Detroit TV station adds segment for deaf community

From the Detroit Free Press blog:

Local TV news might be moving away from full-service, in-house newscasts because of rising costs and lowered revenue. Two examples of it are evident in the Detroit market. WMYD-TV (Channel 20) is banging the drum more fervently for its new 10 p.m. weekday newscast, which is produced remotely by a firm that does this for several stations. There are a couple of local correspondents, but the station avoids the multimillion-dollar expense of maintaining a standard local news operation. And CBS Detroit (WWJ-TV, Channel 62 and WKBD-TV, Channel 50) -- both still devoid of a local newscast -- are taking a different tack.

Each Sunday at 11:30 a.m., Channel 50 offers up "Street Beat," which attempts to "go behind the headlines of events, issues and stories of interest in metro Detroit." "Upbeat" is the watchword, so expect little negativity. Hosted by Tim Lawlis, the show also features "Community Correspondent" segments by a crew of local people. Among them is Kenya Lowe, who brings in guests to talk about the metro Detroit deaf community. Her interviews are conducted in American Sign Language and voiced for the hearing by interpreters provided by Deaf C.A.N.! (Both Lawlis and Lowe are pictured.)