ABC - Australian Story

Part of the Foundation’s role is to make representations on issues that can improve the quality of life of those with MD. It is a priority to maintain the independence that is so important to all of us as we age.

Many readers will be familiar with the popular program on ABC Television called Australian Story. The conclusion of the program very often contains the outcome of the story and important information of relevance to the story line in print and is not accompanied by any audio. This can make the enjoyment of the program difficult for those with vision impairment.

In response to the concerns of our clients, the Foundation took this issue further and followed the ABC complaints process. This involved submissions to the ABC Audience and Consumers Affairs, the Independent Complaints Review Panel of the ABC, the Complaints Review Executive of the ABC and finally the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

The final finding was that the ABC did not breach their code. The ACMA supported the position that there may be occasions, due to resources and other considerations such as creativity, editorial integrity and immediacy, that the provision of audio, in addition to text, may not be possible or appropriate for ABC Television.

One of the MD Foundation’s objectives is to represent the interests of the MD community. The Foundation advocates for the best interests of the MD community across Australia and encourages equality and accessibility for all.

5 December 2007