TV access services 2017: Q1 and Q2
12 October 2017
The first bi-annual report for 2017 on the provision of access services (subtitling, signing and audio description) by broadcasters under the Code on Television Access Services shows the cumulative position from January to June 2017. The Code on Television Access Services (PDF, 265.5 KB) sets out the obligations applying to broadcasters.
Most domestic channels are continuing to comfortably exceed their requirements. We note that CBS Reality failed to provide any subtitling or audio description during the first six months of 2017, the first year the channel has been required to provide access services. The broadcaster explained that this lack of provision occurred due to technical issues that have now been resolved. Access services began broadcasting on the channel in August 2017 and we expect its annual quota to have been met by the end of 2017.
BBC 1 and BBC 2 missed their 100% subtitling target by 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This was due to technical and/or operational outages that meant some subtitling was not successfully transmitted. These shortfalls cannot be made up by the end of 2017 due to these channels’ 100% subtitling requirement. However, due to the small size and reasons for the shortfalls, we do not consider them to be of concern.
Domestic channels with an audience share of between 0.05% and 1% have the option to broadcast either 35 minutes of sign-presented programming each month or to participate in Ofcom-approved alternative arrangements that contribute to the availability of sign-presented programming. Where "Alt" is shown against a channel in the table below, this indicates that the broadcaster is contributing to the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT), which commissions sign-presented programming and is broadcast on the Community Channel and Film4.
2017 marks the fourth year that non-domestic channels licensed by Ofcom have been required to provide access services. The vast majority of channels have met their obligations and we expect any shortfalls to have been made up by the end of the year.
In lieu of the signing arrangements set out in the Code on Television Access Services, all non-domestic broadcasters elected to provide an additional 5% of content with subtitles. This interim arrangement expires at the end of 2017. In 2018, non-domestic channels will meet their signing requirement by either broadcasting sign-interpreted programming or by providing 10% additional subtitling.
We expect to publish the next access services report in May 2018, and it will set out the data from the second half of 2017 to provide a cumulative figure for 2017.
Channel | Subtitling | Audio Description | Signing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual Quota | Achieved (2017 Q1-2) | Annual Quota | Achieved (2017 Q1-2) | Annual Quota | Achieved (2017 Q1-2) | ||
LEVEL 1 |
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| |
BBC 1 | 100.0% | 99.9% | 10.0% | 21.7% | 5.0% | 5.4% | |
BBC 2 | 100.0% | 99.8% | 10.0% | 28.2% | 5.0% | 5.3% | |
BBC 4 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 39.2% | 5.0% | 5.7% | |
BBC News | 100.0% | 100.0% | Exempt | 5.0% | 5.0% | ||
CBBC | 100.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 39.5% | 5.0% | 5.2% | |
CBeebies | 100.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 27.9% | 5.0% | 5.3% | |
Channel 31 (incl. ITV and STV) | 90.0% | 97.9% | 10.0% | 17.5% | 5.0% | 6.1% | |
ITV2 | 80.0% | 98.3% | 10.0% | 37.2% | 5.0% | 5.7% | |
ITV3 | 80.0% | 98.6% | 10.0% | 52.3% | 5.0% | 5.3% | |
ITV4 | 80.0% | 87.6% | 10.0% | 25.6% | 5.0% | 6.2% | |
CITV | 80.0% | 96.7% | 10.0% | 28.9% | 35 mins sign-presented a month | 100 mins sign-presented a month | |
ITVBe | 16.3% | 74.5% | 4.5% | 10.2% | Alt | ||
ITV Encore | 24.6% | 63.6% | 5.1% | 32.5% | Alt | ||
Channel 4 | 90.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 34.7% | 5.0% | 6.2% | |
E4 | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 64.8% | 5.0% | 6.7% | |
Film4 | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 27.1% | Alt | ||
More4 | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 29.0% | Alt | ||
4Seven | 53.8% | 100.0% | 9.5% | 35.2% | Alt | ||
Channel 5 | 80.0% | To follow | 10.0% | To follow | 5.0% | To follow | |
5* | 80.0% | 96.9% | 10.0% | 27.6% | Alt | ||
