Audio Described Television Welcomed by Blind

Audio Described Television Welcomed by New Zealand’s Blind Audience

Today, the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand congratulates NZ On Air for making funding available to introduce Audio Described television programmes for New Zealand’s blind, vision impaired and deafblind television viewers.

Being unable to follow body language, facial expressions and movement depicted on the screen, blind, vision impaired and deafblind children and adults benefit from Audio Description because it provides a commentary on these aspects of the visual experience.

Born blind, the Association's National President Clive Lansink said, “television and movies play a crucial role as a social and cultural medium. So yes, this is a significant move towards social inclusion for New Zealand’s blind, vision impaired and deafblind communities.”

With Audio Described television in its sights, the Association has worked productively with NZ On Air and TVNZ over several years, to realise this much-awaited outcome. The Association recognises Television New Zealand’s role in the delivery of this new service, which will hopefully be up and running in a few months.

"Access to broadcasting is a human rights issue", says the President. "Like it or not, television plays a huge part in people's lives and now it is possible for the television industry to include us more in their audience. We know that audio description available on some of today's movies, has given people who are blind or whose sight is just not what it was, a chance to enjoy movies in a whole new way. This development will let us gain the same full enjoyment from today's television programmes and we congratulate NZ On Air, Government and TVNZ for their initiative."

Blind most of her life, Association Board Member Lynette Simon has worked closely on this project. She says, “it’s absolutely wonderful news, even though it’s been a long time coming. At last, our work has come to fruition and we can look forward to talking about television programmes with our friends, family and colleagues, instead of asking questions about what’s going on.”

The President pointed out this is the tip of the iceberg. He said, “we will be encouraging other broadcasters to aspire to screening audio described programmes.”

Founded in 1945, the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand Inc (Association) is New Zealand’s leading blindness consumer organisation and one of the country’s largest organisations of disabled consumers. The Association’s aim is to heighten awareness of the rights of blind and vision impaired people and to remove the barriers that impact upon our ability to live in an accessible, equitable and inclusive society. Ends

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