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Lauren Henley on how you can help keep AD on the ABC
Transcript
7 October 2012
Roberta: The audio description (AD) trial on the ABC is currently bringing enhanced access to TV to over 600,000 Australians who are blind or vision impaired, or can benefit from using audio description. But the service is being switched off on the 4th of November. Australian blindness and consumer organisations are leading a national campaign to keep the service going. Campaign spokesperson, Lauren Henley is here with us today. Hello Lauren.
Lauren: Hi Roberta.
Roberta: Now tell us a bit about the campaign.
Lauren: Okay, so It's As Easy As ABC, is a grassroots postcard campaign, and the aim of the campaign is to encourage as many people who are blind or vision impaired, as well as their friends, family and colleagues, to send a postcard to Senator Stephen Conroy, who’s the Minister for Communications, or to Mark Scott who’s the Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, just asking that they keep the vital service going on ABC1.
Roberta: So who’s behind the campaign, Lauren?
Lauren: The campaign is being directed by Blind Citizens Australia, Vision Australia, and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network. But it’s been really fantastic; we’ve had a lot of support from other blindness organisations and disability organisations more broadly who are willing to distribute cards to their clients, colleagues, and their networks, which is fantastic.
Roberta: So just how important is it for audio description to continue to be available on Australian television?
Lauren: It’s extremely important; it’s about social inclusion, first of all. I came into this world as a sighted person, so I know what it’s like to have access to TV, and after I lost my sight it was just one more thing that I couldn’t enjoy. So I found that the technical trial that’s taking place on ABC1, that audio description service is really, really key in giving me back that independence that I lost, and that it seems to be that a lot of other people are having the same experience and really enjoying it.
Roberta: You mentioned postcards before, so what can people do to show their support?
Lauren: So if people would like to assist with the campaign, the best thing you can do is log onto our website and you can actually request some postcards there. To send the postcards, all you need to do is sign your name in the bottom left hand corner of the card and place a stamp on the card and send it in the mail. And if you can also get your friends, family and colleagues involved, then the more voices we have behind this campaign, the more successful it will be.
Roberta: And will all those blindness organisations that you mentioned have that facility as well?
Lauren: Yes, that’s right. So you can contact Blind Citizens Australia, Media Access Australia, Vision Australia, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, and request postcards from those organisations and the phone number of other organisations that are assisting as well.
Roberta: Now Lauren, people who are blind or vision impaired, do they have an accessible alternative to the postcards?
Lauren: Yeah, look great question Roberta; the card itself, we’ve tried to make it as accessible as possible, so on the website you can access a description of what the card looks like. There are also instructions on how to mail the card. So in the top left hand corner of the card, if you’re looking at the front of the card and you’re holding it in landscape, there’s a hole punched in that corner, which means if you turn the card over, that hole is in the top right hand corner, and you need to place the stamp over that hole. And the place where you sign the card is the bottom left hand corner.
Roberta: That’s a great idea, isn’t it?
Lauren: Yeah, it’s fantastic, and it’s a lot easier for people who are completely blind to do it independently.
Roberta: Now Lauren, is there anything else you’d like to tell our listeners about how else they can do this thing, which is really important that they do?
Lauren: People can also choose to send an email to Mark Scott or Senator Stephen Conroy via the website, but we are asking that you try and send as many postcards as possible because it will be the number of postcards sent that will get us over the line with this campaign.
Roberta: I do think you’re right, because a postcard landing on somebody’s desk has got more effect I think than the old email, hasn’t it?
Lauren: That’s right.
Roberta: Well, to order your postcards you can visit our website and support the vital service of audio description on Australian TV today. Thank you for that Lauren.
Lauren: Thanks Roberta.
Roberta: I’ve been speaking with Lauren Henley from Blind Citizens Australia. Now this is really something that we need to get behind, so I’m going to give you those details again: You can order your postcards or you can go to the website of Blind Citizens Australia or Media Access Australia, or Vision Australia, and you can also follow the campaign on Twitter, ADonTV. So there’s lots of ways to do it, so get busy, get your postcard; I’ll be sending one in, and I hope that this really does continue, it is just so imperative.
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