5 USA | 80.0% | 87.9% | 10.0% | 27.6% | Alt | ||
Spike | 10.0% | 40.0% | 3.5% | 6.2% | Alt | ||
Sky News | 80.0% | 81.3% | Exempt | Alt | |||
Sky1 | 80.0% | 92.1% | 10.0% | 33.2% | Alt | ||
Sky2 | 80.0% | 90.2% | 10.0% | 34.2% | Alt | ||
Pick TV | 80.0% | 95.0% | 10.0% | 31.5% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports 1 | 80.0% | 81.2% | 10.0% | 20.1% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports 2 | 80.0% | 81.9% | 10.0% | 27.9% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports 3 | 80.0% | 82.6% | 10.0% | 24.7% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports 4 | 80.0% | 82.4% | 10.0% | 23.0% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports 5 | 20.4% | 82.2% | 4.8% | 23.6% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports News HQ | 80.0% | 80.7% | Exempt | Alt | |||
Sky Cinema Premiere | 80.0% | 94.5% | 10.0% | 42.9% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Comedy | 80.0% | 92.6% | 10.0% | 42.0% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Action & Adventure | 80.0% | 93.7% | 10.0% | 41.2% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Family | 80.0% | 94.0% | 10.0% | 31.9% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema SciFi & Horror | 80.0% | 93.7% | 10.0% | 40.9% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Hits | 80.0% | 90.0% | 10.0% | 31.6% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Drama & Romance | 80.0% | 93.6% | 10.0% | 30.8% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Greats | 80.0% | 94.1% | 10.0% | 60.3% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Crime & Thriller | 80.0% | 93.6% | 10.0% | 28.9% | Alt | ||
Sky Cinema Disney | 35.0% | 87.5% | 7.5% | 37.2% | Alt | ||
Sky Living | 80.0% | 94.6% | 10.0% | 41.8% | Alt | ||
Real Lives | 80.0% | 89.8% | 10.0% | 37.0% | Alt | ||
Challenge | 80.0% | 92.5% | 10.0% | 32.3% | Alt | ||
Sky Atlantic | 60.0% | 96.7% | 10.0% | 38.8% | Alt | ||
Sky Arts | 80.0% | 84.7% | 10.0% | 23.8% | Alt | ||
Sky Sports F1 | 55.8% | 88.4% | 9.7% | 24.2% | Alt | ||
MTV | 80.0% | 91.7% | 10.0% | 19.9% | Alt | ||
MTV Music | 60.0% | 69.3% | Exempt | Alt | |||
Viva | 80.0% | 84.6% | Exempt | Alt | |||
Comedy Central | 80.0% | 85.9% | 10.0% | 35.2% | Alt | ||
Comedy Central Extra | 80.0% | 89.4% | 10.0% | 13.3% | Alt | ||
Nick Jr | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 25.8% | Alt | ||
Nickelodeon | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 9.7% | Alt | ||
Nick Jr Too | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 28.8% | Alt | ||
Nicktoons | 80.0% | 100.0% | 10.0% | 17.9% | Alt | ||
Fox | 80.0% | 90.4% | 10.0% | 24.7% | Alt | ||
Disney Channel | 80.0% | 85.6% | 10.0% | 16.4% | Alt | ||
Disney Junior | 80.0% | 91.0% | 10.0% | 21.7% | Alt | ||
Disney XD | 80.0% | 82.9% | 10.0% | 23.3% | Alt | ||
4Music | 80.0% | 92.7% | 10.0% | 17.0% | Alt | ||
Dave | 80.0% | 87.3% | 10.0% | 30.9% | Alt | ||
W | 70.0% | 72.0% | 10.0% | 27.2% | Alt | ||
Yesterday | 80.0% | 86.6% | 10.0% | 30.3% | Alt | ||
Alibi | 80.0% | 94.4% | 10.0% | 49.5% | Alt | ||
Good Food | 80.0% | 81.5% | 10.0% | 19.4% | Alt | ||
Home | 80.0% | 95.8% | 10.0% | 25.0% | Alt | ||
Gold | 80.0% | 83.9% | 10.0% | 36.4% | Alt | ||
Eden | 80.0% | 85.2% | 10.0% | 36.2% | Alt | ||
Really | 67.5% | 87.6% | 10.0% | 24.7% | Alt | ||
Drama | 22.5% | 79.0% | 7.0% | 22.9% | Alt | ||
Discovery | 80.0% | 82.0% | 10.0% | 11.3% | Alt | ||
Animal Planet | 80.0% | 82.1% | 10.0% | 15.0% | Alt | ||
Quest | 70.0% | 72.5% | 10.0% | 19.1% | Alt | ||
TLC | 35.0% | 83.2% | 7.5% | 9.5% | Alt | ||
Universal | 80.0% | 82.3% | 10.0% | 12.1% | Alt | ||
BT Sport 1 | 35.0% | 29.7% | 6.8% | 10.7% | Alt | ||
BT Sport 2 | 35.0% | 26.8% | 6.8% | 12.9% | Alt | ||
BT Sport 3 | 10.0% | 17.3% | 2.8% | 2.9% | Alt | ||
LEVEL 2 | |||||||
S4C | 53.3% | 79.5% | 10.0% | 11.2% | 5.0% | 4.5% | |
Boomerang | 53.3% | 41.2% | 10.0% | 37.4% | 35 mins sign-presented a month | To follow | |
Cartoon Network | 53.3% | 43.8% | 10.0% | 38.7% | 35 mins sign-presented a month | To follow | |
LEVEL 3 | |||||||
CBS Reality | 23.3% | 0.0% | 10.0% | 0.0% | Alt | ||
1 This data is based on the percentage of programming as broadcast on the ITV network feed. All Channel 3 services (including STV and UTV channels) are required to meet the same quotas, although there may be slight variations in the total percentage of access services provided on these channels.
