By Stephen Portlock (RNIB Campaigns Officer), Leen Petré
(Chair, EBU Working Group on Access to Digital TV) and Dan
Pescod (RNIB International and European Campaigns Manager),
May 2006
Part 1: Audio description in Cinema and Theatre
Part 2: Audio Description on television and accessible TV
equipment
Part 3: Legislation requiring the provision of different TV access
services
Legislation on subtitling
Legislated on sign language
Legislation on audio subtitling
Legislation on audio description
Part 4: Standards and training for audio description production
Part 5: The Role of accessible equipement
Part 6: Viewpoints on future campaigning
a) Achieving legislation on audio description
Optimistic
Less optimistic
b) Achieving accessible Digital Television equipment
Moderate optimism and calls for Government intervention
Less optimistic
c) Viewpoints on European collaboration with regard to audio description and accessible TV equipment
Increased likelihood of achieving legislation and campaign success
Increased Homogeneity and the Exchange of Ideas
Economic Benefits
Audio description is the most commonly used way of making theatre, cinema and TV
more accessible for blind and partially sighted people. This service is an
additional narration that makes television programmes accessible to blind and
partially sighted people. It does so by describing what is happening on the
screen or the stage for people who have difficulty seeing the action, body
language, facial expressions, costume or scenery.
A clip of TV audio description can be viewed at
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/public_adcliphomehtml.hcsp
In some countries, audio subtitling (also called spoken subtitles) is used on TV
to make foreign language TV programmes with subtitles more accessible for
visually impaired audiences.
In this report we have given a European overview of the state of audio
description and audio subtitling for visually impaired people, but we have also
focused extensively on the wider accessibility issues surrounding digital
television. We feel that these areas need to be explored together as the value
of audio description or audio subtitling is likely to be severely restricted if
digital television is not also accessible. Without accessibility of set-top
boxes, blind and partially sighted viewers cannot use the access services
easily.
This report represents a snapshot of the current situation. It gives examples of
positive and negative experiences relating not just to the needs of blind people
but to those of deaf people - another group of people with a sensory impairment
who have difficulty viewing TV without access services and therefore one from
which we, the European Blind Union, can potentially learn.
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All respondents expressed an interest in audio description in cinema, and, currently, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK have audio description in cinemas. This indicates that there is scope for extending this service.
In France, six films have been adapted for audio description.
A few audio described cinema screenings take place in Italy
In the French speaking parts of Belgium, audio described screenings take place
regularly, organised by blind organisations who rent films from Paris. In the
Dutch-speaking part of Belgium there are no audio described film screenings.
Audio description on video has been around in the UK for ten years, and in
cinemas for just four.
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With the single exception of the Czech Republic, all the countries that had audio description in cinemas also had it in theatres. So, additionally, did Lithuania and Finland.
While there are no audio described theatre performances in the Dutch speaking
part of Belgium, one or two audio described performances take place per year in
the French-speaking part, organised by private individuals.
In Italy there is audio description in a few theatres.
While audio description does not generally exist in Lithuanian theatres, it
takes place occasionally in very small projects.
Audio description in the UK at the theatre has been the forerunner of the
other media. The service has been running at theatres for about fifteen years,
with the number of current providers having increased rapidly from the fourteen
theatres that provided the service in the early 1990s.
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Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the UK currently have audio description on TV. The survey findings show that blind and partially sighted people are not sufficiently catered for by either audio description or audio subtitling. Only a few countries make programmes more accessible by providing one of these services, and even then the percentage of programmes that are made accessible is far too limited, and should be extended.
The UK has far and away the most audio description, with 8% - about 10 hours
per week - of programmes on bigger channels being available with audio
description, paid for by the broadcasters. Although TV audio description trials
started in the 1990s, the service has only really become available to viewers of
digital television from 2001 onwards.
In Germany 0.7% of TV broadcasts have audio description. 489 films were
broadcast with audio description in 2004. Audio description has appeared on
German TV since 1993, and since 1998, it has been a regular service paid for by
broadcasters. Most of the audio described films in Austria are bought from
Germany.
Italy shows approximately six hours of audio described television per week.
Audio description first appeared in Italy in 1990 and is still carried out with
the same system. One company CTT - Cine Television Team - has a patent for Italy
relating to TV audio description. There is no audio description on private
channels.
Portugal shows one film (equivalent to ninety minutes) with audio description
per week. The channel pays for its production.
In France, audio description is only available on Arté who show one film per
month with audio description, but repeat it several times. They pay for its
production. Audio description is not on the public channels. It started in 1995,
after a link between Arté and the AVH association.
