Good news for Deaf viewers

A weekly news programme for the deaf will be transmitted on Two from February 28.

Planning for the programme, which will be produced in Television New Zealand’s Christchurch newsroom, has been under way for some months.

The controller of news, current affairs, and sport (Mr Bruce Crossan) says that when the 6.15–6.30pm programme on Saturdays includes captions, viewers with hearing deficiencies will readily be able to identify the subject matter.

Mr Crossan said the programme would be a compilation of the major national and international news of the week.

“We have been in close liaison with people who are considered to be experts in the area of hard of hearing, and we have used a similar programme transmitted by the BBC as a guide,” he said.

“The BBC have been telecasting this type of news programme for some years, and videotapes flown in from Britain have been very helpful.”