I&B Ministry Tells TV Channels To Make Sure Programmes Contain Sign Language Interpretation

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has told all private TV channels to enable sign language in their programmes to aid persons with disabilities (PwD), the Television Post reports.

According to a letter to all TV channels, the MIB wrote that in the past, the Department of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD) had raised issues concerning the formulation of the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), which aims to achieve universal accessibility for PwDs.

The DoEPwD had stressed on providing access for people with disabilities to TV programmes as they are denied the privilege due to absence of assistive technology.

“All TV channels, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of India (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 MIB wrote in the letter.

The letter also states that media has always been the frontrunner in bringing up essential issues including issues for the welfare of the disadvantaged in society. Recently, the Republic Day Parade also carried out a commentary in sign language.