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Taking action | Get a job! | Find out more
There are about 700,000 people in the UK who are severely or profoundly deaf. So why don't you see them on TV? VEE-TV investigates.
What if one of the Big Brother contestants was deaf? Or there was a deaf character in EastEnders? Deaf awareness would be transformed overnight.
And it's not just a question of actors. Why aren't there more deaf people working in TV production? Where are all the deaf people in TV?
'Television might make deaf people be accepted in society more,' says Laura Atherton, a deaf studies and sociology undergraduate from Hertfordshire who has made a sample deaf TV channel. 'There are a lot of deaf people in Britain, which is not portrayed on television. But from TV, we could teach the hearing world how to use basic sign language and improve deaf/hearing relations.
'One positive example was in ER – a doctor discovered that his son had been born deaf. He got referred to a hearing specialist (played by a deaf actress) who encouraged him to adjust his attitude towards using sign language to communicate with his son.'
Stuart Anderson is head of access at Remark!, the multimedia production company co-owned by Ramon Woolfe, VEE-TV's deaf director, and Mark Nelson. He's also a student on the UK's only deaf TV presenters' course at City University in London. 'Apart from the dedicated TV programmes for deaf people such as See Hear and VEE-TV, there is very little really that is positive about deaf people. Deaf babies are portrayed as needing to have cochlear implants or as defective. Deaf adults are portrayed as dumbos, criminals or one of a range of unsavoury characters. I would love to see deaf people portrayed in a more positive light on mainstream TV. Also, there are too many hearing actors taking on deaf roles. This should be outlawed!'
Carole-Ann McGuinley, a deaf camera assistant from London, agrees. 'I would love to see a lot more deaf people in TV drama or soaps,' she says. 'They are definitely under-represented – in fact deaf TV programmes are so limited they create the impression that all deaf people talk the same. I'd like to see individual deaf issues tackled in TV dramas.'
Taking action
So what can be done to improve things? We spoke to Peter Bazalgette, Chairman of Endemol UK, whose programmes include Big Brother, Changing Rooms and Fame Academy. 'We need to be challenged to consider all good candidates for jobs, whatever their background or physical disability,' he says. 'We need to be constantly challenged and they need to take initiative. But we equally need to put in place appropriate policies, which encourage applications. It's a two-way process.'
But is that enough? If things are really going to change, don't TV makers need to guarantee fair representation for deaf people? Stuart Anderson doesn't think this is the right way forward. 'Quotas equal tokenism. We need to encourage TV producers to include deaf people as representatives from mainstream society.'
Channel 4's chief executive, Mark Thompson, says that the channel is trying to encourage more deaf people into the industry. 'We've made it clear to production companies that we take this very seriously,' he told VEE-TV. One way of helping production companies find you – and of finding out about training opportunities – is the Channel 4 Four All website, which enables you to register on a database available to prospective employers.
As far as regulation is concerned, the focus is on access for viewers rather than representation in the industry. But Sarah Thane, director of programmes and advertising at the Independent Television Commission (ITC), hopes that the new laws on access will have a knock-on effect. 'In the new communications law that's going through parliament, there will be obligations to see that more channels carry subtitles and signing,' she says. 'I hope that will carry on the ITC's work in educating the industry about the importance of employing deaf people in their workforce.'
Appropriate training is one vital element of this. 'Training is essential for a deaf actor to go professional,' says Laura Atherton. 'And we need that training from hearing companies.'
Get a job!
If you want to break into TV, Carole-Ann McGuinley's advice is to ask production companies for work experience. 'But be very specific about what you want to do,' she says. 'For example, if you want to work in make-up, go to a make-up artist, not just any old production company.'
You could also seize the opportunity to apply for a place on a 'Media Day' for unemployed people who are deaf and hard of hearing, hosted by the RNID and Channel 4 on Tuesday 24 June. It covers programme production, working in post-production, interactive TV, CV preparation and self-marketing, working in news, and on-screen talent. There will also be representatives from the BBC, Channel 5 and skillsformedia at the event.