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On analogue TV, audio description is available in 4 countries out
of the 19 Countries surveyed.
Audio description is available in Austria on cable television, terrestrial
(antenna) and via satellite.
In France, audio description is available in both analogue formats on cable,
terrestrial (antenna) and on satellite TV. The audio description signal is mixed
in with the programme soundtrack, via Nicam.
In Germany, audio description is available on analogue terrestrial TV and also
on satellite TV, but only three broadcasters provide the service. It is also
available on analogue cable TV, but only in some regions and by some
broadcasters.
In Portugal, audio description is available in analogue format on cable,
terrestrial (antenna) and satellite TV.
The European AUDETEL Project in the early 1990s demonstrated that audio
description could be transmitted in the UK via analogue television. The Digital
Network funded the provision of equipment to 45 households between May 2000 and
Summer 2003, so that feedback could be provided on audio description. Initially
it was received through cobbled together equipment, which was then replaced
with a Nokia set-top box with an audio description module. The trial ended in
the summer of 2003 and audio description on analogue TV was abandoned in favour
of digital TV.
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Audio description or audio subtitling are available in six of the countries
surveyed, but given the current growth of digital platforms there is definitely
scope for more to be done.
In France, audio description is available in digital formats on cable,
terrestrial (antenna) and on satellite TV. The audio description signal is mixed
in with the programme soundtrack, via Nicam.
In Germany, audio description is available on digital terrestrial, satellite
and cable TV, but is only transmitted by some broadcasters.
In Portugal, audio description is available in digital format on cable,
terrestrial (antenna) and satellite TV. On digital cable TV, the audio
description is mixed with the programme soundtrack. On digital terrestrial and
satellite public TV, the audio description is received via the radio.
Audio description is available in the UK in digital format on cable,
terrestrial (antenna) and satellite TV. On Digital terrestrial TV the audio
description is broadcast as a separate signal from the general soundtrack
(receiver-mixed). On digital satellite this is mixed in with the programme
soundtrack before transmission (broadcast mixed). In Summer 2001 digital
satellite company BSkyB launched its audio description service for some of its
own digital satellite channels. It is now available on BskyB channels Sky One,
Sky One Mix, Sky Movies 1-9, Sky Sports 1-3, Sky Travel and Sky Travel Extra. In
November 2003, Five added its audio description to the digital satellite
provision. In 2004, the other public service broadcasters also started
transmitting their audio description via BskyB, adding BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4,
CBBC, Cbeebies, ITV1, ITV2 and Channel 4 to the digital satellite provision.
On digital cable the audio description service is broadcast mixed before
transmission just like on digital Satellite. The long-awaited launch of audio
description on the digital TV service provided by cable company NTL started at
the end of November 2006, when NTL began transmitting audio description on BBC1
throughout England. The service will not be available in London however until
2007. NTL will gradually roll out the provision of audio description on a
channel-by-channel basis during 2006.
A digital terrestrial audio description service was launched in May 2000 with a
receiver-mixed signal, broadcast separately from the main soundtrack. The public
could not receive this service until a terrestrial set-top box with audio
description decoding and mixing functionality became available in December 2003.
All public service broadcasters - BBC, ITV, Channel 4, S4C and Five - now
transmit audio description on digital terrestrial television. The service can be
heard on BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, Cbeebies, CBBC, ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4, S4C and
Five.
Since 2001 the public broadcasting networks in Holland have sent the subtitles
to a pc with a speech engine where the text is transformed into a spoken
version. This is sent by air, by cable and by satellite to all the subscribers.
A special small set-top box, the Comfox, speaks the synthetic text that it gets
via the start cable. On the second generation Comfox someone can use a wireless
headphone with a balance fader to adjust the volume levels of the TV and the
spoken subtitles. Automatic fading of the original sound should also be possible
when subtitling comes in.
The public channels are now going digital and pictures, sound and subtitles are
delivered separately. This has enabled ninety percent of programmes to be
broadcast with spoken subtitles. The remaining ten percent are old material and
films coming from abroad. The subtitling in this old / foreign material is
graphically burned in and can not be substituted with speech.
Sweden has audio subtitling on digital terrestrial (antenna). It is broadcast
separately from the general soundtrack (receiver-mixed). It is only available on
the two public service channels, and there are no private channels.
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This section of the reports looks at whether there are national
legislative requirements to provide audio description or audio subtitling for
blind and partially sighted people and compares them with the legislative
requirements for subtitling and signing for deaf and hard of hearing people.
