"This is a really exciting day for people who are blind or vision impaired in the Hunter region, said Lauren Henley, media access campaign leader for peak national consumer organisation Blind Citizens Australia (BCA).
"Audio description gives people access to a form of entertainment that they may never have had an opportunity to experience before. It means school kids who are blind can now go to the movies with their friends and not feel left out when all everyone is talking about is the latest box office film. It also means that people who have lost their sight later in life can continue to share the experience of watching a movie with family and friends", said Ms Henley.
Local resident Mark Walters, 36, will be one of the first to make it down to Reading Cinemas Charlestown to give audio description a go. "I've been blind my entire life and never thought I would be able to enjoy going to the movies. I'm just so excited that this is available in Charlestown"
Approximately 1.5% of current cinema screens are accessible to movie-goers who are blind or vision impaired. The BCA ‘It's Our Turn Now' national postcard campaign in 2010 led the way in highlighting the poor access available to people who are blind or vision impaired, with over 8,000 people voicing their concern that they were being left behind and treated as second class citizens.
BCA has subsequently worked closely with fellow members of the Accessible Cinema Advisory Group to guarantee audio description in cinemas for people who are blind or vision impaired. The commencement of audio description at Charlestown is part of the four-year Cinema Access Implementation Plan to 2014.
Reading Cinemas Charlestown is the second cinema in the Hunter Region to begin offering this vital service since Greater Union Glendale began screening films with audio description in October 2011.
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