International policy and legislation

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UK moves to measure live captioning

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The UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom has announced that it will require television broadcasters to measure the quality of live captioning (known as ‘subtitling’ in the UK).

Live captioning refers to when the captions are created as the program goes to air. These are generally less accurate than captions created ahead of time.

Ofcom’s new approach follows extensive consultation with consumer groups, broadcasters and access suppliers and is part of Ofcom’s effort to comprehensively review the quality of live captioning and identify ways in which it can be improved. The measurement program will start later this year and requires samples to be analysed every six months for a period of two years.


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Internet use higher among people with a disability in UK

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More people with a disability are using the internet more frequently for social networking and job seeking than people without a disability, according to a report released by UK communications regulator Ofcom.

The report titled Disabled consumer’s ownership of communications services (PDF 530 KB) looks at how those with hearing, vision, mobility or multiple impairments use communications services and the internet.


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Americans push for accessible in-flight entertainment

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Following on from the March 2013 introduction of the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act in the USA, a recent Senate hearing has heard statements that push for improvements to in-flight entertainment for Deaf and hearing impaired passengers.

As reported in USA Today, National Association of the Deaf’s policy counsel, Andrew Phillips, believes that American domestic airlines provide an inferior service to international counterparts.


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UK broadcasters exceed access requirements

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The bi-annual report into the provision of captioning, audio description and sign language on British TV has been released by the media regulator Ofcom. The January to June 2013 report shows that most broadcasters are exceeding their access targets.

The UK system splits the broadcasters into three levels, all based on their audience share.  The biggest category is Level 1 broadcasters, which includes the main free-to-air channels such BBC, ITV, Channels 4 and 5 and the main subscription channels from Sky.


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