Member State
| Channel
| Subtitling | Audio Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual Quota | Achieved (2017 Q1-2) | Annual Quota | Achieved (2017 Q1-2) | ||
LEVEL 1 |
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|
|
Denmark | Kanal 4 | 40.0% | 72.5% | 8.0% | 10.1% |
Kanal 5 | 40.0% | 66.7% | 8.0% | 12.9% | |
6’eren | 40.0% | 88.5% | 8.0% | 7.4% | |
TV3 | 40.0% | 69.0% | 8.0% | 8.6% | |
TV3 Puls | 40.0% | 87.6% | 8.0% | 8.2% | |
3+ | 40.0% | 90.8% | 8.0% | 27.1% | |
Discovery | 40.0% | 96.7% | 8.0% | 8.6% | |
TLC | 40.0% | 99.5% | 8.0% | 10.1% | |
France | Disney Cinema | 40.0% | 42.1% | 8.0% | 11.7% |
Netherlands | Discovery | 40.0% | 98.5% | 8.0% | 10.2% |
Investigation Discovery | 40.0% | 100.0% | 8.0% | 9.6% | |
TLC | 40.0% | 98.6% | 8.0% | 9.8% | |
Republic of Ireland* | BBC 1 | 40.0% | 99.9% | Technical Exemption | |
BBC 2 | 40.0% | 99.8% | Technical Exemption | ||
Sky Living | 40.0% | 92.1% | Technical Exemption | ||
Sky One | 40.0% | 100.0% | Technical Exemption | ||
Channel 4 | 40.0% | 100.0% | Technical Exemption | ||
E4 | 40.0% | 99.9% | Technical Exemption | ||
Italy | Discovery | 40.0% | 74.5% | 8.0% | 10.5% |
Discovery Science | 40.0% | 61.6% | 8.0% | 8.7% | |
Poland* | Discovery | 40.0% | 50.7% | Technical Exemption | |
Animal Planet HD | 18.3% | 30.6% | Technical Exemption | ||
Discovery Science | 40.0% | 39.6% | Technical Exemption | ||
TLC | 40.0% | 46.6% | Technical Exemption | ||
Investigation Discovery | 40.0% | 47.3% | 8.0% | 12.1% | |
13 Ulica | 40.0% | 63.1% | Technical Exemption | ||
Sweden | Discovery | 40.0% | 95.9% | 8.0% | 9.9% |
Kanal 5 | 40.0% | 97.9% | 8.0% | 9.7% | |
Kanal 9 | 40.0% | 97.3% | 8.0% | 9.5% | |
Kanal 11 | 40.0% | 99.8% | 8.0% | 10.2% | |
TV3 | 40.0% | 91.0% | 8.0% | 17.9% | |
TV6 | 40.0% | 99.0% | 8.0% | 18.2% | |
TV8 | 40.0% | 91.7% | 8.0% | 7.7% | |
TV10 | 40.0% | 96.9% | 8.0% | 19.3% | |
LEVEL 2 |
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Hungary | AXN | 28.30% | 50.2% | Technical Exemption | |
Poland | AXN | 28.30% | 55.1% | Technical Exemption | |
AXN Black | 28.30% | 70.0% | Technical Exemption | ||
AXN White | 28.30% | 90.7% | Technical Exemption | ||
Cartoon Network | 28.30% | 20.9% | Technical Exemption | ||
LEVEL 3 |
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N/A | |||||
* Ofcom has granted technical exemptions for the provision of audio description in those cases where the networks and/or consumer receivers are such that audio description cannot be delivered.
Source: Ofcom – data provided by broadcasters