More news interpreters welcomed

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)