Good journalism should be readable by everyone. The Christchurch Chronicle is committed to making this publication accessible to all readers, including people with disabilities, regardless of how they access the web.
Last updated: March 2026
Our Commitment
We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA — the current international standard for web accessibility, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG is organised around four core principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
We treat accessibility as an ongoing commitment, not a compliance checkbox. We test our site regularly, act on feedback promptly, and aim to improve continuously.
What We've Built In
Structure and navigation
Semantic HTML with a logical, consistent heading hierarchy throughout all pages and articles
Skip-to-content link on every page, allowing keyboard and screen reader users to bypass navigation
Consistent, descriptive navigation landmarks across the site
All interactive elements — menus, buttons, links and forms — are fully keyboard navigable
Focus indicators are clearly visible and never hidden by sticky headers or overlapping content
Text and readability
Body text meets WCAG 2.2 minimum contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality
We do not use text as the sole means of conveying information — colour is always supplemented by labels, icons or patterns
Line length, spacing and font choices are designed to support readability for users with dyslexia and cognitive disabilities
Images and media
All editorial images include descriptive alt text
Decorative images are marked appropriately so screen readers skip them
Captions are provided for video content where available
We do not publish content that flashes more than three times per second, in line with photosensitivity guidelines
Forms and interactions
All form fields have clearly associated, visible labels
Error messages are descriptive and identify the specific field requiring attention
Authentication processes do not rely solely on cognitive tests or memorisation
No drag-only interactions — all functionality operable by single pointer or keyboard
Mobile and responsive design
The site is fully responsive across all screen sizes and device types
Touch targets meet minimum size requirements for users with motor disabilities
Pinch-to-zoom is never disabled
Known Limitations
We are committed to transparency about where we fall short. Automated tools detect approximately 40% of accessibility issues — manual testing is required for the remainder. We conduct both, but some limitations may remain:
Third-party embeds — some embedded content (social media posts, external video players, interactive graphics) may not fully meet our accessibility standards. We are working with providers to improve this.
Older archived content — articles published before our current standards were implemented may contain images without alt text or other legacy issues. We are working through a programme of remediation.
User-generated content — letters, comments and reader submissions may not always meet our standards. We review and remediate where possible.
If you encounter a specific barrier, please tell us and we will prioritise fixing it.
Assistive Technology Compatibility
This site is designed to work with the following assistive technologies:
Screen readers including NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver (macOS and iOS) and TalkBack (Android)
Keyboard-only navigation
Voice control software including Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Browser zoom and operating system text scaling
High contrast and forced colour modes
We test across Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge on desktop and mobile.
Legal Context
WCAG 2.2 conformance is best practice for long-term compliance with international accessibility laws. We are committed to meeting our obligations across all jurisdictions in which we operate.
Feedback and Contact
We want to hear from you if you experience any difficulty accessing The Christchurch Chronicle content. Your feedback directly informs our accessibility work.
Please include as much detail as you can — the page you were visiting, the assistive technology you were using, and a description of the issue. We aim to respond within 5 business days and to resolve reported issues within 30 days where technically feasible.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the relevant accessibility or equality authority in your jurisdiction.
Our Ongoing Programme
Accessibility is not a project with an end date. The Christchurch Chronicle is committed to:
Annual full accessibility audits combining automated scanning and manual expert review
Accessibility testing as part of all new feature development
Regular training for editorial and technical staff on accessible content creation
Reviewing and updating this statement whenever significant changes are made to the site
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