Making digital TV accessible to
blind and partially sighted people
Summary
Blindand partially sighted people could have access to audio described programmes ondigital TV within months if the Government can be persuaded to underwrite thecosts of producing, distributing and installing an innovative new moduledeveloped for this purpose. RNIB, the broadcasters and designers SCMMicrosystems have all invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in creating thepossibility for people with sight problems to enjoy TV on the same basis astheir sighted peers. But unless Government accepts responsibility forguaranteeing access to a core service this major opportunity to improve thelives of almost 2 million excluded viewers will founder.
Therecent Communications White Paper states thatthe Government aims to extend and improve provision for audiodescription (Section 7.6.2). This iswelcome but will only become a reality if the Government ensures that theequipment to receive audio described programmes is widely available.RNIB is calling on MPs, Peers, Scottish MPs and members of the NationalAssembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly to put pressure on UKGovernment to intervene quickly and thus enable blind and partially sightedpeople to play a full part in our digital future.
1. Introduction
Justunder 2 million people in the UK have a serious sight problem which cant becorrected by glasses. Their primesource of information, entertainment and education is the broadcast media - butbecause TV has never been made fully accessible to visually impaired people,they never get the full picture. Payinghalf the licence fee is not a substitute for being able to follow yourfavourite detective series or soap without losing the plot.
People with serious sightproblems could enjoy TV programmes in the same way fully sighted people do witha service called audio description. This is an additional narration that fits betweendialogue and describes action, body language, facial expressions - anythingthat will help people follow what is happening.
Audio describing TV programmes, films, plays,sporting events and even an exhibition of paintings is now technicallyrelatively easy especially with digital technology. While it is available at anumber of theatres in the UK, and RNIB has run a described home video servicesince 1994, there is still no audio description television service that can bereceived by everyone.
Digital broadcasting offers many opportunities: forgreater choice of TV channels, better quality sound, the opportunity to gainaccess to on-line shopping and other interactive services. People with sightproblems, like anyone else, are keen to experience these new services, and havethe right not to be left out.
2. Background:The campaign for audio description on television
RNIB has campaigned tirelessly over the past decadefor blind and partially sighted people to access TV through audio descriptionand accessible equipment. We have worked in partnership with the broadcastingindustry to develop technical solutions and lobbied Government to establish thenecessary regulatory framework.
Audiodescription trials on analogue TV.
Back in 1992 RNIB was involved in a research anddevelopment project with broadcasters, supported by European funding, todeliver audio described programmes on analogue TV to blind and partiallysighted people. This culminated in atest service using a special set-top receiver for 100 visually impairedpeople over four months in 1994. It wasa huge success demonstrating the practicability of regular audio describedbroadcasts and enormously increased comprehension and enjoyment among blind andpartially sighted viewers. Discussions on progressing to a full service wereovertaken in late 1995 by the introduction of the Broadcasting Bill and plansfor digital terrestrial television.
The 1996Broadcasting Act
The 1996 Broadcasting Act provided for increasinglevels of audio description of digital terrestrial programmes - setting atarget of 10 per cent of programmes by the 10th anniversary of thestart of digital terrestrial television programme service. RNIB lobbiedstrongly at the time - and we lobby still - for a target of 50 per cent. The service was finally introduced in May2000 and currently around 2 per cent of programmes are being transmitted withaudio description. However the legislation did not address how peoplewere to receive these services.
RNIB had been assured by the broadcasting industrythat delivering audio description via digital receivers would bestraightforward. However, it becameclear once the digital licences were granted that the main operators were notprepared to address how the description sound signal could be carried into thehome. So the first receivers wereproduced without the necessary software.Pressure of time and lack of resources were the reasons given.
Development ofan audio description module for digital TV
Once the terrestrial service had been launched inNovember 1998 ONdigital opened discussions with other operators and RNIB onfinding a way to transmit audio description.Almost a year later a plan for a module, about the size of a computercard, that would fit into the Common Interface slot on receivers started to bedeveloped by SCM Microsystems with funding from the Digital Network (BBC, ITV,Channel 4, ONDigital etc). This module should be available imminently fortesting. In the meantime a trial has been run with 45 blind and partiallysighted viewers using a special set-top box kit - mainly to gain feedback onthe quality of the description. RNIB provides the feedback service for thoseinvolved in the trial. This is the first time blind and partially sightedpeople have had access to audio described digital TV and it is literally transformingtheir viewing experiences:
"Audio description isproving very good at filling in the blanks for those of us without vision. We need more programmes audiodescribed." (Man, aged 49)
"Re Heartbeat - thisprogramme is normally very difficult to follow but it was excellent with audiodescription." (Man, aged 47)
Once the module proper is available (probably inMarch) it will be tested in people's homes and by July this year, it could bemade generally available to blind and partially sighted people.
Commercialproduction and distribution of the module
In 1999 a pricing and distribution deal was brokeredby ONdigital whereby Granada Home Technology would purchase, distribute andinstall the module using its own resources. However following a change inpersonnel and merger with Radio Rentals the situation has changed. The mergedcompany, boxclever, is stillprepared to handle the distribution but it will not underwrite the minimumcommitment of 20,000 units or the costs of distribution, installation andafter-sales service - total costs estimated to be 1.5 million. The module proper will not become widelyavailable to blind and partially sighted people unless these two funding issuescan be resolved.
