Public Telecommunications Minister encourages use of closed-captioning

…to reach out to local broadcasters

The Public Telecommunications Ministry will soon move forward in its efforts to promote the inclusivity of persons living with disabilities in Guyana by reaching out to local broadcast media to encourage the use of closed-captioning.
Evening News aired on TVG/Channel28 has already introduced this feature to cater for its diverse viewership.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of an International Telecommunications sponsored Web Accessibility Programme, Minister Catherine Hughes made the disclosure calling for a more inclusive approach to the use of technology locally.
According to Hughes, Guyana is presently lacking a fair transmission of broadcast content that reaches every citizen.
This, according to the Minister, is doing a disservice to persons with disabilities who are locked out of being able to access certain information.
“Our next thrust would be going out to the television stations and other online media operatives to encourage them to use the technology to ensure that when we are transmitting programming, that we have closed-captioning being transmitted,” Hughes said.
The Telecommunications Minister further highlighted, “We have a fairly high percentage of foreign programming in our television and media round-up but yet, some of the cable companies are not actually transmitting it in such a manner that a person with a hearing impairment can actually turn on the closed-captioning on the television and see an actual print out, an actual captioning of what is happening in society. Imagine, some of us are still tied to the media and it’s information, we want to know what’s happening, we want to be able to see and read and hear explanations and again it’s a human right that we up our game and that the television stations and the online media operations consider and make it possible for person with disabilities to access that same information that’s being generated out there,” the Minister remarked.
As such, Hughes is calling for the private sector, along with regular websites, to be constructed and enabled to reach not just the average Guyanese or the average person, but persons with disabilities.
On Thursday, some 18 Guyanese web developers and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts had been trained to create websites and applications that are usable by all, including persons with disabilities.
They were trained through the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU), whose goal is for governments to develop accessible websites in order for vital information and services to be provided by public agencies which are accessible to all citizens including persons with disabilities.