Broadcast regulator Ofcom has proposed tougher new rules on broadcasters providing access services, including subtitles, signing and audio description. The proposed changes would also affect on-demand services including NOW and Amazon Prime.
Ofcom says broadcasters should ensure access services are of good enough quality to meet targets. In future, poor quality subtitles will no longer count towards a channel’s mandatory subtitles quota. Similar measures will be put in place to ensure poor quality Audio Description and BSL signing no longer counts, forcing broadcasters to improve quality if they want to meet their quotas.
Broadcasters have also been told to improve how they communicate with viewers if there’s a problem. That follows the now infamous failure of Channel 4 to keep viewers up to date after its broadcast playout centre suffered a major outage in September 2021.
The outage, which lasted for months, resulted in The Last Leg informing its viewers using a flimsy hand-written sign (pictured above), as Channel 4 came under intense criticism for failing to keep viewers in the loop.
The proposed changes to Ofcom’s Access Services Code are now subject to public consultation.
On-demand providers to be covered
Additionally, the regulator also proposes to expand its best practice guidance to include, for the first time, video-on-demand providers such as ITVX and Channel 4, and subscription services like NOW and Amazon Prime Video.
Ofcom says it will also strengthen its guidance to broadcasters by offering additional advice on areas including:
- serving people with cognitive and neurodevelopmental disabilities;
- alternative means of making programmes accessible (for example, improving dialogue audibility for people with hearing loss); and
- customisation, options and choice for viewers.
Ofcom says research indicates that people with autism can find subtitles and audio description helpful to reinforce what is going on visually/ being said, along with indicative evidence that people with ADHD might find Audio Description helpful and subtitles may be useful for those with dyslexia to improve spelling.
Earlier this month, a report released by hearing loss charity RNID revealed many deaf people and people with hearing loss are left feeling frustrated and excluded when subtitles aren’t available. This has become a significant problem on streaming services, with viewers with hearing loss left behind through the lack of subtitles, or restriction on the availability of subtitles, depending on which device they use.
Marc Thornham