A comparison of legislation between countries illustrates that most governments
are much more aware of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people when it
comes to using television, than of the needs of their blind and partially
sighted citizens. This gap with the official government level recognition of the
needs of blind and partially sighted people clearly needs to be closed by more
national legislation requiring audio description and audio subtitling.
Belgium (the Dutch speaking part), the Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and the UK have legislation relating to subtitles to make TV viewing more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people.
According to Czech Blind United, there are subtitles on some programmes but
these are only on national TV. There is also related local or national
legislation.
In France, the new law on disability from February 11th 2005 contains
requirements to provide subtitles.
In 2005, an extra paragraph in the media legislation for the Netherlands was
brought in giving public and commercial networks four years to provide subtitles
on eighty percent of programmes for viewers who are deaf or have hearing loss.
Such subtitles should appear on among others, sports and the news.
Slovak law requires that 25% of programmes have hidden or open subtitling. The
law requires that programmes with hidden subtitling be marked "ST" whereas those
with open subtitling are marked "OT".
In Sweden, to obtain public service broadcast permission at least 50% of the
programmes must be subtitled for the deaf and hard of hearing until the end of
the public service contract. The need for narration services for the blind was
also requested and SVT was instructed to develop and implement this. The present
contract period is January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006.
In the UK, there is a legal requirement to provide subtitles according to the
Communications Act of 2003.
In Denmark, there is no law but an obligation to provide subtitles with the
news.
In Estonia, the needs of deaf people are also considered with regard to the
six o'clock news, but it is unclear whether this entails subtitles or sign
language and whether law dictates this.
While there is no legal requirement to provide subtitles on programmes in
local languages, some channels in Iceland do so as a service to their viewers.
In Italy, there is a convention between the Ministry of Communications and the
Italian public radio and television station RAI.
In Lithuania, Subtitles are provided for some broadcasts.
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Belgium (the French speaking part), Greece and Slovakia have legislation relating to sign language to make TV programmes more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people.
The law in Greece and the French-speaking part of Belgium requires that the
news have sign language. This is for seven minutes per day in Greece.
In Slovakia it is required that on one channel at least one percent of
programmes have sign language. These should be marked "PRN". Act 141/2005
guarantees the right to information in sign language.
In Lithuania, there are no legal requirements, but an agreement between
national TV and the Lithuanian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
People that sign language be provided for the main news information
broadcasting.
None of the countries involved in the survey has legislation requiring audio subtitling.
In the Netherlands, spoken subtitles are provided for about ninety percent of
programmes on the public channels, including foreign news reports, soaps and
films. Federatie Slechtzienden-en Blindenbelang is working on getting audio
subtitling on commercial channels. They see audio subtitling as an ideal service
for countries whose national language is less commonly spoken worldwide.
In Sweden there is daily audio subtitling, on the two public service channels,
for foreign movies this is funded by the Swedish Film Institute. There is
however no legislation to require this.
While there is no related legislation, Finnish television carries forty hours
of spoken subtitling per week.
Currently only the UK has legislation requiring audio description. France is studying the need for proposals and Italy has an agreement that involves national government.
In France the new law on disability from February 11th 2005 gives the
government one year to conduct a study and make proposals.
National legislation exists in the UK - The communications act 2003 in
paragraphs 303 to 311 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030021.htm
In Italy, there is no legislation but an agreement between the Ministry of
Communications and the Italian public radio and television company RAI http://www.televisione.cc/contrattoRAI.htm.
The survey shows that countries are increasingly adopting formal standards to
explain how audio description should be done.
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and the UK all have guidelines on
audio description. In Sweden, these guidelines relate to audio description in
cinemas and theatres. In cinemas in the UK, there is ITC guidance on standards
for audio description with information on how and what to describe with regard
to different programme genres. They can be found at
www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/guidance/tv_access_serv/audio_description_stnds/#content.
The Czech Republic has followed the British approach on audio description,
making adaptations where necessary.
In the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, Mrs A. Remael, professor of English at
the polytechnic for Translators and Interpreters, in Antwerp, is working on
guidelines for audio description. It is unclear at this stage who will do the
training.
In Sweden, guidelines exist relating to audio description in cinemas and
theatres.
In France there are no written guidelines or standards on audio description
and this is because not all partners are using the same method to make
audio-descriptions. The CNPSAA hopes that future progress with audio description
lies in application of the new disability-related law brought in on the 11th
February 2005.
During 2005 Spain's ONCE developed a Standard for Audio description (UNE
153020) and got its approval by AENOR (the Spanish Standardization
Organization). It will soon be translated into English.