3. Currentsituation
TheCommunications Reform White Paper A New Future for Communications
The White Paper sets out the Governments aim toensure the universal availability of public service TV channels (3.3). Itrecognises that It is not only necessary for public service channels to beavailable. Viewers must also be able to find, and gain access to, them readily(3.5.1).
The Government recognises that access to televisionfor people who are blind or partially sighted is also important so that theycan play a full part in society(7.6.2). However the subject is only directly mentioned by the phrasethe Government aims to extend and improve provision for audio-description.
In its subsequent updated Targets for Subtitling,Signing and Audiodescription the DCMS has essentially shown that extendingand improving the service will be put on hold (subject to review) until thequestion of receiving transmission has been resolved by RNIB and thebroadcasters.
Representationshave been made by RNIB and the Digital Network to the Secretary of State forCulture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith, to request that the Governmentunderwrites these costs. The Governments stated policy is thataudio-description should be increasingly available for appropriate programmes,just as it extends requirements for sub-titling. Audio-description provisionnecessarily involves both broadcasting and receiving. RNIB, the broadcastersand designers SCM Microsystems have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds increating the possibility for people with sight problems of enjoying TV on thesame basis as their sighted peers. We have shown that the demand is there. Itis the Governments responsibility to ensure that the means of receiving thetransmission are available. In order for the modules to be produced a capitaloutlay is required, small in terms of Government budgets and yet crucial.
YetChris Smith claims that there is no money in the DCMS or DTI for this and sayswe should continue to try to resolve the problem with the broadcasters andmanufacturers. The implication is that blind and partially sighted peoplesaccess to digital TV something which we regard as a basic right - should beleft to charity and the goodwill of broadcasters and is not something the Governmentfeels it should take any responsibility for.
Thisabdication of responsibility will have dire consequences. If volume production does not begin in thespring/early summer it is extremely unlikely that broadcasters will continue toprovide the existing level of service to the handful of blind and partiallysighted people who are currently using our set-top box kit. They will be hard-pressed to justify payingfor audio described programmes which only 45 people in the UK can receive. As a result contracts for description couldbe cancelled, describers could be laid off, the already inadequate targets foraudio described programmes will be undermined and the whole process of makingTV more accessible to blind and partially sighted people will suffer a severeset-back.
RNIB believes that blind and partially sightedpeople have waited far too long to gain access to services which sighted peopletake for granted. Now we want someaction.
4. Actionrequired.
Our immediate priority isfor the Government to take responsibility for ensuring the audio-descriptionmodule goes into production and is distributed this year.
Oncevolume production and distribution of the module begins then there is no justification for continuingthe 'freeze' on the audio-description targets for Digital Terrestrial TVannounced last week and we would want a new target of 50 per cent agreed.Unless more audio description is made available there will never be a strongenough incentive for blind and partially sighted people to switch to digital TVwith all its benefits. Visuallyimpaired people will not be prepared to pay 99.99 for the module without somehope of a major increase in audio described programming.
RNIB is also seeking supportfor a more robust regulatory approach to access to digital broadcasting forblind and partially sighted people.This is very urgent since theGovernment intends to legislate at the earliest opportunity to implementreforms in the White Paper, A New Future for Communications, which we believedoes not go anywhere near tackling the access needs of people with serioussight problems. RNIB believes that legislation should ensure:
audio description receiving technology (a second sound channel) isbuilt into all digital receivers (set-top boxes and television sets). If the audio descriptionservice is delivered to the user by a separate piece of equipment an additionalcost will have to be borne by the viewer. Whilst this may have to be the casein the short-term, it is essential that this barrier is removed in the mediumto long term. The majority of blind and partially sighted people are on lowincomes and should not have to incur extra costs in order to receive a servicethat should be available to them as of right.
as far as possible, thedesign of digital TV sets, digital TV receivers and electronic programme guidesare made accessible to blind and partially sighted people. This means ensuring theycome with voice-out technology, clear print on screen and good navigability.These issues have been addressed for computer use but the technology is notautomatically transferable. However,similar systems should be being researched by the broadcasting industry forfuture implementation.
5. Conclusion
Thereis a growing sense of injustice and frustration amongst blind and partiallysighted people that they do not have access to services which sighted peopleenjoy and which visually impaired people in the USA, for example, have enjoyedfor years. 2001 should be the year blind and partially sighted people finallyget a look into the digital revolution instead of being continually shut out.
RNIBis taking the campaign into the media and is seeking an urgent meeting withChris Smith. We will be responding to the Communications White Paper and submittingwritten evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee enquiry andcontinuing to support those few blind and partially sighted people who areparticipating in the audio description trial.
Thesupport of MPs, peers, AMS, SMPs and members of the Northern Ireland Assemblyon this issue will be crucial over the next few months. You can help by making representations toDCMS and the DTI on behalf of your visually impaired constituents, askingGovernment ministers searching questions and initiating debates in theparliaments and assemblies.
For further informationcontact: CarolineEllis, UK Parliamentary Officer (020 7391 2096) or Dan Vale, Senior CampaignsOfficer (020 7391 2395). Fax: 020 73882706.