Terrassa, a city in Catalonia, Spain. Once more, lack of funding seems to be among the main reasons why other organisations indicate they have not considered the possibility.

Those who provide more information on their plans refer to different ways to further develop their E2U offer. These do not only include increasing their content but also conducting research and collaborating with target groups to improve quality and add variety. According to one respondent, this might imply a greater degree of simplification/adaptation to ensure the language used is not too difficult to comprehend.

Designing campaigns to reach the audience and other broadcasting and media organisations, as well as engaging target groups in general are also mentioned. Likewise, making E2U news a strategic goal at organisations could help cope with everyday challenges, according to one participant.

5 Conclusions

Through the survey presented in this article, we were able to study and outline current practices and strategies in E2U journalism for the web, radio, and television in Europe. We designed and distributed a survey to gather data on E2U news offer, production processes, and obstacles that need to be overcome.

We acknowledge our study has several shortcomings. Admittedly, we might have obtained more responses had the survey been shorter. It contained a considerable number of sections and questions, which might have discouraged potential respondents from participating. As explained in “Methods”, it was decided that no additions would be made to the survey, as we thought a lengthier survey may have had a detrimental impact on our research and the desired outcome. We tried to strike a balance between our research needs and the time participants might be able to devote to the task. Our aim was to obtain as much information as possible without compromising data quality.

It must also be noted that the amount of data gathered differed greatly from organisation to organisation. This means there is an imbalance in terms of both quantitative and qualitative data, as some participants provided thorough explanations and additional comments, whereas others tended to keep their answers short and less informative. We are inclined to believe the length of the survey and participants’ time might have contributed to it.

Likewise, we recognise that respondents’ place of origin could be more diverse to fully reflect current E2U practices and challenges across Europe. The results we have presented in this article reflect only the data gathered from the survey, which means there may be more organisations offering E2U news that did not complete it. The fact that nearly half of all participant organisations are either Spanish or Austrian might be a limitation in this respect. However, the information they provide is no less significant for this reason and contributes to our main goal.

Despite these limitations, we obtained a total of 39 valid responses, both from broadcasting and media organisations, and associations working with persons with disabilities. Their responses provide a broad overview of the current state of the art of E2U news across the continent.

Most participant organisations offer E2U news. Concerning those that do not, the majority do not plan to include this service, mainly due to a lack of resources and knowledge. Results suggest that the focus is still on written texts, which is currently the most common format in the E2U offer. Although it is the second most popular choice among organisations that want to implement the service, they show a greater preference for audiovisual formats. Regarding distribution platforms, the web is the most common choice for both groups. Streaming platforms come in second for those planning to produce E2U news, which suggests there is a preference for non-traditional media platforms.

Participants who state that they are legally obliged to produce E2U content are a minority; guidelines vary greatly across countries and organisations. Moreover, most legal frameworks do not include specific E2U requirements. As regards the type of news organisations produce, national topics are the most common ones in terms of geographical scope, whereas politics, culture, and entertainment are prominent topics. With respect to the audience, traditional target groups, such as persons with cognitive disabilities, still stand out among participant organisations, which seem to cater for them in particular. However, awareness of the fact that other target audiences can also benefit from E2U seems to be growing.

In line with findings from previous projects [[30](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR30 "SELSI (Spoken Easy Language for Social Inclusion): Mapping end-users’ needs and professionals’ strategies. Project report. (2023). www.selsi.eu

            "), [33](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR33 "EASIT (Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training): Intellectual Output 1—Final Report. Project report. (2019). 
              https://webs.uab.cat/easit/en/
              
            ")\], contact and feedback from target groups seem to be considered important, since a large majority of organisations that completed the survey collect it in some way. Yet, most organisations do not involve target groups in content creation, compared to the validation process, for which results are more encouraging. Similarly to data on target group involvement in news creation, responses about production processes hint that most organisations follow a non-born accessible approach, as the vast majority adapt existing content rather than producing it _ex novo_.

Concerning the use of AI, our results suggest organisations are reticent about implementing it in the future. Those that already include it in their workflows refer to several ways in which it might be helpful; namely to assist professionals in writing or adapting processes. Although their view on AI tools is mostly positive, they express some concerns and highlight their limitations.

As far as expertise is concerned, an overwhelming majority of participants state professionals at their organisations have received some type of training, and all of those who state the opposite believe it would be useful. Despite this, respondents identify the lack of specific training and E2U experts as one of the main challenges that needs to be addressed. Something similar has been observed regarding E2U content promotion: Although most organisations promote it, the majority of participants think more effort is necessary.

Other key challenges include the lack of awareness among professionals and audiences, and the need for clear and consistent guidelines, as well as regular collaboration and contact with target groups. Participants also mention the difficulty to strike a balance between accessibility and simplification, and journalistic principles, such as accuracy, while also keeping audiences engaged. Funding seems to be another major limitation, since only a minority of organisations have a specific budget for E2U news production and most do not receive any funding.

Our study shows that knowledge and interest in E2U is growing among European organisations that produce news. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement. Although awareness is necessary, the next step should be for these services to be accessible from the start, involving target groups, in line with a born-accessible approach [49]. As Lindholm and Vanhatalo [[4](/article/10.1007/s10209-025-01273-9#ref-CR4 "Lindholm, C., Vanhatalo, U.: Handbook of Easy Languages in Europe. Frank and Timme, Berlin (2021). https://doi.org/10.26530/20.500.12657/52628

            ")\] argue, we believe that European-wide cooperation is the way forward to tackle current challenges. This study is our way to contribute to research on this underexplored topic. We hope to inspire fellow researchers to do their share and help propel E2U forward.

In the future, we intend to conduct further research to obtain a more comprehensive, detailed picture of E2U news in Europe. This study was based on the data provided by survey respondents. On the one hand, we expect to do field work and visit some of the participant organisations to gather additional information. On the other hand, we would like to carry out a systematic analysis of participant organisations’ news offer to determine whether it truly meets the recommendations outlined in E2U guidelines.

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