MIB urges TV channels to carry programmes with sign language interpretation

The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has urged all private TV channels to enable sign language interpretation in their programmes for the benefit of differently abled people.

In a letter to all TV channels, the ministry stated that the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD) had raised concerns in the past regarding formulation of Accessible lndia Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) for achieving universal accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs) which had stressed that access to TV programmes for many persons with disabilities is denied due to lack of assistive technology.

“All TV channels, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), lndian Broadcasting Foundation (lBF) and Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of lndia (ARTBI) are requested to carry the same language captions and audio description along with the programmes and news reports by TV channels for accessing by differently abled people,” the ministry said in the letter.

It also stated that the media has always been in the forefront of taking up important issues/causes including those for the welfare of the disadvantaged sections of the society and in the recent past, Republic Day Parade with commentary/ lndependence Day ceremony was carried with sign language interpretation for the benefit of differently abled people.