Ofcom’s Television Access Reports detail the level of captioning (called ‘subtitling’ in the UK), audio description and signing provided by all television channels required to meet minimum accessibility targets in the UK.
In most cases, minimum accessibility targets are imposed on any channel that reaches at least 1 in 2000 Britons (or 0.05% of the market). Higher targets are imposed on more-established and larger channels to provide equity.
The Television Access Reports provide a useful tool for Ofcom to determine whether or not a channel is meeting its obligations under section 303 of the Communications Act 2003 (UK) (‘the Act’) and the Code on Television Access Services.
The Act requires channels to meet their targets over a year, so the quarterly reports allowed Ofcom to assess regularly if a channel needed to improve its performance. For example, where a channel has been found to have fallen below its minimum targets in a given quarter, it will be expected to increase its provision of access over the rest of the year to meet its obligations.
Ofcom has not indicated the reason for reducing the frequency of publication of the Television Access Report. The next report is due in February 2011.
The most recent Television Access Report can be read on the Ofcom website.
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