Television Access Services: First Quarter Report for 2010

This is the first quarterly report for 2010 on the provision of access services (subtitling, signing and audio description) by broadcasters under the Code on Television Access Services during the first three months of 2010. An explanation of the obligations applying to broadcasters is given in the first quarterly report for 2005.

The first report for 2010 shows that, overall, broadcasters are exceeding their obligations for subtitling, audio description and for signing of programmes. Where broadcasters are not meeting the requirements, Ofcom will expect them to take action to ensure fulfilment of their obligations over the course of this year.

In 2009, 4 Music fell significantly short of its subtitling obligations. This resulted in a Code breach being recorded against the broadcaster. 4 Music is required to make up the 13.8% subtitling deficit as part of its 2010 targets. For further information on the additional restitution offered by 4 Music and for full details of the finding please see Broadcast Bulletin (157): http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/obb157/Issue157.pdf.

Footnotes

1 Occasional technical and/ or operational problems led to a small shortfall in delivering against the BBC's 100% subtitling target

2 As with news programming, GMTV1's live magazine programming is exempt from the requirement to provide audio description on grounds of practicality.

3 GMTV1 fell short of meeting its signing target by 0.1% in 2009. It is required to make up this deficit as part of its 2010 obligations.

4 Twelve-month targets for ITV3 and ITV4 run from 1 November. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

5 Alternative Arrangements: Channels with an audience share of between 0.05% and 1% have the option to either broadcast 30 minutes of sign presented programming each month or to participate in Ofcom approved Alternative signing arrangements. The broadcasters indicated by 'Alt' have agreed to contribute funding to the approved British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT) which commissions sign presented programmes for broadcast on the Community Channel.

6 Twelve-month targets for CITV run from 1 March. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

7 Twelve-month targets for More 4 and Film 4 run from 1 October and 1 July respectively. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

8 Twelve-month targets for Fiver and Five USA run from 1 October. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

9 Twelve-month targets for Sky Three run from 1 November. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

10 Twelve-month targets for Really run from 23 February. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

11 Twelve-month targets for Watch run from 1 October. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

12 4 Music fell short of meeting its signing target by 13.8% in 2009. It is required to make up this deficit as part of its 2010 obligations.

13 Twelve-month targets for Nick Jr. 2 run from 1 May. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.

14 Twelve-month targets for Bravo 2 run from 1 March. The annual targets shown in this table are a weighted average of those applying during 2010; the actual targets which apply across the Q1 period are shown in square brackets.