聽障奧運、媒體行銷與身體文化－聽不見的身體與眾聲喧嘩的媒體與城市

This paper takes Deaflympics in Taipei as an example to investigate relationships between sport, media, city branding and body culture. Deaflympics not only provides space for competitive sport, but also become space which emerge media and political agenda, commercial benefit and city branding. Deaflympics provides opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sports events. However, as a result of media events and political intent, the sports events became an exhibition for media representation that was adapted to city branding and commercial power. The disabled bodies and sports should be the centre of the event, but in reality, city and media have turned the focus to political and economic use resulting in the consequence of cultural element for bodies and sports being put aside. When the voices of bodies cannot be heard due to the wave of noisy media and city branding, itself driven by political and commercial forces, the event may lose its original meaning and become devalued. The media needs to examine its role to reveal disabled athlete's efforts in sport and body culture and their stories of fighting to lift their spirits and throw light on the sport ground. Media should play an active role and become the bridge connecting disabled people to the world and assert their equality and human rights. Disabled athletes ought to be the centre of media coverage. In doing so the media could empower disabled people and sport.