Ofcom's advice on your next step

Advice for Disabled People -
Using TV and radio services

Most major broadcasters offer access services to assist people with sensory impairments to enjoy television programmes. Subtitles are provided for deaf and hard of hearing people on all 5 main channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel Four/S4C and five) on analogue and digital TV, as well as over 60 other channels on digital TV. There is also some provision of signed programming for British Sign Language users on analogue and digital TV and audio described programmes for blind and partially sighted people on digital TV only. Programmes carrying access services can be found in most major listings magazines, newspapers and on digital on-screen electronic programme guides by the following abbreviations - S (subtitling), SL (signing) and AD (audio description).

For further information about audio description for blind and partially sighted people, including details of equipment please click here http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/audiodescription/. There is also independent consumer advice on easy to use digital TV equipment available at http://www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk

Radio is an important medium for blind and partially sighted people. Digital radio offers listeners many more stations than traditional analogue radio. Digital radio can be accessed through a DAB radio, and also on digital TV and on the internet. For more information about digital radio, visit www.digitalradionow.com

Back to previous page