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Annual Report 2006/07

Introduction

This is my third annual report from Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People (ACOD), constituted under section 21(1) of the Communications Act 2003.

As Chair, of the committee I am delighted with the competence and commitment of the eleven other members, who reflect the diversity of older and disabled people and who have a wide range of expertise and interests across all the areas that Ofcom regulates. The current full membership is listed on the Ofcom website www.ofcom.org.uk. This year saw changes to the membership of the committee, of which more later in the report.

Priorities and Projects

During 2006/07 ACOD continued to focus its work with Ofcom on those projects with the most significance for older and disabled people. The main priorities have been issues around access to communications for older and disabled people, with a particular focus on issues relating to digital switchover. During the year ACOD has worked closely with Digital UK and the Consumer Expert group, which has DTI, DCMS and Ofcom in attendance. These meetings have been particularly useful, especially in relation to the Governments ‘Help Scheme’, which is to be managed by the BBC.

ACOD has continued to work through specialist subgroups, set up to provide in depth advice on key projects and to maximise the input of members based on their skills and time available. During the last year ACOD subgroups met to discuss Ofcom’s Research programme and Ofcom’s Annual Plan for 2007/8 as well as focusing specifically on preparing responses to Ofcom’s consultations on Accessible Television, its Disability Equality Scheme and the Digital Dividend Review.

Ofcom Research Programme

The Committee continued to build on its good relationship with Ofcom’s research team to ensure that a comprehensive body of evidence continued to be developed on the communications interests of older and disabled people. This culminated in the first piece of work specifically commissioned by the Committee. In collaboration with Digital UK, the research sought to explore the attitudes, understanding and experiences of under-served consumers with digital television and towards digital switchover. ACOD contributed half of the cost of the project, with Digital UK contributing the other half. The qualitative survey, which used a combination of in-home in-depth interviews and separate focus groups was designed to give a greater depth of understanding of the problems, and needs, of the different under-served groups. It illustrated that that while people suffering from financial hardship, low levels of support, low confidence with technology and low motivation about the benefits of digital television were likely to be most in need of support to successfully manage digital switchover, sensory, physical or cognitive impairments, social or rural isolation, old age or low income did not necessarily indicate that people would be under-served in this respect.

Encouragingly, most of the survey participants had either friends and family or social services or other formal supporters well placed to assist them with switchover, and, with enough motivation or support, were as well placed as the general population to benefit from switchover. However, there was a need to improve supporters’ understanding of the practical steps towards switchover and particularly a need to train and resource voluntary agencies to provide that support effectively.

The survey also provided valuable insight about the form and content of switchover communications for disabled, older, isolated and low income consumers and where they expect such materials to be made available. It also suggested ideas such as ‘digital surgeries’ to familiarise people with digital television equipment in advance of switchover and some key questions that such consumers would need to be answered to empower them to get the best equipment for their needs through switchover. Digital UK will use the research both to develop its Digital Switchover Help Scheme communications and to help shape its community outreach and practical assistance programme for these groups. At the time of writing, the report is being finalised ready for publication after the Ofcom Board have been given the conclusions in May.

We hope that next year and in years to come, that we will also undertake impact assessments on the work of the Advisory Committee.

Accessible Television

ACOD has continued to monitor broadcasters’ performance against the targets for subtitling, signing and audio description and was pleased that these targets were generally being met. A Working Group was established to consider ACOD’s response to Ofcom’s consultation on Accessible Television. This welcomed the many practical recommendations in the Review, but also raised several issues the Committee considered important to meet the challenges for the future. This included strengthening the provisions in the Code dealing with promotion of awareness of media access services, particularly in relation to audio description, where the Committee wanted to see a major push on promotion and a review of the targets. ACOD very much welcomed Ofcom’s commitment in its statement to work with the broadcasters on a campaign to increase the lack of awareness of audio description amongst potential beneficiaries and looks forward to that campaign coming to fruition over the next year. ACOD raised other key issues in its response that it looks forward to Ofcom taking into account in its next review in 2008.

