UPDATE | As technical issues reach a fourth week, Channel 4 has provided more information on what’s happening. Red Bee Media, who are responsible, have apologised again to viewers.
Fire Suppression Systems at Red Bee Media wiped out playout servers on 25th September. Since then, staff are having to manually restore services and rebuild automated processes that were destroyed. System problems have hampered the delivery and receipt of programme files for subtitling and audio description.
Access Services
Channel 4 is putting new episodes if its most popular programmes on Channel4.com and the All 4 app with subtitles and is posting on social media when they are available.
A teletext-based subtitle stream has been added to Channel 4 and Channel 4 HD on satellite. This means that most Sky viewers should be able to see some subtitles on pre-recorded programmes. Since this article was first published, Channel 4 has confirmed that the appearance of subtitles is part of a test.
However, Freesat and other satellite receivers rely on newer-style DVB subtitles which not yet been restored. Subtitle feeds are still absent on other platforms, including Freeview.
All 4 on Sky Q and Virgin Media
Sky and Virgin have set up their on-demand services to work in a different way. This means the manual processes used for the main All 4 app don’t work here. Channel 4 says “While you can still watch archive programming, you can’t currently watch any catch-up programmes after 25th September 2021.”
Music channels
As reported on Friday, 4 Music has returned on air with a simplified schedule. Kiss, The Box and Box Hits are now running as normal. But Magic and Kerrang are still off-air; The Box replaces both services.
The unprecedented task at hand means Channel 4 is not able to give a completion date for the restoration. The problems got worse when the back-up system for subtitles failed.
Red Bee Media statement
Red Bee Media has so far declined to comment more about the incident, following leaks to national newspapers in the immediate aftermath.
In a statement aimed at viewers it said:
We are still experiencing issues with receiving the media for which our teams create pre-recorded subtitles, audio description & signing on behalf of many of our broadcaster customers, but things are improving daily with more and more accessible programmes as a result.
As soon as we receive the media (the programmes), our teams proceed to create and add pre-recorded subtitles, audio descriptions and signing. This process has been disrupted since the incident in the Broadcast Centre in London on 25th September, but we are getting back on track.
We know and understand that the lack of accessible programmes is a source of frustration for the communities who rely on them, and we are doing everything we can together with our customers to get all services fully restored.
Article revised on 19/10/2021.