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ARMENIAN TV CHANNELS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO DEAF AND DUMB - SPECIALIST
18:47 ~U 01.04.13
The Armenian TV channels' coverage of the 2013 presidential election
failed to address the the deaf and dumb population's needs, says
Zubeyda Melikyan, a sign translator.
According to her, the channels' failure to provide simultaneous sign
language interpretations during the campaign left many of those people
in the dark about the process. She said many of them never learned
anything about the candidates and the programs they offered.
"They were so eager to receive information, but they never did, and
were somewhat disappointed," the specialist told Tert.am, considering
such an attitude a kind of indifference to the deaf and dumb.
Melikyan noted that only two TV channels in Armenia - Kentron
and Shoghakat - offer children's broadcasts with sign language
interpretations for children.
"Suppose you are a person with disability and want to make out what
the given candidate is going to do for you [in case of being elected].
The information offered is zero. It's good at least that the young
are computer-literate and capable of communicating through computers
to collect information and let others know of what is going on,"
she added.
Asked whether the deaf and dumb did anything at all to protect their
rights in the pre-election period, Melikyan said those people are
somewhat isolated in their communities, with their understanding of
political developments being limited only to the information collected
from here and there.
"My parents are deaf. Whenever my mon asks me something that interests
her, I try to give her an answer to the best of my understanding,
in the meantime expressing my opinion. The election process for the
deaf is largely based on the opinion 'heard'," she said, recommending
TV channels to spend resources to ensure sign language interpretations.
Melikyan said the deaf and dumb are not going to ask any government
body to reinstate their violated rights ahead of the Yerevan
municipality elections.
"They have complained for years, demanding and requesting sign
language interpretations on TV," she said. "They don't want to read any
more, but they are forced to. They are make us read the bottom line
news. They have difficulty writing words. It's absurd; you can ask
[TV channels] not to spend extra money on that because very few of
them read. If one has a right, why shouldn't he or she exercise it? "
she asked.
Melikyan noted at the end that many countries, including the
neighboring Turkey, provide sign language translations 24 hours a day.
Armenian News - Tert.am
18:47 ~U 01.04.13
The Armenian TV channels' coverage of the 2013 presidential election
failed to address the the deaf and dumb population's needs, says
Zubeyda Melikyan, a sign translator.
According to her, the channels' failure to provide simultaneous sign
language interpretations during the campaign left many of those people
in the dark about the process. She said many of them never learned
anything about the candidates and the programs they offered.
"They were so eager to receive information, but they never did, and
were somewhat disappointed," the specialist told Tert.am, considering
such an attitude a kind of indifference to the deaf and dumb.
Melikyan noted that only two TV channels in Armenia - Kentron
and Shoghakat - offer children's broadcasts with sign language
interpretations for children.
"Suppose you are a person with disability and want to make out what
the given candidate is going to do for you [in case of being elected].
The information offered is zero. It's good at least that the young
are computer-literate and capable of communicating through computers
to collect information and let others know of what is going on,"
she added.
Asked whether the deaf and dumb did anything at all to protect their
rights in the pre-election period, Melikyan said those people are
somewhat isolated in their communities, with their understanding of
political developments being limited only to the information collected
from here and there.
"My parents are deaf. Whenever my mon asks me something that interests
her, I try to give her an answer to the best of my understanding,
in the meantime expressing my opinion. The election process for the
deaf is largely based on the opinion 'heard'," she said, recommending
TV channels to spend resources to ensure sign language interpretations.
Melikyan said the deaf and dumb are not going to ask any government
body to reinstate their violated rights ahead of the Yerevan
municipality elections.
"They have complained for years, demanding and requesting sign
language interpretations on TV," she said. "They don't want to read any
more, but they are forced to. They are make us read the bottom line
news. They have difficulty writing words. It's absurd; you can ask
[TV channels] not to spend extra money on that because very few of
them read. If one has a right, why shouldn't he or she exercise it? "
she asked.
Melikyan noted at the end that many countries, including the
neighboring Turkey, provide sign language translations 24 hours a day.
Armenian News - Tert.am