| Accessible Media Inc. | |
| Type: | Non-profit |
| Location Country: | Canada |
| Foundation: | 1989 |
| Location: | Toronto, Ontario |
| Industry: | Media |
| Products: | Broadcasting, Post-Production |
AMI (Accessible Media Inc.) is a not-for-profit media company that serves Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. The company operates three broadcast services: AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French.
AMI was established in 1989 as the National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS) on the Canadian Parliament's Standing Committee of the Status of Disabled Persons. The committee's report, "No News is Bad News", stated that vision- and print-restricted Canadians must have equal access to published news and information.
In 1990, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted NBRS a licence for VoicePrint a radio reading service; the service launched on December 1 that year. In 1995, NBRS launched AudioVision Canada to supply described video services to various film and television projects. In July 2007, the CRTC granted NBRS's licence application for The Accessible Channel, a national specialty channel which would air all of its programming with described video and closed captioning.[1] The channel would launch in 2009.[2]
To reflect its expansion beyond VoicePrint with the launch of The Accessible Channel, the National Broadcast Reading Service was renamed Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) in 2010. On January 30, 2012, as part of an effort to unify AMI's services under one brand for easier cross-promotion, TAC was renamed AMI-tv. VoicePrint followed suit on March 5, 2012, becoming AMI-audio.[3] On June 21, 2012, Accessible Media launched the DV Guide—an online TV listings service that highlights programming across Canadian broadcasters which carry audio descriptions.[4] In 2013, AMI-tv and AMI-audio licences were renewed through 2018[5] and AMI was awarded a French television licence. AMI's French channel, AMI-télé, launched in December 2014. In 2018, AMI-tv, AMI-audio and AMI-télé licences were renewed through 2023.[6]
In February 2018, AMI launched apps for iOS and tvOS, providing yet another means of consuming AMI-tv original content. Some of the apps' features include accessibility enhancements such as bolded text and high contrast layout.[7]
Noted programming on AMI-tv includes NOW with Dave Brown, Kelly & Ramya, By Hook or By Cook, Dish with Mary, Mind Your Own Business, Fashion Dis, Access Tech Live, Level Playing Field and Disrupt.
Key programming on AMI-audio includes NOW with Dave Brown, Kelly & Ramya, The Pulse, AMI Audiobook Review, My Life in Books with Red Szell, Outdoors with Lawrence Gunther.
In October, 2020, AMI announced the launch of its first original podcasts for podcasting platforms and YouTube, which include Low Vision Moments, Tripping on Air, Shaun of the Shed, Double Tap and Para Sport Update.[8]
AMI operates three main broadcasting services in television and radio. Its services must be carried on the basic tier of all digital television services in the country.