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Welsh blind people lobby MPs for access to TV 28/1/2003
Welsh blind and partially sighted people will travel to Westminster on 4 February to lobby their MPs for access to digital TV, radio and mobile phones.
The opportunity for them benefit from the digital revolution may be lost unless enough Welsh MPs support amendments to the Government’s Communications Bill according to the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) Cymru.
The Communications Bill sets out the future provision of digital TV, radio and mobile phones, but it fails to meet the needs of anyone with a sight problem.
The Communications Bill:
* says nothing to manufacturers about the need to design accessible equipment;
* doesn’t require the new communications regulator to intervene on blind people’s behalf;
* says nothing about how blind and partially sighted people are meant to cope with on-screen menus to choose between hundreds of options and TV channels;
* doesn’t even increase the numbers of TV programs which should be audio-described (ie provided with a narration between the dialogue describing what is going on).
Digital technology could offer the solution to so many of the barriers blind and partially sighted people face when trying to enjoy television or use mobile phones. But without regulation, even radio could be closed off to them because the new digital sets will rely on text for their operation
Joyce Chatterton of RNIB Cymru said “When the analogue system is switched off we won’t have any choice. It is vital that Welsh MPs listen to our concerns and supports amendments to the Communications Bill so that blind and partially sighted people are not totally excluded from television and radio in the future.”
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