Leisure

Audio description homepage

Summary: Everything you need to know about how and where audio description is used.

• Sky Announcement of 20 per cent AD
• More Audio Description Campaign
• Television
• DVD and video
• Cinemas
• Theatres
• Sports venues
• Museums and galleries
• Try Audio description
• A users view of audio description
• Advice for professionals

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Like a narrator telling a story, audio description is an additional commentary describing body language, expressions and movements. AD gives you information about the things you might not be able to see, meaning that you can keep up with the action.

Sky Announcement of 20 per cent AD

Sky have announced that they will increase their provision of audio description to 20 per cent of programmes, from 1 March 2009, in response to RNIB's campaign for an increase of AD targets for TV.

More Audio Description Campaign

Broadcasters are only required to audio describe 10 per cent of their programming. Blind and partially sighted people want more! We are calling for targets to be doubled to 20 per cent of programming and believe that now is the time for the Government to act. Find out more and help us campaign for audio description.

Television

Audio Description on TV is available on digital television via Sky, Virgin Media and certain Freeview devices.

DVD and video

Many audio described films are available on DVD and video. Whether renting or buying films and whatever your preference, from the latest blockbusters to old classics, why not try an audio described film?

Cinemas

Many cinemas across the UK are now equipped with a system that delivers audio description through a headset.

Theatres

Audio described theatre performances are available at over one hundred theatres around the country.

Sports venues

Dedicated commentaries describing the sporting action are available at sports venues around the UK.

Museums and galleries

Many museums and galleries across the UK have services to make a visit more enjoyable for people with sight problems.

Try Audio description

Try audio description for yourself by watching clips from Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Tarzan. You can also play a sound-only version of the BBC’s Blue Planet.

A users view of audio description

Listen to an audio clip of Kari, aged 15, sharing her feelings about audio description.

Advice for professionals

We offer advice to professionals about using audio description to improve access to services by blind and partially sighted people.

We can offer advice to:

• television professionals
• video and DVD professionals
• the cinema sector
• museum and gallery professionals
• theatre professionals.

Content author: audiodescription@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 02/04/2009 12:26