Lights, Camera, Sign: Austin News Show for the Deaf Rises in Popularity
By Elizabeth Jeneault
May 11, 2016
AUSTIN, Texas —Through various hand movements, one Austinite has made his way into tens of thousands of homes.
Out of his apartment in Southwest Austin, Alex Abenchuchan produces and hosts an online news show for the deaf. With the help of a makeshift teleprompter and the push of a toe, Abenchuchan signs the news as he reads it.
He does so almost every day, posting The Daily Moth’s videos online for the deaf community to see.
“As a hearing person you have radio, you have TV at the local, state, national, international levels but for deaf individuals, there are not many outlets for news,” said Abenchuchan.
–Visit The Daily Moth’s YouTube Channel:–
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaayieDFpDIZ1b_mspO_Rzg
Apart from top stories, he often features people within the deaf community.
“Austin is a perfect place to start this show because of the wealth of deaf talent in Austin,” said Abenchuchan.
He says he’d love to eventually move the show out of the apartment and into a studio where he could bring on other deaf anchors and reporters.
“I would like to have more people, but I have to pay them first,” said Abenchuchan.
That’s part of the reason why Abenchuchan launched a GoFundMe page. He calls the support he’s received for the show incredible.
“People have joined my audience and said, ‘Thank you! I can now enjoy the news, I can now have discussions in my classrooms.’ Husbands and wives can watch the news and have a discussion about what’s going on in the world,” said Abenchuchan.
That’s what Abenchuchan said matters to him, and it is a job he takes seriously.
“I really make sure that I am clear with my delivery of American Sign Language,” said Abenchuchan. “I live up to my responsibility so people will continue to watch. Within that camera’s eye, I can actually see my audience now.”
A sight that makes the job worth it.
SOURCE: (Video with captioned)