Ofcom Update: Ofcom introduces new arrangements for signing on television

Following Ofcom’s television access services review last year, Ofcom consulted separately with deaf groups and broadcasters about arrangements for signing on television.  Ofcom found that on low audience channels, sign language users want to see more programmes presented in sign language in place of programmes made for hearing people with a signer superimposed.

 

As a result of the consultation, Ofcom has decided to exclude channels with an audience share of less than 1% from meeting signing targets set out in the Television Access Services Code. Instead these licensees will be required either:

 

o       to broadcast 30 minutes of sign-presented programming at least once a month between 7am and 11pm; or

o      to enter into a voluntary arrangement, approved by Ofcom, which will help to deliver more sign-presented programming.

 

Current arrangements for signing on public service channels and on channels with more than 1% audience share will remain, both to ensure that analogue-only viewers continue to have access to signing on television, and to maintain a variety of signed programmes for all sign language users.

 

The full statement can be found here http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/signing/statement/and a Plain English summary here http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/signing/statement/plain/

 

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