Disability is not Inability

::Disability-friendly Kenya Television.

39. All television stations shall provide a sign language inset or sub-titles in all newscasts and educational programmes, and in all programmes covering events of national significance.

Implementation of this section of the law is not easy especially in a country with such poor records for social responsibility. Many TV stations will first ask who is sponsoring the programme before they can even look at a proposal for say sign language interpretation.

TV stations are profitmaking to the level where nobody will touch anything like this. Many proposals have been turn away because of this. There is therefore need for the government to come forward and finance some of the aspects in the ACT like this one.

KBC the national broadcast will not touch such a proposal if it is not funded by someone. Yet KBC is funded by public funds. Yet KBC is supposed to air matters of public interest without an angling for profit.
Private stations are even worse.

When we look at the Disability ACT there is alot of issues that make it hard to implementwith the current setup. We have seen a change where private TV stations look for western movies that include some of the challenges of disability. The movies provide lessons for those with an opportunity to watch them. They help alot in reducing stigma within the general population.

We have also seen ART that includes disabled persons being shown at the Godown for example. Such efforts help alot in reducing stigma and also build the confidence of the disabled people.

Yet the bottomline is not achieved yet. Tha we should be able to have disability-inclusive television. Tha disability agenda should also be part of the the national politics and jobs. That we should see more disabled people giving their opinion in matters related to them. That political parties should be able to integrate the disability agenda on their daily noise with representatives of the community. When we reach such levels we will have more "NEWS" that is truly disability oriented. Interpretation of such would surely be mandatory.


Disabilitykenya

Category: Inclusion, education

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