According to Article 12.1 added to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," the use of sign language on television is intended only for nationwide terrestrial TV broadcasters that are either publicly funded or have public broadcaster status, Taleh Guliyev, Head of the Communication Sector of the Audiovisual Council, said in response to APA's inquiry.
He noted that this category includes three editorial branches of “Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting” CJSC — “AZTV”, “Idman TV” (Sports TV), and “Mədəniyyət TV” (Culture TV), as well as the “ITV” editorial office of the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.
“This amendment covers information programs — specifically news broadcasts — aired during prime time: from 19:00 to 23:00 on weekdays, and from 17:00 to 23:00 on weekends and public holidays. It does not apply to programs of other genres. Of course, the designated broadcasters will need some time to prepare for implementation. In this regard, the Council plans to soon organize meetings with the broadcasters to assess their readiness. Only after these meetings will it be possible to determine an exact launch date. We believe it will be possible to introduce sign language interpretation in a short time,” he stated.
He also noted that the Council will regularly monitor the broadcasters who are obligated to comply. Although there are no specific legal provisions yet regarding sanctions or penalties, the Council will consistently enforce a monitoring mechanism: “Private broadcasters do not have specific obligations under the recent amendments to the law. However, their involvement in the process is desirable. The Council plans to carry out awareness-raising activities to encourage and inform these broadcasters.Sign language interpretation is performed by individuals with the appropriate education and qualifications. The Council does not play any role in determining the criteria for sign language interpreters or in their recruitment. This process will be handled within the framework of employee–employer relations between the individual and the television channel, and all responsibilities will lie with the broadcasters.”
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