Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

tobiastoft via Creative Commons/Flickr
Bai

New rules on subtitling, sign language and audio description published by BAI

The BAI Access Rules aim to make television more accessible and enjoyable for people who are hard-of-hearing, partially-sighted or blind.

THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY of Ireland has today published new rules regarding the level of subtitling, sign language and audio description that must be made available to the public by Irish television broadcasters.

The BAI Access Rules aim to make television more accessible and enjoyable for people who are hard-of-hearing, partially-sighted or blind – and one of its central objectives is to enhance the reliability and quality of subtitling.

Broadcasters are now being encouraged not only to meet designated targets, but to increase the number of subtitled programmes being made available.

The inclusion of of sign language in children’s programming, the use of captions and audio description are being included in the new rules. Meanwhile, the impact of digital TV on access services, the level of consultation between broadcasters and users on access issues, and the monitoring of compliance with the new rules have also been discussed.

The new regulations were drawn up after an “extensive” period of consultation, the BAI said.

Chairperson of the BAI, Bob Collins, said: “The BAI is pleased to launch the new Access Rules which have been reviewed and revamped to be more appropriate for these times and to reflect both the needs of viewers and the changing schedules of broadcasters”.

The new rules also include a change in timeframes set out for the achievement of targets: the 2005 rules gave a 10-year timeframe for achieving targets, but a five-year-timeframe with a two-year review will now exist under the new rules.

Read: €280k funding for RTE One Irish crafts programme

Your Voice
Readers Comments
1
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.