Digital TV Access For All
Article for PC Live Magazine, March 2009
In 2012, the way we view television will change forever. This is the date set out in EU legislation for the switchover from the current analogue television system to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). Until 2012, analogue services will be offered in tandem with digital. The amended Broadcasting Act introduced in April 2007 placed the responsibility for installing DTT with RTE, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) and ComReg responsibility for its implementation. This changeover could bring significant benefits to people with disabilities, but unless DTT providers cater for their needs, they stand to be completely excluded from the service. A new campaign, TV Access for All, aims to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
A number of services are already available to people with disabilities through existing digital-television providers. Audio description is a soundtrack played in tandem with a programme that provides information about events on screen to visually impaired people. Subtitling and sign language are also available for Deaf people. At present, those who find it difficult to use a remote control because of sight or dexterity issues can look up programme information on the Internet, or use a Sky channel which reads programme content.
However, there is a need to supply accessible set-top boxes, which would read menus, or change the size and colour settings of the font. As part of the switchover, the BCI is obligating providers to create electronic programme guides (EPG) which would offer full accessibility and freedom of choice.
The TV Access for All Campaign aims to ensure that these services form an integral part of DTT offerings. It is being organised by CFIT (Centre for Inclusive Technology), which evaluates the accessibility of every day technologies, “Our aim is to make sure that television, as it changes in the digital age, remains accessible to everybody, so that nobody is excluded from watching television. Television is such an important tool for social inclusion that if you can’t access television, you’re going to be excluded from society. We want to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
It isn’t just people with disabilities that stand to adversely affected by the changeover. For older people, fear of new technology and concerns about cost may prevent them from fully benefitting as a result of the switchover. Yet they are not mentioned as part of the Broadcasting Bill. Gerard Scully of Age Action Ireland, which is involved in the campaign, says that an education campaign is needed to help older people adjust to the new technology. He would also like to see RTE supplying multi-channel options to ensure the service remains affordable.
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