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The call follows the release of the Australian Human Rights Commission's study, Shaping perceptions: How Australian media reports on ageing, which found the media industry is failing to accurately represent older Australians and the issues they're facing.
The release of the Commission's study coincides with this year's International Day of Older Persons theme: "Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.
Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of COTA Australia - the leading advocacy organisation for older people - said the issues with media reporting of older people are indicative of ageist attitudes in society at large.
"The Human Rights Commission's new report has confirmed what we have all known for a while - that ageism is a scourge that continues to persist in all aspects of life in Australia," said Patricia Sparrow, CEO of COTA Australia.
"As the report has shown, we're seeing too much media representation which exploits negative stereotypes of older adults, using sensationalist headlines that stoke intergenerational tensions. This practice is not only misguided but deeply harmful.”