DPA submission: Inquiry into the Review of the Radio New Zealand Charter

This week DPA made a submission to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee on the inquiry into the review of the Radio New Zealand Charter.

DPA believes that as a publicly funded body, RNZ has a responsibility to ensure full access for disabled people to their material.  

For many blind people, radio is their major source of news and plays a vital role for them.  For others, in particular, Deaf and hard of hearing people, radio isn’t directly accessible. We note that many of RNZ’s news stories, interviews and articles are uploaded to its website where they should be made accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people by way of written transcripts.

DPA recommendations include:

• the Radio New Zealand Charter Purpose be amended by adding the additional clauses:
• “To ensure access to its content by disabled people through the use of such measures as: the provision of written transcripts, captioning of videos, NZSL and audio description”.
• “to ensure that all reporting is respectful of disabled people, upholds their mana and ensures their voice is fairly represented”.

Read the full DPA submission on the Inquiry into the Review of the Radio New Zealand Charter