Deaf News: BBC News to expand clear masks for reporters after successful trial period

BBC News will now be looking to roll out clear masks to more journalists for use when working after an initial trial was successful, The Limping Chicken has been told.

It comes after a series of posts surfaced on social media showing reporters in Liverpool wearing masks from the US brand ClearMask, which have also been procured by the UK Government for use by NHS and care workers.

In a statement to The Limping Chicken, a BBC News spokesperson said: “Following a recommendation from the BBC’s Disability Steering Group, we’ve been trialling the use of clear masks to enable lip readers to better understand our correspondents.

“After a successful initial rollout with our North of England bureau, we will look to roll these masks out further with more of our correspondents across our TV output where possible.”

The National Association of Deafened People (NADP) were amongst the charities praising the move by the broadcaster, sharing a photo of reporter Dominic Hughes with the mask and tweeting that the “visibility and accessibility of reporting [is] worthy a mention”.

Congratulations to @BBCNews reporter Dominic Huges covering Liverpool mass testing wearing ClearMask! Visibility and accessibility of reporting worthy a mention! #hearingloss #facemasks #clearmaskscampaign @LilianGreenwood @soph_campaigner @best_lidia @nicktedd @eurociu @IFHOHYP pic.twitter.com/PQS0Szm6GZ

— NADP (@NADP_official) November 7, 2020

Elsewhere, Scottish charity Deaf Action said it was “great” to see another BBC correspondent, Dan Johnson, wearing a clear mask on its Breakfast programme, tweeting: “These masks are hugely beneficial to Deaf people who rely on lipreading and facial cues for communication.”

The Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID), formerly Action on Hearing Loss, added: “Great deaf awareness, [Dan Johnson]! 

“We challenge all TV presenters to #BeDeafAware and open up their important broadcasts to the 1 in 5 adults in the UK who are deaf or have hearing loss.”

Responding to the comments, North of England reporter Judith Moritz said: “Coming soon to a telly near you… More BBC News correspondents wearing clear masks, to improve facial expression and make it possible to lip read.”

She went on to thank senior producer Ruth Cleggins, senior journalist David Cheeseman and disability reporter Nikki Fox for bringing the issue to the organisation’s attention.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.