27 August 2008
Hearing awareness: A call to action for Australian cinemas
As part of Hearing Awareness Week, Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes, has called for cinemas to do their share for Australians who are deaf and hearing impaired.
"One in six Australians are affected by hearing loss, so it is about time major cinema chains reflected this market share in the numbers of screens showing captioned movies," said Commissioner Innes.
Captioned movies – those providing the dialogue and other sounds not heard by people who are deaf or hearing impaired - are shown two to three times a week on ten screens around Australia.
This number of screens, which show captioned movies, has remained the same for five years.
Mr Innes recently congratulated the Government for providing some assistance to 12 independent cinemas to purchase the necessary equipment but called on the major cinema chains to use this week, Hearing Awareness Week, to announce a major increase in the availability of captions.
"It is very disappointing that a sizeable section of the community is disadvantaged in this way,” said Commissioner Innes. “It is also hard to understand why, in a very competitive market, cinemas wouldn't be doing everything to maintain and increase their market share.”
The Commissioner noted that, in New Zealand, captions are used as a positive attraction for cinemas and more people are now going to the movies.
Commissioner Innes also noted that the Disability Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the ground of their disability, has now been in force in Australia for fifteen years.
Hearing Awareness Week is a program of events held around Australia annually in the last week of August. It is an initiative of the Deafness Forum.
Media contact: Brinsley Marlay (02) 9284 9656 or 0430 366 529