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There appear to be two strands to the training of audio describers - those
courses provided in institutes of education, and those provided by film
institutes or film companies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, with the exception of
France, the countries that had guidelines on audio description also had training
courses. Also, perhaps unsurprisingly countries, which have the most audio
description on TV, in theatres and in cinemas, also appear to have most training
courses in audio description. There is clearly scope for growth in the training
of describers.
There is an open college vocational qualification in audio description by the
Audio Description Association in the UK. While this is predominantly for theatre
describers, a module has recently been included on screen (TV and film)
description. The University of Surrey also provides a Masters in Monolingual
Subtitling and Audio Description. The private companies who produce audio
description for television and films also provide in-house training to
employees. The Royal National Institute of the Blind felt that describers needed
to be taught the background to audio description and to be given visual
awareness training. They need to be taught relevant legislation and the use of
technical equipment. They need to know the principles of audio description and
different styles according to the type of programme (i.e. comedy, children's,
documentary, adult content). They need to learn language skills / linguistic
principles, the use of taboo language, script preparation for live theatre,
writing introductions for live / theatre description.
In Sweden, funding can be provided by the Swedish Film Institute to arrange
courses for audio describers. Some of Sweden's most experienced audio describers
have developed two 2-day courses that are conducted when needed. The Swedish
Association of Visually Impaired People felt that the planning and practice of
audio description should be taught in courses. Before the show, background
information should be provided in such a ways as to not spoil the plot. People
should be trained to say a lot with few words, and in the use of silent moments.
However, they argue, as does France's CNPSAA, it is also possible to get
training by following an experienced audio describer. This, argues the Swedish
Association of Visually Impaired People, should be organised by the local blind
persons' society.
In Germany, training is provided by Deutsche Hörfilm gGmbH. Given that Germany
provides most of the audio described films to Austria - the Austrian Federation
of the Blind and Partially Sighted knows of no training courses in their
country.
In Italy, training is provided by the private company that provides audio
description, Cine Television Team (CTT). Italy favoured courses in audio
description. These should teach methods for describing essential information
about situations and events which cannot be directly caught, perceived or
watched by blind and partially sighted users. Courses should be held by
qualified bodies such as schools of dramatic arts with the support of visually
impaired experts. These experts would be visually impaired people with a good
educational background and a thorough knowledge of visual impairment. As
potential users of the service they could better understand the actual needs of
this group.
In Finland, one course in audio description took place in 2005.
At present there is no training in audio description in the Czech Republic.
There is only one person doing description and two others are preparing audio
description for production of an extra channel for commercial DVDs. Currently,
there are only 6 DVDs with audio description. Czech Blind United wanted training
courses on audio description to show good and bad practice.
Portugal does not have courses in audio description but ACAPO felt that they
should take place in the Universities Communication and/or Translations
Departments.
The Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind felt that such courses should be
organised by the local TV and radio authority
Greece currently has no audio description, but the Panhellenic Association of
the Blind (PAB) would be interested in learning about the training arrangements
for audio describers in order to lead a campaign and press the government to
provide audio description. If the RNIB gave their support, then PAB would lead
as specialist and trainer in an initiative of establishing, securing and
certifying a specific training program for audio describers in collaboration
with a university and the national TV (ERT) in Greece. Part of the courses could
be in Greece and part in the UK.
In France, there are currently no courses available, but if the new
disability-related law makes them necessary, the CNPSAA will start training.
They will wait until legislation requires them to do so. Such courses should
teach audio description methods and an understanding of what a blind person can
perceive. Association Valentin HAÜY would be ready to organize such courses,
possibly in its building in Paris. However, they feel there is no particular
need for courses in audio description at the moment.
In Iceland, it was felt that there was insufficient demand to justify a course
in audio description.
Malta currently has no audio description, so Malta Society of the Blind did
not feel qualified to advise on good training practice, but they felt that it
could possibly be provided by PBS (Public Broadcasting Service).
Norway does not have audio description either, but the Norwegian Association
of the Blind and Partially Sighted felt that it could be provided by resource
centres and assistive technology centres. These centres are involved in the
education of mobility instructors. The Norwegian Association believes that they
should teach what to say and how to say it.
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Respondents overwhelmingly favoured the possibility of developing more accessible digital TV equipment for blind and partially sighted people. They all agreed on the importance of talking remote controls, spoken channel and programme information, spoken programme guides, one-touch access to assistive services and spoken interactive services.
