In an industry that is so immersed in spoken communication, it can be difficult to imagine working using visual communication as an able-bodied person. These views in turn, disregard deaf abilities and lack consideration to how it will affect those who use sign language daily.

Deaf inclusivity has escalated dramatically over recent years, more specifically in industry workplaces. It’s a positive change that the media industry requires in order to adapt to a diverse environment, to give fair opportunities to individuals that have been excluded from experiences in the industry.

British Television presenter, Tessa Padden, has experience of working in the media, which she has been partaking in for 38 years. “When the BDA (British Deaf Association) asked me, I never thought I wanted to be a presenter at the time, but I accepted the role. My first presenting job was a video presenter for the government, covering food and health.”

One of the first projects Tessa participated in was the ‘Sign On’ channel, on Channel four with Deaf Owl Productions, “which were authentic deaf-led programmes that consisted of five deaf members and film crew.” The ‘Sign On’ programmes included good quality content, that were ideas from real deaf people. “This experience was our stepping stone to the industry. However, lots of people involved were employed for other jobs, so people kept coming in and leaving which affected the media side of the programme. In terms of the career side, it was poor. Meaning I was still translating and doing other jobs on the side.” Hearing people eventually took over deaf programmes and channels, Tessa adds, “Ideas became fabricated and less of the originality that the programmes had previously with the deaf cast.”

“In the past, television representation was the most transparent in terms of portrayal of the deaf”, after the ‘Sign On’ programme fell short that they were ‘back to square one’. Her insight into tokenism was during her time at ‘Sign On’, where a certain channel funded the programme, where they had asked the crew to be involved in filming at their set. Upon arrival, they were told to observe and not participate, “We knew what we were doing, we’d been trained prior and we were only there to watch. The facade of funding being a way to show they can support the deaf.”

Tessa Padden, A deaf British tv presenter (credit: sky news website)

Tessa worked in a management training consultant job where she encountered difficulties with tokenism in her workplace. Tessa reveals; “There was a lot of tokenism used. One example would be when a well-known Member of Parliament came to my workplace, they took over and I felt excluded even though I was the manager at the time. This happens because it's really common that hearing people favour deaf individuals that can speak. Skills and experience aren’t the main priority, but when a deaf person can speak? That’s the main attraction for a hearing person.”

In a report by ‘hearinglikeme.com’, 69 percent of deaf participants reported that it is essential to them that deaf roles are always undertaken by deaf individuals for a true representation. This reinforces why the community positively engages with content that is made by deaf individuals for deaf people. Tessa states, “With there being deaf workers available, why is it that hearing workers are still more favoured to advocate for something that they cannot fully grasp?”

Deaf led content is important and should be shown more in the media, for example, BSL Zone’s ‘Sign 2 Win’ highlights a significance that deaf people can create, and produce impactful content. This is the first deaf game show that not only has promoted inclusivity and encouraged deaf abilities, it also has a ‘deaf host, 95% of the contestants are deaf and a remainder are CODA’s (Child of Deaf Adults)’, marking a revolutionary shift that discards a false interpretation that the media vicariously reflects. This progressive approach challenges mainstream media, showing that deaf people have been excluded for far too long.

To continue the advancing improvements of representation of the deaf community, Tessa states that “changing hearing attitudes is the way for things to progress.” This could be implemented by deaf awareness content, which ‘See Hear’ on the BBC produces. The See Hear channel first premiered in 1981, and still produces sign language-based content for the deaf and hard of hearing community, the topics are not limited to just education and language but also focuses on deaf rights. The programmes include voice overs which allow hearing people who are eager to learn BSL (British Sign Language) and subtitles in addition for deaf audiences to understand the programme.

In order for the media to produce authentic representations, Tessa states that we should ‘let the deaf do it’. By allowing full rein and support to deaf individuals to work on such projects will in turn provide impactful content which are deemed palpable by the community.

Tone Deaf In The Media Industry