By Siyasanga Tyali
The Rhodes School of Journalism and Media studies (JMS) is involved in an innovative project that is bringing about much needed media information to the blind community of Grahamstown.
An idea by student, Lisa Brigham is set to make a significant difference in the way the blind people of the City of Saints can access media information.
“I was taken aback when I participated in a workshop while training on The Oppidan Press where members of GADRA Matric School came to speak about how they, as blind people, were not being accommodated or treated equally in terms of media considerations” said Brigham.
Brigham, a 4th-year new media student, is the creator, project manager and editor of this new project, the Grocott’s Mail newspaper for the blind. This edition of Grocott’s Mail is compiled from the previous Friday’s and current week Tuesday’s editions of the paper, combined into one newspaper and sent to the South African Library for the Blind (SALB) to be converted into Braille and printed.
“We are currently working on an extension of this blind media production and in conjunction with Grocott’s Mail and Rhodes University building a podcast model of the content in the paper to place online and later on, hopefully, on the local radio station” said Brigham. She approached Jeanne du Toit, JMS radio lecturer, about the possibility of developing radio content that is dedicated to the blind community of Grahamstown.
A podcast called Listen has been developed for the blind community and is administered by third-year JMS radio students. Hosted by Santisha Chattergoon and Ntombenkosi Dyosop, this podcast show is an audio visual of some content that is published on the Grocott’s Mail Online.
“As the students are progressing so has Listen, it’s blossoming and is becoming a flower” said Danika Marquis who is lecturing the third year students involved in this project.
Brigham says there are plans to make this a nationwide project.