In the questionnaires that form the basis for this report, respondents were
asked whether their organisation would be interested in various solutions to
make digital TV equipment more accessible for blind and partially sighted people
(see numbers 1 -6 below). All but two respondents answered these questions. They
were unanimously enthusiastic about all the following innovations:
1. A talking remote control that tells you which button you have pressed.
2. Spoken channel identification: when you change channels the television would
tell you which channel you were on for example, BBC1, VARA, ZDF, Arté
etc
3. Spoken programme information: if information appears on your screen about the
actual programme you have switched to, such as its title, its duration, when it
started etc
4. Fully spoken electronic programme guides: all on-screen information about
what programmes are on now and next, what is on later that week, when, what
these programmes will be about etc
5. One-touch access to audio description or other assistive services through a
special button on the remote control
6. Spoken information about interactive services.
In Finland, projects are due to start at the beginning of 2006 to prepare for
the creation of all of the above except spoken information on interactive
services. Many people in France have requested a talking remote control, and
France's CNPSAA also recognised the particular value of spoken channel
identification since providers often change the number of the channel.
Where spoken information about interactive services was concerned, the
Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted observed that the
option of using a headphone must be considered so as not to disturb other
viewers.
A similar concern was voiced by the Netherlands' Federatie Slechtzienden-en
Blindenbelang who felt that where spoken programme information and spoken
subtitles were concerned, there should be verbosity settings to regulate the
amount of information provided. Both the Netherlands' and the Swedish
Association of Visually Impaired People felt that there should additionally be
one-touch access to audio subtitling through a special button on the remote
control.
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Respondents displayed varying levels of optimism regarding the likelihood of
achieving national legislation on audio description, with calls for national
government legislation and European level encouragement and higher audio
description levels than presently available.
Both the Netherlands and Sweden prioritise audio subtitling over audio
description, and the former is not working on audio description, feeling that it
is too expensive for countries whose national language is less commonly spoken
worldwide.
Where audio description was concerned, while feeling that more might be
achieved through an EU directive, and stating that they will follow other EU
countries experience, the Lithuanian association of the Blind and Visually
Handicapped alluded to "many initiatives from the Ministry of Culture and
Education."
In Slovakia an initiative to create conditions for audio description has been
given the Government's approval. Negotiations about how this is to be brought
about are just starting. The Slovak blind and partially sighted Union are
optimistic but feel that more pressure at EU level would be very useful.
France's CNPSAA is hoping that the application of the new disability act of
the 11th February 2005 will bring about progress with regard to audio
description on television.
The Belgian Confederation for the Blind and Partially Sighted intends shortly
to contact the government to request some testing over the next months / years
of audio description on TV and in theatres. The minister of Media and the
minister for Culture (theatres) are interested in examining the possibilities
for implementing audio description in TV and theatre.
The Italian Union of the Blind will try to put pressure on the public radio
and television company RAI and also private broadcasters to provide programmes
with audio description.
While they felt that it would probably take a couple of years, the Norwegian
Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted believed that thanks to a few
projects now started, relating to audio description on television, in theatres
and in cinemas, it will hopefully be widely available in the future.
Czech Blind United appeared to express optimism that before too long audio
description would appear on first national then private television.
Finland trialled audio description on analogue television in 1994 and on
digital television in 2005. The Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired
expressed the hope that the interests of blind and partially sighted viewers
will be addressed, and that audio description will pick up considerably.
The Austrian Federation of the Blind and Partially sighted expressed the hope
that audio description in their country will also pick up considerably.
There are a few projects regarding audio description in television, cinemas
and theatres that the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted
hope will make audio description available on various arenas in years to come.
Spain's ONCE is working on the Spanish Audiovisual Law so that, for the first
time in Spain, there will be compulsory percentages for digital TV operators.
These percentages will relate to broadcasting programmes with subtitles in sign
language and audio-description. The Government offers only 10% of
audio-described programmes by 2013 but ONCE aims for 20% of the total programmes
by that time. It would basically affect films, fiction serials for adults and
cartoons for children and documentaries. They are asking for at least 28 hours
per week of audio described programmes. Additionally, the CESyA (Spanish Centre
for Subtitles and Audio-Description) has been created recently and ONCE is
working actively in it. This Centre wants to create a database of accessible
audiovisual products for blind and deaf people that could be used by TV
broadcasters.
The Royal National Institute of the Blind displayed qualified optimism.
They are campaigning to get the targets for audio description up from 10 to 20 %
of programming, and while they hope to achieve this, they recognise that it will
be a difficult battle. The positive news is that more and more audio description
will become available on DVD as some major film companies as well as
broadcasters are now committed to putting the audio description that is produced
for film and TV onto DVDs.