There are only 70 places available on a first-come-first-served basis, so get that application in now! The closing date is Thursday 19 June 2003 at 11am.
For an application form, contact
Sarah Jones
RNID
19-23 Featherstone St
London EC1Y 8SL
E-mail: sarah.jones@rnid.org.uk
Textphone: 020 7296 8084 (24-hour answering machine)
Fax: 020 7296 8199
Voice: 020 7296 8053
Check out the links and contacts below for more help with careers in the media.
Training and jobs
BBC Recruitment
www.bbc.co.uk/jobs
Includes the latest vacancies and information on applying for work experience in areas such as TV.
Broadcast Now
www.broadcastnow.co.uk
Website for the TV and Radio industry. It includes news, jobs and a range of services.
Channel 4: Four All
www.channel4.com/fourall
A tool for TV producers, broadcasters, casting agents and others who want to employ disabled people in their programmes – either on screen or behind the camera. Register your details and look out for news of training opportunities.
Channel 4: Ideas Factory
www.ideasfactory.com
Advice, insights from professionals and lots of practical information for creative people, including a section on film and TV.
City University Deaf TV Presenter and Deaf In-Vision Interpreter training course
Course Administrator
Media Sign Course
Department of Language and Communication Science
City University
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
Text phone: 020 7040 8314
Email: j.hankin@city.ac.uk
Fax: 020 7040 8577
Voice: 020 7040 8541
Website: www.city.ac.uk/lcs/mediasign.htm
For details about the presenting course featured on VEE-TV.
The Guardian – Jobs
www.jobs.guardian.co.uk
Searchable database of media, film and TV jobs from The Guardian's media section.
National Film and Television School
www.nftsfilm-tv.ac.uk
Centre for professional training in the film, television and related media industries. Offers a wide range of courses, although there is nothing specifically aimed at deaf people.
Skillset
www.skillset.org
National training organisation for broadcast, film, video and multimedia.
skillsformedia
www.skillsformedia.com
'Everything you want to know about getting in or getting on in the media – at the click of a mouse.'
Organisations and events
Automated Deaf Signing
www.itc.org.uk/the_digital_age/
developments/itc_technology_research/
automated_deaf_signing.asp
ITC article on how it is leading developments in 3D virtual human technology to provide BSL translation for profoundly deaf viewers.
Deaf Broadcasting Council
www.deafbroadcastingcouncil.org.uk
A consumer organisation representing deaf television viewers. It monitors access to television and video and makes broadcasters aware of the needs of deaf people. Find news, information and how you can help.
Deaf Film & TV Festival
www.britishdeafassociation.org.uk/film
Annual event which showcases the work of some of the best deaf film-makers. The next festival will be held at the Light House in Wolverhampton from 21 to 23 November 2003.
Independent Television Commission (ITC)
www.itc.org.uk/uk_television_sector/
accessibility/index.asp
Information on access to TV for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, including the ITC code and guidance to broadcasters.
Sign Post
www.signpostbsl.com
Britain's biggest supplier of BSL services for television, video and the internet. View signed programme listings and find information on training opportunities.
Programming and signed TV
See Hear
www.bbc.co.uk/seehear
Website of the long-running BBC programme.
Potted History of Vision On
www.its-prof-again.co.uk/vision_on.htm
Interesting history of the quirky programme presented by Tony Hart.
BBC signed TV
www.bbc.co.uk/seehear/info/programmes.shtml
List of all BBC signed programmes for the forthcoming week.
Channel 4 signed programmes
www.channel4.com/signed_programmes.html
A list of current signed programmes on Channel 4.
ITV Media Access
www.itv.com/about/about_itv/media
Click 'Media Access Services' to find information on ITV's subtitling and signing services.
DTV
www.deaftv.co.za
The website of South African programme featured in VEE-WORLD.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.