Action needed now!
Currently, UK law sets a target for all main TV channels to provide audio description for at least 10 per cent of programmes. RNIB believes this target is too low.
Ofcom, the organisation which regulates TV, has decided to consult on three alternative options for the future of audio description. This consultation is open until 5pm on 12 November, 2009. This is a major opportunity to improve the accessibility of TV programmes for thousands of blind and partially sighted people.
Options offered by Ofcom for the future provision of Audio Description are:
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Option 1. No change in the existing provision. All channels (required to) audio describe 10 per cent of their transmission hour.
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Option 2. An increase in audio description to 20 per cent for all channels required to provide access services.
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Option 3. An increase in audio description to 20 per cent for the ten statutory Public Service Broadcasters. The 48 other channels required to provide audio description would continue to be obliged to audio describe 10 per cent of their output.
RNIB believes that Ofcom should implement option 2. This would result in all channels providing audio description on 20 per cent of their output. We think raising the target to 20 per cent would significantly increase blind and partially sighted people's enjoyment of TV.
Read the full consultation on the Ofcom website and download RNIB's Briefing (Word, 38KB)
What can I do?
1. Tell Ofcom which option you prefer (and why). RNIB recommends option 2 which is to increase AD to 20 per cent across all channels.
2. Tell Ofcom about your personal experience of AD on television, why you use it, how important AD on television is to you and why you want more of it.
3. Tell Ofcom about any other suggestions you have for the future of audio description and what they could do to improve the service.
4. Write to your MP to encourage them to respond to the Ofcom 2009 access services review and refer them to RNIB if they want to discuss this consultation with us in more detail.
5. Tell others, friends, family, societies and groups you belong to.
How can I respond?
1. You can fill in Ofcom's online form. It contains two clear questions about which option you prefer and asks for your views on future provision.
2. Email Ofcom at 2009accessservicesreview@ofcom.org.uk outlining answers to the two specific questions they are asking. Please also include a completed consultation coversheet (Word, 50KB).
3. By post. Please address your response to Sara Winter, Ofcom, Riverside House, 2A Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA. Please also enclose a completed consultation coversheet (Word 50KB).
4. By phone on 020 7783 4124. You can also call the Access Service Review Consultation Response team at Ofcom. A member of the team will complete the consultation response form on your behalf. If no one is available to take your call please leave a brief message and someone will call you back.
Guidance
If you would like to write to Ofcom, we have created a draft template letter to Ofcom (Word 25KB) for you to use.
We have also produced a template letter to MP (Word 32KB) for you to use to write to your MP to ask them to respond to the consultation and support our call for 20 per cent audio description across all channels.
Who is my MP? You can find out from the Write to them website who your MP is. You can also send an email to your MP through this website.
Please copy RNIB campaigns into any correspondence you send or receive, this helps us to monitor the campaign.
If you would like any further information about the Ofcom consultation contact the campaigns hotline on campaign@rnib.org.uk or 020 7391 2123
More information about audio description and how you can get it.