Greece's Panhellenic Association of the Blind felt that leaving audio
description to national and private television would be disastrous.
The Estonian Federation of the Blind saw the future for audio description as
dependant on the introduction of digital TV, and certainly on legislation.
Portugal's ACAPO expressed the wish that the audio description service could
be quickly improved and generally disseminated through private and public
channels.
Germany's DBSV wanted audio description on an increased proportion of TV
programmes, on a substantial and increasing number of DVDs, and on more films in
cinemas.
The Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind felt that they had a long way to go
where audio described television is concerned.
The Danish Association of the Blind felt that only an EU directive would
create an engaged political interest in audio description within the Parliament
(The Folketing).
The Polish association of the Blind was not optimistic about the development
of audio description in their country, but felt that more progress could be made
in this area through European collaboration.
The Icelandic Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted felt that given
its size, progress in Iceland with regard to audio description would be best
achieved through European or Nordic collaboration.
Many organisations feel that digital TV presents an opportunity to make TV equipment more accessible for blind and partially sighted people, but emphasise that government intervention will be necessary.
In Slovakia an initiative to create conditions for accessibility of digital TV
has been given the Government's approval. Negotiations about how this is to be
brought about are just being started. The Slovak blind and Partially Sighted
Union are optimistic but feel that more pressure at EU level would be very
useful.
The Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted hopes that
individual rights legislation currently being discussed in Norway will help in
ensuring that digital television is accessible.
Germany's DBSV felt that provided that they adequately campaign to raise
awareness of the needs of blind people, there will be increased attention to the
accessibility of digital television in Germany.
Accessibility of digital TV will be high on the agenda of the Royal National
Institute of the Blind given that the UK government is committed to switching
off the analogue signal for everyone by 2012. RNIB has been lobbying hard to
ensure that accessible equipment is available for blind and partially sighted
people through the targeted help scheme that the government will be setting up.
Czech Blind United appeared to express optimism that attention paid to the
accessibility of digital television would increase.
The Austrian Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted expressed the hope
that the interests of blind and partially sighted viewers would be addressed.
Spain's ONCE worked in the Technical Forum on Digital Terrestrial Television,
in its Working Group on Accessibility for people with disabilities. The Spanish
Government has promoted this Forum. As a consequence of this work, ONCE prepared
a final report that introduced to the Government the accessibility needs of
people with disabilities.
The view was expressed that not enough priority is given to ensuring that digital television equipment will be accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
The Icelandic Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted felt that there
has not been enough focus on the accessibility of digital TV. To enable
development in the area greater awareness of the problems facing blind and
partially sighted people must be raised.
The Estonian Federation of the Blind felt that much more attention needs to be
paid to the accessibility of digital TV for the blind and partially sighted.
They felt that public awareness should be raised considering that elderly people
are an increasing group in our society. There are a lot of TV programmes that
are not in Estonian and have subtitles, but they are not accessible for people
with a visual impairment.
Next year in the Netherlands, digital television, the Internet and telephone
will be delivered through one provider and one broadband line. This will be
followed by a set-up box and a small interface unit. However, Federatie
Slechtzienden-en Blindenbelang is concerned that this technology will be
inaccessible to blind and partially sighted people.
France's CNPSAA see slow progress where adaptation of digital television is
concerned, and will certainly use an English system.
The Italian Union of the Blind fears that progress with regard to making
digital television accessible will be slow, and it will depend upon how far they
are able to involve the broadcasting companies.
Portugal's ACAPO felt that despite lobbying action, which they supported,
progress is very slow where ensuring accessibility of digital television is
concerned.
The Pancyprian Organisation of the Blind felt that progress with regard to
accessibility of digital television in their country would develop at a slow
rate.
The Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Handicapped felt that
while they would push the idea of accessible digital television the main process
would have to largely be carried out by national TV.
The Danish Association of the Blind tries to make the public, the authorities
and the TV-stations acknowledge the need for accessibility of digital
television.
The position held by Greece's Panhellenic Association of the Blind is that
leaving the accessibility of digital TV for blind and partially sighted people
to national and private Television would be disastrous.
The overwhelming majority of respondents were in favour of
European collaboration on audio description. The reason that some were not was
that, while recognising that most countries prioritise audio description, they
prioritise audio subtitling. This is because their TV stations do not dub
foreign language TV programmes but provide subtitled translation. An additional
reason for favouring audio subtitling was the cost implications OF audio
description.
