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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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British Sign Language users dealt severe blow as ITV withdraws flagship Sign Language news headlines from 'Wales Tonight'
February 3, 2009 12:00 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has written to OFCOM and ITV Wales following the announcement that Sign Language news headlines will cease to appear on 'Wales Tonight' with effect from Friday February 6th.
Peter Black said:
"I am shocked to learn that from this Friday ITV Wales will be scrapping its sign language service from its flagship 6pm news, a service which has been running since 1986. This decision will have an adverse impact on British Sign Language users in Wales, who will no longer have access to local news.
"The decision was only discovered last week with, as far as I am aware, no consultation or impact assessment being carried out, despite it being a commitment of Ofcom under their Equality Scheme to carry out both an impact assessment of its decisions and a consultation with disability consumer groups on issues of concern to them.
"In 2004 the Welsh Assembly recognised British Sign Language as a language in its own right. I am urging OFCOM to take all action possible to reverse this discriminatory decision by ITV, which threatens the ability of BSL users to access regional news."
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