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-   -   Call for more Audio Description. (https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showthread.php?t=33710320)

RichardCoulter 17-08-2021 23:48

Call for more Audio Description.
 
Major linear channels only have to provide Audio Description (AD) for a minimum of 10% of programming (although it has to be said that they currently exceed this).

Ofcom has recently reported a notable shift from live TV towards streaming services, however, streaming platforms have no obligation to provide any AD whatsoever! Ofcom is suggesting to the Government that this 10% requirement is extended to include streaming services too.

Audio Description has been around for more than 30 years and many people, including myself, feel that even 10% is woefully inadequate for both linear and streaming services.

This is the first feature of this programme if anyone would like to listen to it:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ykr4

In Touch would be grateful for your views so that they can be reflected back to Ofcom & the Government:

intouch@bbc.co.uk

Chris 17-08-2021 23:56

Re: Call for more Audio Description.
 
Netflix claims that ‘most’ of the material it commissions has AD and ‘many’ of the titles it buys from other studios has it. It’s possible to set the Netflix app to display only titles with AD; I have just done so and while I’ve not counted it, there’s absolutely tons of it.

Of course, Netflix has so much in its content library it is still entirely possible that their overall figure is low, maybe even below 10%, but this is the problem with applying AD quotas to streamers. The Ofcom rules apply to what the BBC is producing now. That stuff hangs around on iPlayer for anything from one month to one year but ultimately it disappears. Netflix, however, commissions or buys stuff and as far as possible keeps it there permanently. It is always going to look like its coming up short if it is hosting classic, 3rd party material for which no AD was produced at the time. It would be the rights owner’s responsibility to add AD - Netflix could not be expected to do so except for content it actually owns. Otherwise it is eventually left with AD tracks for programmes it can’t show.

RichardCoulter 18-08-2021 04:57

Re: Call for more Audio Description.
 
Thanks for checking this (I don't have Netflix).

It's encouraging to know that Netflix has some material that has Audio Description, particularly as they are under no obligation to do so.

Paul 19-08-2021 00:58

Re: Call for more Audio Description.
 
I think most of the more popular [current] TV shows have this, as do most of the films (much like subtitles).

Stuff made in the past is much less likely.

RichardCoulter 19-08-2021 08:40

Re: Call for more Audio Description.
 
This subject was raised in yesterday's You and Yours programme from about 0:30. It says it's now needed even more so as the use of streaming services has doubled since the start of the pandemuc:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000ysmf

Hom3r 26-08-2021 15:25

Re: Call for more Audio Description.
 
If you currently watch the Paralympics on C4 on of the adverts has Charlie Brooking doing an AD of the advert with the woman being given a cassette of her dad signing.


While the screen had white lines simulating a visual impairment


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