All respondents were in favour of European collaboration on accessibility of
digital television, and a number of advantages were discerned: the need for
European standards, increased homogeneity and exchange of ideas and economic
benefits.
Austria and Portugal felt that, through such collaboration, there would be
greater pressure to consider the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
Austria did not specify on whom this pressure should be placed, but Portugal
felt that it was broadcasters and manufacturers who needed pressurising.
Slovakia believed that legislation would help.
Greece and Italy were in favour of European standards.
Austria called for more national co-operation in the interests of blind and
partially sighted people.
Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovakia were in favour of
establishing European standards. Belgium felt standards in the field should be
mandatory. Estonia alluded to a common legislative framework, with compulsory
special services for the blind.
Germany's DBSV felt that European collaboration would help to ensure that
blind people are not left behind.
Greece felt that European collaboration would ensure that development of audio
description was increased.
There are benefits to be gained from the exchange of information about courses
and technology, according to Belgium, Iceland, Portugal and Slovakia.
There should ideally be more homogeneity in the means of providing audio
description, according to the UK. With similar methods of providing audio
description in different countries, the technology involved would be fairly
similar, so manufacturers of digital TV receivers could be more easily persuaded
to build the functionality into their equipment.
For Czech Blind United, system unification would make audio description easier
to use for people with a visual impairment.
For Finland, Slovakia and the UK, the benefit lay in establishing greater
similarity between the digital TV signals. At the moment, the technical
differences between countries make it difficult to provide one service or device
all over Europe.
The UK felt that the value of creating equipment that will work in a number of
countries is that this will persuade manufacturers to implement these features
in mainstream technology, thus removing the need to separately develop access
technology. Integrating access in mainstream products will help to lower the
price for consumers. An example that the RNIB gives is that if a talking remote
control can be produced throughout Europe, similar principles can be applied to
the creation of talking programme guides. This will be an incentive for TV
manufacturers to produce digital TV sets and boxes that have these functions and
technology.
Germany's DBSV felt that collectively, it would be easier to convince
manufacturers of what needed to be done to make digital TV accessible.
Iceland believed that European collaboration would precipitate technological
development.
Greece and Norway felt that there would be an increase in the development
of audio description in different countries.
Malta felt that European collaboration would make the establishment of audio
description more cost effective.
Since blind and partially sighted people across Europe use TV as a source of
entertainment, information, news and culture, it is important to ensure that
they have the best possible access to this medium. This access comprises of two
elements: access to programmes and access to equipment.
In terms of access to programmes, it is clear from this report that more TV
programmes should be made accessible with audio description or audio subtitling.
These services are just as important to blind and partially sighted people as
subtitles are to deaf and hard of hearing people.
a) European Blind Union member organisations should campaign at national level
for more television access services. They should of course choose the access
service(s) that is most appropriate for their country, whether this is one
service or a combination of audio description and audio subtitling. It is clear
from this report that the provision is most effective when there is a legal
requirement to provide access services.
b) European Blind Union member organisations should also campaign at national
level for good training of audio describers.
In terms of the technical delivery of audio description and audio subtitling, we
recommend co-operation at European level to ensure that programmes can be
exchanged and to ensure that receiving equipment does not differ between member
states.
To measure the efforts that are undertaken across European countries to make
programmes more accessible, national authorities should be required to write up
national action plans in this area and to submit contributions to a regular
European benchmarking report. The European Parliament has supported this call
from the European Blind Union in its 2003 report on the TV Without Frontiers
directive (A5-0251/03) and again in 2005 in its Culture and Education Committee
report on the Application of Articles 4 and 5 (Final A6-0202/2005).
a) Need for accessible equipment
This report shows the overwhelming need to make equipment more accessible. With
digital TV rolled out across Europe, it is clear that the equipment and the way
channels and information have to be accessed is much more screen-based than
before. It is therefore crucial that measures are put in place to make digital
TV equipment more accessible.
It is discriminatory to expect blind and partially sighted people to pay extra
for equipment for receiving audio description or audio subtitling. In many
cases, higher equipment costs can be avoided by mass production and economies of
scale. If there remain extra equipment costs, then these should be covered by
social security or other government schemes.
b) Accessible mainstream products
The best solution is products that are not developed especially for blind and
partially sighted people, as these products tend to be very expensive. Instead
manufacturers should develop products for the mainstream market which are fully
accessible, with spoken features such as talking remote controls and spoken
electronic programme guides.
c) Government programmes
Countries that are considering government programmes to deliver special support
to blind and partially sighted people and other vulnerable consumers during
digital switchover should consider procuring, commissioning or subsidising fully
accessible equipment.
