MIB asks TV channels to air programmes accessible to the disabled

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has asked all TV channels, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), lndian Broadcasting Foundation (lBF) and Association of Regional Television Broadcasters to carry the same language captions and audio description along with the programmes and news reports by TV channels for accessing by persons with disabilities.

This is following the concerns raised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities regarding formulation of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) for achieving universal accessibility for persons with disabilities.

The Department has stressed that access to TV programmes for many persons with disabilities is denied due to lack of assistive technology. During discussions with various NGOs, a need was felt to prepare guidelines to include, inter-alia, that broadcasting partners should develop and telecast a certain percentage of programmes with audio description and captioning as an experiment to the benefit of the target persons with disabilities.