ACOD welcomed being closely involved in an advisory capacity on the work with the Sign/Community Channel Working Group looking at alternatives to the current signing arrangements on television and looks forward to the outcome of the forthcoming consultation on the Group’s conclusions about the establishment of a ‘Sign Zone’ This development seemed to ACOD to be a very interesting way of ensuring that signed programmes and not signed interpreted programmes would be made and broadcast. There remains however strong support, from the older person and hearing impaired person’s perspective, for good quality subtitles.

Digital Switchover

ACOD has maintained a very close interest in developments towards Digital Switchover via regular updates throughout the year from Digital UK at both its regular meetings and through its DSO Subgroup. ACOD has also continued to play a significant part in the Government and Digital UK’s Consumer Expert Group, which advises on accessible digital equipment and how to ensure older and disabled people receive appropriate and timely advice and support during the switchover process. Having had David Mortimer of Digital UK at the ACOD meetings, has ensured that the advice of our committee on the specific needs of older and disabled people are picked up; especially those with a learning disability.

Digital Dividend Review

ACOD welcomed the opportunity to comment on Ofcom’s consultation on The Digital Dividend Review, the project examining the options for the release of the spectrum which will become available from the digital switchover programme. The Committee’s response focused in particular on the social benefit that might result from the availability of released spectrum. Indeed ACOD suggested the establishment of a vehicle, like a Spectrum Foundation, that could make bandwidth available for special needs.

Ofcom Disability Equality Scheme

ACOD welcomed the publication of Ofcom’s Disability Equality Scheme with its focus on seven priorities that Ofcom should concentrate on over the next three years to help promote disability equality. ACOD will monitor progress on the action plan for the Scheme, which looks at issues covering: access, media literacy, content and standards, information services and complaints, participation and consultation, employment and training and procurement.

Ofcom Annual Plan 2007/8

ACOD was pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute to the development of Ofcom’s Annual Plan for the coming year, at the Strategy Day organised by the Ofcom Board. The Committee was pleased to see that a number of the issues it had been discussing with Ofcom for some time had become an explicit and integral part of Ofcom’s work programme for 2007/8, notably through specific refocused projects on usability and accessibility, access and inclusion and future options for Universal Service funding, which are all key components of Ofcom’s Consumer Policy programme. ACOD also welcomed Ofcom’s proposals to re-examine its strategy on Media Literacy, The emphasis in the plan on delivering Social Outcomes was also very welcome. The Committee looks forward to working closely with Ofcom’s Consumer Policy Team, the Media Literacy team and others on these issues during the next year. ACOD, at its July 07 meeting will be holding a planning session to look forward over the next 3-5 years and explore whether there are any areas for older and disabled people which have not yet made it into the Ofcom plan.

Links

Throughout 2006/7 ACOD has continued to build relationships with stakeholders through the committee’s own networks. In addition ACOD held a successful reception in October which brought together colleagues working for older and disabled people and industry stakeholders and other interest groups. Stakeholders who attended Committee meetings during 2006/7 included the City University , who gave a presentation on their research on video and captioned relay services (April) and Channel 4, who gave a presentation on disability portrayal and representation.

ACOD has also kept in close touch with Ofcom’s other advisory committees, particularly the Consumer Panel, where the Chairmen of both Committees have met regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest, while a representative from the Panel has attended all of ACOD’s quarterly meetings. Members of the Committee have also attended meetings of the Content Board and the Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales . These meetings have been very useful and we expect the newly established meetings of the Chairs of the Advisory groups to improve even more our ability to coordinate and collaborate what we do.

Conclusion

ACOD had had another busy year and I would like to thank the committee members for their continued commitment to ensuring that the needs of older and disabled people are not forgotten in the constantly changing communications world and particularly for their unstinting commitment outside the regular Committee meetings. I would particularly like to thank Lydia Thomas for Chairing the Committee so effectively for six months while other commitments prevented me from doing so, and to Lydia and the other members who have left the Committee during the year: Sally Greengross, Fred Heddell, and Gareth Davies, all of whom have contributed greatly to the success of the Committee to date; a huge thanks on behalf our constituencies. Finally the members of ACOD paid a special tribute to the late Denis Carter, who died last year. We will all remember the special contribution he made during his time on the committee.

Mike Whitlam CBE

Chair, Advisory Committee for Older and Disabled People