10. European cooperation and standardisation
There should be pan-European co-operation and European standardisation to make
TV equipment more accessible.
11. EU legislation
As a follow-up to the European eAccessibility Communication (Com 2005 425),
European level legislation should be considered to make equipment more
accessible if manufacturers fail to voluntarily tackle the accessibility of
their products.
12. EU Commission study
We urge the European Commission to use this EBU study to inform its own
forthcoming study suitable policy models for e-accessibility in digital
television.
This report was based on the answers to this questionnaire received by RNIB.
Name of your organisation
Address
Name of contact person
e-mail:
Audio description is an additional narration that makes television programmes
accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
If you want to see what audio description is, please view a clip on this
website:
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/public_adcliphomehtml.hcsp
2.1 Is your organisation interested in this service? Yes/No
2.2 If your organisation is not interested in audio description, is this
because (please tick the appropriate answer):
- nobody in your country has technical expertise on this service
- you do not think it is a useful service
- other reasons, please explain:
..
3.1 Is there audio description on TV?
Yes
No
3.2 Is there audio description in theatres?
Yes
No
3.3 Is there audio description in cinemas?
Yes
No
3.4 Is there local or national legislation requiring broadcasters to provide
subtitles on TV for deaf and hard of hearing people?
Yes: please give more details
No
3.5 Is there local or national legislation requiring broadcasters to provide
audio description on TV for blind and partially sighted people?
Yes: please give more details
No
3.6 Are there any written guidelines or standards on audio description?
Yes: please give more details
No
4. If there is audio description in your country, we would like to find out
about the training arrangements for audio describers:
4.1 As far as you know, are there any training courses on audio description
in your country at the moment or do you know of courses being developed? (please
tick the appropriate answer)
- No courses available
- Yes courses are being developed
- Yes courses exist
4.2 If yes, who trains/will train people to be audio describers? (please
tick the appropriate answer)
- The private companies who produce the audio description
- Universities
- Others
4.3 Do you think there is a need for audio description courses?
Yes
No
4.4 Have you got any specific suggestions of what should be taught on such
courses?
4.5 If there are no courses, who do you think should organise them and where
should they be held?
5.1 Who pays for its production?
5.2 Does your country have other systems of making TV programmes accessible
for blind and partially sighted people?
Yes: please describe:
No
5.3 If there is audio description on TV:
a) Can you briefly explain how audio description developed in your country,
where it started first etc
b) Is the audio description available on analogue TV (indicate as applicable)
- On analogue cable TV: Yes No
- On analogue terrestrial (antenna) TV: Yes No
- On analogue satellite TV: Yes - No
c) Is the audio description available on digital TV?
- On digital cable TV: Yes No
- On digital terrestrial (antenna) TV: Yes No
- On digital satellite TV: Yes - No
d) Is the audio description signal transmitted (please tick the appropriate
answer):
- separately from the general soundtrack (receiver-mixed)?
- mixed in with the programme soundtrack (broadcast-mixed)?
- via the radio
- via a different system, if so, can you explain:
5.4 What is the percentage of TV programmes shown with audio description on
national television?
.%
5.5 How many hours of TV programmes are shown with audio description per
week?
. Hours per week
5.6 Is there any noticeable difference between public and private
broadcasters as far as audio description is concerned?
Is your organisation interested in any of the following aspects that could make
digital TV easier to use than analogue TV:
a) a talking remote control that tells you which button you have pressed
Yes
No
b) spoken channel identification: when you change channels the television
would tell you which channel you were on for example, BBC1, VARA, ZDF,
ARTE etc
Yes
No
c) spoken programme information: if information appears on your screen about
the actual programme you have switched to, such as its title, its duration, when
it started etc
this would be spoken to you
Yes
No
d) fully spoken electronic programme guides: all on-screen information about
what programmes are on now and next, what is on later that week, when, what
these programmes will be about etc
would be spoken to you
Yes
No
e) one-touch access to audio description or other assistive services through
a special button on the remote control
Yes
No
f) spoken information about interactive services
Yes
No
7.1 How do think the future for audio description will develop in your
country?
7.2 How do you think the attention paid to accessibility of digital TV for
blind and partially sighted people will develop in your country?
7.3 Are you in favour of European collaboration on audio description?
Yes
No
Please explain the reasons why:
7.4 Are you in favour of European collaboration on accessibility of digital
TV?
Yes
No
Please explain the reasons why: