10
NEWS
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021
www.alltogethernow.org.uk
Why can’t we enjoy TV like everyone else?
BLIND and deaf people are demanding the Government deliver on promises to make on-demand TV content accessible. The Government was given the power to regulate video on demand (VoD) services and set minimum levels for subtitled, audio described and signed content in 2017. But four years later, the law still has not been put into action. Sonali Rai, audio description manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind people, said: “We urgently need the Government to take action and ensure that blind and partially sighted viewers have access to the same programmes as their sighted peers.” Robert Geaney, head of campaigns at the Royal National Institute for Deaf people, added: “Four years is more than long enough to have delivered on the commitments ministers made in 2017, and we call on the Government to act as quickly as possible now Ofcom have made their final recommendations.” Ofcom’s recommendations would provide for 80% of on-demand content to be provided with the option of subtitles, 10% with audio description and 5% with signing, with exemptions for small providers. A survey conducted by RNIB found that around 90% of respondents use audio description when watching VoD services. Of those asked, only 58% said they’d seen changes to the provisions of AD on these services over the past five years, with one in five seeing no change in recent years. Reece Finnegan, 25, has been blind since he was a young teenager. He said: “When audio description is done well, it genuinely transforms my viewing experience. Unfortunately, there are still so many shows that have no such option.” Michelle Hedley, 49, who has severe to profound hearing loss, said: “Imagine TV was a world where all content was broadcast without sound. And then at a time dictated to you, only a small proportion of programmes would have sound. That’s what it’s like for those of us who are deaf or have hearing loss. Your freedom of choice and access is taken away.”
999-line to be signed
DEAF people have won an 18-month battle to get the emergency 999 phoneline available to them in sign language. Telecoms regulator Ofcom say providers will be compelled to offer deaf people free 24/7 access to the emergency phoneline via a video relay service (VRS) on both an app and website. The industry now has one year to prepare and to make the service available.
SHAME BEHIND D ISABLED workers in UK television face “consistent difficulties”, with many driven out of the industry as a result.
Ignorance by senior professionals in television of their legal obligations is causing serious damage to the careers of disabled workers, a new study shows. Three out of four people felt being disabled had impacted on their career choices in the industry, according to research by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity. The report was produced by Kate Ansell, a disabled journalist, writer and executive producer with over 20 years’ experience of working for major broadcasters including the BBC and Channel 4. The award-winning filmmaker said: “What’s striking is the consistency of the experiences described and the simplicity of some of the solutions. It’s crucial that the industry acts upon what it is being told.” More than half of respondents have been working in the industry for over 10 years in a variety of roles, including news, current affairs, factual and entertainment programmes. Key findings include: n 80% felt being disabled had impacted on their career progression, or was likely to in future. n 84% said they had access needs or required reasonable adjustments some or all of the time. n 51% reported practical issues such as being unable to drive or physically use
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‘Ignorance is causing serious damage to careers’
n THE Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity is a newly established research centre, bringing together the expertise of media professionals and academics. n Tel. 0121 331 5719 n www.bcu.ac.uk/media/research/sirlenny-henry-centre-for-media-diversity
equipment, working hours, additional requirements such as BSL and support workers, as barriers to employment or career progression. One respondent claimed: “There is little understanding of the Equality Act.” All except one of the interviewees agreed, saying they felt employers didn’t understand their legal responsibilities toward disabled people.
helen@alltogethernow.org.uk
Marcus Ryder, from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre, said: “This work is a necessary and timely contribution to the debate of how we increase diversity and inclusion in the television industry with respect to disabled people. “It demonstrates a shocking basic lack of understanding of people’s legal rights, which is holding people’s careers back. “The report also illustrates the ethos of the Centre, that empowering people from underrepresented groups to undertake the research and devise policies to overcome structural policies is the best way to progress. “I sincerely hope the industry takes note of the issues raised in the research and implement the simple and practical policy recommendations contained within it.”
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