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Subtitling in the Digital Age Presentation to All Party Parliamentary Media Group

Subtitling in the Digital Age Presentation to All Party Parliamentary Media Group. James Strachan Chief Executive, RNID Disability Rights Commissioner 6 March 2001. RNID. Largest disability membership charity: 250,000 members and supporters £45 million expenditure, 1400 paid staff

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Subtitling in the Digital Age Presentation to All Party Parliamentary Media Group

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  1. Subtitling in the Digital AgePresentation to All Party Parliamentary Media Group James Strachan Chief Executive, RNID Disability Rights Commissioner 6 March 2001

  2. RNID • Largest disability membership charity: 250,000 members and supporters • £45 million expenditure, 1400 paid staff • Campaigns, services, research • Constituency: 8.7 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK • January 2001: voted 2nd most effective campaigning charity after NSPCC

  3. Windows on the world • TV and films are windows on the world • Subtitles make sense of these windows for deaf and hard of hearing people • Fundamental aim of DCMS is ‘to make the best things in life available to the largest number of people’ • Subtitling: so much increased availability at so little cost

  4. Huge number of subtitling users Far more people than is generally realised: • 1 million people ‘use subtitles whenever possible’ • Up to 5 million people ‘use subtitles frequently’ • More than 50% over 60 are deaf or hard of hearing and increasing as population ages BARB: Questionnaire survey of 10,000+, adults NOP: Telephone poll to 1050 adults

  5. Very low cost of subtitling Subtitling costs so little and benefits so many: • Costs only £400 to subtitle one hour of programming from scratch • Costs even less to transfer from analogue to digital programming • Yet cost is the main reason cited by broadcasters against subtitling (compare: as much as £1 million per hour of costume drama)

  6. Current regulatory requirements 1 Analogue Terrestrial: steady progress • ITC targets: 66% in 2001, rising to 80% by 2004 • BBC ITC targets voluntarily • CH 3 ITC targets • CH 4 ITC targets voluntarily • CH 5 28% in 2001, rising to 50% in year 5 (2002) • Latest ATT performance figures: BBC1 over 70%, BBC2 65%, ITV 66%, C4 60%, C5 32% BBC figures: DCMS, Hansard; ITV figures: ITC Annual Report 1999

  7. Current regulatory requirements 2 Digital Terrestrial: improved and steady progress • Simulcasts: must adhere to ITC targets for analogue terrestrial; any analogue programme that is subtitled must also be in its digital format • Non-simulcasts: 5% in year 1 (1998), rising to 80% in year 10 (2008), just increased from 50% • BBC post-Davies Report: committed to reaching 100% in year 10 (2008) • Moreover ITV actual DTT subtitling 23% in 2000

  8. Current regulatory requirements 3 Cable and Satellite: NONE • Excluded from 1996 Broadcasting Act • Paradox: choice increasing, relative access shrinking • Reality: Sky News: 0% subtitling; Sky Sport: 9%

  9. White Paper/DTT Review Major developments in 2001: • Significant commitment to “extend and improve” subtitling provision • DCMS DTT Review clarified this: Extension of new DTT targets (up from 50% to 80% by year 10) to Cable and Satellite, with sensible exemptions, ‘when legislation permits’

  10. Harnessing Technology Exciting new technology to break down communication barriers: • TV: voice recognition software reducing costs of subtitling (eg major BBC investment in R&D and Channel 4 pilot with live cricket commentary); sign language digital boxes • Videos/DVDs: closed subtitling of videos/DVDs • Cinema: next major RNID campaign. Open-subtitling: need to build upon RNID/CEA pilots. Closed-subtitling: back of the seat, special glasses But technology is only valuable if it is harnessed

  11. Five million reasons for subtitling in the digital age Recommendations: we need your support 1. Early implementation of White Paper and DTT Review proposals on subtitling, including not just % targets but also quality/consistency/promotion 2. At least 75% of all new videos/DVDs should be subtitled 3. Film subtitling to be become standard practice at major cinemas, including during peak times

  12. RNID Visit RNID for more information on our Website: www.rnid.org.uk or on our Microsite: www.ePolitix.com

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