PBS announces campaign, initiatives to make sign language more widely used
On the occasion of the International Day of Sign Languages, promoted by the United Nations, the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Carmelo Abela announced the launch by PBS of an information campaign to bring sign language closer to the general public.
This was done not only to explain the importance of this language for the society at large, but to state that sign language in Maltese is indeed an official language of this country. The campaign, to be run by the national broadcasting station, is also being carried out in collaboration with the Association of the Deaf and the Maltese Sign Language Council.
Minister Abela remarked that the new EU Directive, which is being discussed at Committee stage in Parliament, will be focusing more on accessibility. He stated how he believes it is time to start a discussion on the particular reference in broadcasting law, stating that the media must be encouraged to make their services gradually accessible to the deaf and how they can be helped to do so.
Abela explained how he would like to have more representation and participation of people with disabilities in the media. “These people should not only be spectators but also protagonists in broadcasting. It is for this reason that I have appointed the Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a director on the PBS Board. I wanted there to be a voice in the highest management structure of the company to ensure that the message is heard and that the company is sensitive enough about its obligations to people with disabilities,” he said.
In Abela’s words; “In the choices made of the new PBS Board we immediately showed that we had two main priorities: quality broadcasting and also a strong emphasis on inclusiveness and accessibility of PBS programmes. By that we do not just refer to the fact that the technical quality of broadcasting needs to be ensured anytime, anywhere, or simply that we want to be present on the internet and on social media. We also wanted to state that our programmes reach everyone. They also reach out to those who, due to a lack of physical ability, are currently being denied doing so as other members of our society.”
He added that through PBS, more accessible programmes will be made available to those who communicate in sign language, including in current affairs programmes. He stated that PBS already broadcasts the six o’clock news in sign language and that it was instrumental in bringing important broadcasts such as the Budget and updates on COVID’s progress to the public in this language.