Journalism student creates Deaf and Hearing Network for people in deaf community

Thanks to an innovative idea, one college student is helping bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing when it comes to broadcast television.

Journalism sophomore at Arizona State University, Peyton Gallovich noticed a wide gap between the quality of communication provided to the deaf and hard of hearing communities, most of whom rely on closed captioning. Noticing that closed captioning didn’t match the entire experience of broadcast news as it did with for those who are hearing, Gallovich proposed the idea of a broadcast news show that incorporates all the needs of its deaf and hard of hearing viewers.

With the help of her sign-language professor Dyan Sue Kovacs, Gallovich was able to create the Deaf Hearing Network, a program that blends sign language, closed captioning and vocal news.

The DHN consists of deaf anchors who sign the news while Gallovich speaks about what is being signed with the same being done by the female anchors while a male speaks for the male anchors signing. This combination of signing and vocal allows for the program to be enjoyed by those who are deaf and hard of hearing but also those who are hearing as well.

Started in January, the DHN is on to their seventh episode and is quickly gaining viewers, such as Lindsay Feuer and her students the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf who are excited to views a news program that incorporates sign language.

As DHN begins to expand in popularity, Gallovich hopes to expand its reach to deaf and hard of hearing audiences as well hope that broadcast news shows such as DHN become more widespread.

Read the full story here.

To watch episodes of Deaf and Hearing Network, click here.