Thursday, 28 August 2008 16:01

TV Access is a coalition of a large number of organisations in the disability and ageing sector. We are concerned about access to television for older people and people with disabilities in the digital age, particularly after the analogue switch-off in 2012.

With the impending switch-off of analogue television in 2012, every person in Ireland who wishes to continue watching television will have to purchase, install and use new digital equipment and services. If these are not fully accessible and affordable, significant barriers will arise for older people and people with disabilities, many of whom are on low incomes, resulting in a serious risk of social exclusion. A large number of organisations across the disability, ageing and poverty sectors have come together as 'TV Access' to highlight this issue and ensure that nobody is left behind in the enforced switch to digital.

TV Access is undertaking a range of activities in awareness raising, representation, advising, lobbying and user testing to ensure that the following requirements are met:

• Digital television equipment such as 'set top boxes' and remote controls must be fully accessible and easy to use. They should allow access to subtitles, audio description and Irish Sign Language when included with programmes. To facilitate people with vision impairments they should provide spoken output and control over the size and colour of on-screen text, including menus, subtitles and Electronic Programme Guides (EPGs).
• Broadcasters should provide more subtitling, audio description and Irish Sign Language with programmes. Currently only 1% of programmes on RTE1&2 are required to carry audio description or Irish Sign Language. Digital television makes it easy to include these as options, allowing individual viewers to switch them on or off.
• Information about the digital switchover scheme should be communicated in a wide range of accessible and easy to understand formats, including large print, Braille and Plain English.
• Older people, people with disabilities and people on low incomes should be provided with financial help and installation assistance to make the switchover to digital. A scheme similar to the UK Digital Switchover Help Scheme would be appropriate.
• Older people, people with disabilities, their representatives and experts in e-accessibility should be included and consulted in all developments, regulation and legislation related to television.