Last updated: 12 June 2026
1. About this website
Bower News is a website operated by the MA Journalism programme at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). It is used to publish student journalism and course-related content in a public-facing environment.
We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website, regardless of technology, ability or access need.
2. Our commitment to accessibility
We are committed to making Bower News accessible and usable for as many people as possible.
This means, for example, that users should be able to:
- navigate most of the website using a keyboard;
- zoom in without the text becoming unusable;
- use assistive technology such as a screen reader to access content; and
- read content presented in clear language and logical structure.
3. Compliance status
We aim for this website to conform, as far as reasonably possible, with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA.
At the time of this statement, Bower News is partially compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA, because some parts of the website may not yet be fully accessible.
4. Non-accessible content
We know that some parts of this website may not yet be fully accessible. For example:
- some older content or archived posts may not be fully structured for screen readers;
- some images published by contributors may not always include fully descriptive alternative text;
- some embedded third-party content, such as social media posts or external multimedia, may not be fully accessible;
- some content created in a live journalism environment may not always immediately meet optimum accessibility standards at the point of first publication. Public accessibility guidance expects statements to identify known issues, especially where third-party systems or legacy content create limitations.
We are working to improve accessibility over time by reviewing content, improving publishing practice, and supporting student contributors in producing accessible journalism.
5. Content not within our full control
Some parts of Bower News may contain embedded content from third-party platforms, such as social media posts, videos or other externally hosted material.
Where possible, we aim to use accessible alternatives or provide context around embedded material. However, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of third-party platforms or services.
6. What we are doing to improve accessibility
We are working to improve accessibility by:
- encouraging good accessibility practice in student publishing;
- reviewing page structure and content presentation;
- improving the use of headings, link text and image descriptions;
- considering accessibility when using images, multimedia and embeds; and
- updating this statement as the website develops.
7. Feedback and contact information
If you find any accessibility problems on Bower News, or if you need information on this website in a different format, please contact us:
Email: christopher12.brown@uwe.ac.uk
Programme leader: MA Journalism, UWE Bristol
Examples of support you may request include:
- accessible PDF or Word versions of key information;
- clarification of content structure;
- assistance accessing specific journalism content published on the site.
We will consider your request and respond as soon as reasonably possible.
8. Reporting accessibility problems
We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you encounter any barriers or believe we are not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us using the details above.
9. Enforcement procedure
If you contact us about an accessibility issue and are not satisfied with our response, you may wish to raise the matter through the University’s usual complaints or accessibility processes.
10. Technical information about this website’s accessibility
UWE Bristol is committed to making its websites accessible, in line with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Bower News aims to meet the accessibility requirements applicable to public-sector websites by following recognised accessibility standards and improving known problem areas over time.
11. Preparation of this statement
This statement was prepared on 12 June 2026.
This statement should be reviewed regularly, particularly when the website design, publishing workflow or content model changes.
