ISSUES of sign language on television have become a must on the global stage.
This time it is beyond a sign language interpreter only appearing during main news bulletins, it has to be throughout programming where possible.
ZNBC has done better so far but it is time Muvi TV, Mobi TV and other upcoming television outlets began to get on board and hire sign language interpreters, at least during news bulletins for now.
Actually, Muvi TV and Mobi TV would do better with sign language interpreters since they have not yet started using duo-casting of their Main News bulletins.
During the International Day of Disability commemoration on December 3, Breakfast with the Honeys which was anchored by Chibesa Ngwira and Mutuna did touch on the area of not sidelining persons with disabilities.
Just for some background about the day itself, the international Day of Disabilities begun in 1981 for the purpose of understanding and respecting people with disabilities and what they can do.
This year’s day was commemorated under the theme: Sustainable development, the promise of technology.
On her Breakfast with the Honeys show, Chibesa posed an intriguing question to the other panellists on set asking if they could hire a deaf maid. The responses were interesting seeing how cagey the other honeys were in answering the question.
Of course it became a matter of not annoying the differently abled peope but Chibesa aptly stated that she could only hire a deaf maid if her children were able to communicate with them in sign language.
The exchanges by the honeys left me thinking that the media has not done enough to cover persons with disabilities but most importantly how sign language could also be included on the school curriculum.
Chibesa and her group hinted at the ministry of Education introducing sign language in the school curriculum, at least the basics for someone to get by.
It so happens that children with special needs have difficulties settling down in schools because they cannot communicate with their peers.
That is a matter of discussion for another day, for today I beseech the television stations to use sign language interpretors on as many of their routine programming.
I believe this is just part of understanding your audience and trying to carter for its diversity.
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The many talk shows on most television stations are religiously followed for some weired international news. Breakfast with the Boys on Satruday morning and the Breakfast with the honeys always bring out bizzarre stories.
What the anchors ignore to do is to credit the sources of the stories they discuss. Getting someone’s works and using it as if it were your own is a serious offence internationally.
Also, a station gains in reputation when it analyses multi-sourced stories especially if they are picked from credible international news outlets.
I watched Chibesa and her crew passionately discussing the Ugandan maid who abused a child she was taking care of the previous week but I thought they were going to make a follow up on the embattled domestic worker pleading guilty to the charge.
That is another aspect local television shows must improve; if you pick up an interesting piece on the wire, it is important to follow it up to its conclusive end in subsequent shows  than leaving viewers in suspense.
The case of the Uganda maid which has had most local families having a rethink on the collapse of the extended family structure drew so much emotions and every television station worth tuning to must get to its logical conclusion.
Away from the international bizarre news that is never credited, I want to say something about Zambia’s Big Brother Hot Shots housemate Macky 2.
Since everyone has had a share of him already since he came back from South Africa, I will restrict my comment to the interviews he has given on TV.
Unless I missed something, I haven’t heard anyone asking him if he intends to sing a song from his Big Brother experiences like his predecessor Sulu did with his Rubie song.
Most importantly if he intends to feature any of the housemates in future projects.
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While the local soccer season is on a break, the international leagues are hitting their home stretch and you have to appreciate the way Supersport on the DSTV platform markets weekend matches.
This is one area that will have to improve next season. When Supersport is advertising which South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches will be televised at the weekend, one cannot avoid knowing that the Soweto derby is on the cards.
There was once an argument that the PSL was less competitive than the local league and that consequently the South African national soccer team was weaker than our Chipolopolo.
I bet the strength of the PSL is undoubted albeit it still features some Zambian players deemed as excess baggage in our national team. On the strength of their 2015 Afcon qualifying campaign, the Bafana Bafana are befitting of their giant status.
Talking of the Africa Cup, I mentioned last time that television stations must start canvassing for sponsorship for the biennial championship in Equatorial Guinea but I haven’t seen any movement in that direction on any of the channels.
I was actually surprised that none of our stations carried live the draws for the AFCON finals which has always been the trend.
This is what seems to separate ourselves from the rest. Of course it would be unfair to compare Muvi TV or ZNBC with Supersport.
But the SABC is already running advertisements on which matches they will show live from Equatorial Guinea. In our case there could be uncertainty that the stations might not afford buying the TV rights from Sports Five so there is no harm in running an advert to ask for sponsorship.
The lukewarm coverage of the ongoing African Union Sports Commission (AUSC) Zone 5 games is palpable. Zambia bagging medals like they were going out of fashion but the coverage is rather lukewarm.
These are youth games that have been used as a stepping stone to stardom. Kalusha Bwalya made his grade with the under-20 squad and what he went on to do is there for all to see.
My point is that these games are important because they prop up youngsters.
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