More news interpreters welcomed

JAKARTA (JP): TVRI welcomes more applicants for news interpreters as the present four sign language interpreters for the daily newscasts are not enough.

"The interpreters we have, who already work in shifts, are quite exhausted," Baruno, the head of the TVRI news section, said recently.

"We need at least ten more people," he said. "Of course there will be sign language specialists to select them, but we will also take into account their performance in front of the camera."

Since teachers of the Zinnia school for the hearing impaired first appeared on television in April, Baruno has received reports from Zinnia that students of other special schools are voicing "jealousy" over what they see as special exposure of Zinnia teachers.

"That is a misunderstanding, and quite natural, as this whole thing of having interpreters for news is new," said Imas Gunawan, the head of the Zinnia school.

A number of sign language teachers participated in a ten-day course at the Ministry of Education and Culture in May, but Imas said graduating from the course will not likely be a prerequisite for applying for news interpreting at TVRI. (anr)