❓ Hon Simon O'Brien asks about open-captioning of emergency service announcements on TV for the hearing impaired. The Minister details DFES's collaborative efforts with Access Plus WA Deaf and other initiatives to improve accessibility, while noting media outlets control their own captioning.
AnsweredQoN 555Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
EMERGENCY SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS — HEARING
IMPAIRED
555. Hon SIMON O'BRIEN to the minister representing
the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to correspondence from the president of the Deafness
Council Western Australia to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services'
strategic communications coordinator on 25 October 2018 and to the Minister for
Emergency Services on 17 April 2019. Will future emergency services
announcements broadcast by television be open-captioned; and, if not, why not?
IMPAIRED
555. Hon SIMON O'BRIEN to the minister representing
the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to correspondence from the president of the Deafness
Council Western Australia to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services'
strategic communications coordinator on 25 October 2018 and to the Minister for
Emergency Services on 17 April 2019. Will future emergency services
announcements broadcast by television be open-captioned; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
Each media outlet controls its own broadcasting and
captioning; however, DFES and Access Plus WA Deaf work in partnership before
and during DFES major emergencies to ensure broadcasts are as accessible as
possible to the whole community. This includes accessing the latest information
and what action to take in an emergency via the Emergency WA website or the
DFES Facebook page or Twitter feed. Recently completed initiatives include a joint
memorandum of understanding and new activation procedures for emergencies; WA
deaf society interpreters routinely appearing alongside DFES spokespeople
during emergency press conferences; the production of videos specifically for
hard of hearing people that explain what to do in an emergency, which have been
promoted across each organisation's channels and are ready for
broadcast during emergencies; DFES funding WA deaf society interpreters to
attend interstate emergency public information training; regular information
exchanges and updates; and the hosting of reciprocal education and awareness
sessions by both organisations to promote shared understanding. DFES staff
presented to members of the WA deaf society and the wider community, and WA
deaf society staff have held awareness sessions for DFES staff.
The state emergency public information coordinator, based
within the Western Australia Police Force, has the overall responsibility for
educating and raising awareness with media outlets on the need to ensure
broadcasts are as accessible as possible. DFES supports and will continue to
support this process through its contribution to the guide ''Emergencies
in Western Australia: A guide for the news media''. This publication
encourages media outlets to reach a wider section of the community through the
use of captions and TV crawlers.
question.
Each media outlet controls its own broadcasting and
captioning; however, DFES and Access Plus WA Deaf work in partnership before
and during DFES major emergencies to ensure broadcasts are as accessible as
possible to the whole community. This includes accessing the latest information
and what action to take in an emergency via the Emergency WA website or the
DFES Facebook page or Twitter feed. Recently completed initiatives include a joint
memorandum of understanding and new activation procedures for emergencies; WA
deaf society interpreters routinely appearing alongside DFES spokespeople
during emergency press conferences; the production of videos specifically for
hard of hearing people that explain what to do in an emergency, which have been
promoted across each organisation's channels and are ready for
broadcast during emergencies; DFES funding WA deaf society interpreters to
attend interstate emergency public information training; regular information
exchanges and updates; and the hosting of reciprocal education and awareness
sessions by both organisations to promote shared understanding. DFES staff
presented to members of the WA deaf society and the wider community, and WA
deaf society staff have held awareness sessions for DFES staff.
The state emergency public information coordinator, based
within the Western Australia Police Force, has the overall responsibility for
educating and raising awareness with media outlets on the need to ensure
broadcasts are as accessible as possible. DFES supports and will continue to
support this process through its contribution to the guide ''Emergencies
in Western Australia: A guide for the news media''. This publication
encourages media outlets to reach a wider section of the community through the
use of captions and TV crawlers.
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