SECRETARY'S NEWS

Welcome to old and new subscribers to Mailshot. Warm thanks, too, to those who sent donations which help to keep DBC up and running!

Have you seen the Channel 4 subtitling promotion? Do look out for it, it's very clever and it is good to see it aired from time to time.

Points of View reported that the BBC received 100 complaints in March about background noise. A reminder has been sent to all programme commissioners to bear in mind that watching the programme in the dubbing suite is not the same as watching the programme in one's home. They also need to take care to maintain the correct balance between music and speech. A viewer was unhappy with the background noise in a Wish You Were Here programme (ITV). We conveyed this feedback to the producers who replied apologising and recognised there had been a problem with that scene. If only all producers were so willing to take feedback on board!

Anyone considering signing up for digital terrestrial should first make sure that it is possible to receive the service in their area. The set top box supplier should be able to advise them, however, should there be a need to have a new aerial, look for an installer with the letters CAI after their name. CAI is the Confederation of Aerial Installers and should be a guarantee of good service. If you are not satisfied with the service or the company is unhelpful, you can take it up with the CAI.

Congratulations to all broadcasters who have included deaf people in their programmes or the audience. Recently a deaf couple appeared in the BBC's Changing Rooms, they seemed to have very good communication skills and, if a sign language interpreter helped them follow the presenters, viewers were not aware of it.

It was good to see old and new friends at the NDCS Technology Exhibition and even better that they came over to say "hello", not to complain. Congratulations to broadcasters, please keep up the good work!

As we went to press, we heard that the National Subtitling Library's application for a Lottery grant was successful. DBC is proud to have been one of the referees for the grant application.

After many years of dedicated service, Ken Smith has retired as our committee member responsible for video. Ken worked tirelessly to ensure that video companies are aware of the needs of deaf people, his input will be greatly missed. Anthony G L Kent has kindly offered to try to fill the gap, offers of help would be warmly welcomed!

Don't forget…...DBC welcomes comments as well as contributions for Mailshot and we also welcome letters on broadcasting issues. Please let us know if there is anything you would particularly us to write about. All feedback is sent to the appropriate broadcaster, many of whom receive copies of this magazine.

NEWS AND FEEBACK ON SUBTITLING

Independent Television Facilities Centre (ITFC) has won the contract to supply GMTV with subtitling for deaf and hoh viewers. As a result of the deal, all GMTV's weekday output will be subtitled for the first time and the service will be provided from the ITFC's facility at the ITN building, Grays Inn Road, London.

ITFC, which predicts a massive increase in the demand for subtitling over the next ten years due to the growth of digital terrestrial television, currently has subtitling contracts with the ITV network, Channel 5, Carlton Digital Channel and also provides subtitling to the BBC, Nickelodeon and other broadcasters.

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We were informed that a programme about the London Mayor elections was not subtitled. Unfortunately the viewer could not remember which broadcaster it was that failed to provide this access and we received the feedback too late to follow it up. Access to the democratic/electoral process is of great importance, especially with an election coming up soon. Please help us to keep broadcasters on their toes by sending detailed feedback to the Secretary as quickly as possible.

As subtitling output increases we receive an increasing number of complaints about the quality of subtitling. There's a lot of spelling errors around, all subtitling companies need to make sure that words which sound the same - eg breaking and braking - are used and spelt correctly.

A young viewer is unhappy that there no subtitles on ITV on Saturday mornings. ITV replied saying that "the reason has always been the technical complexity of subtitling live studio links which then cut to pre-recorded cartoons and series which carry subtitles. Although we could have provided subtitles for the pre-recorded element of the shows, this did not seem sensible as the whole show did not carry subtitles. ITFC is discussing the situation with the producers and are working towards a solution."

Subtitling of the BAFTA Awards was disappointing. ITV said that: "ITFC had great difficulty in gaining access from the producers to pre-recorded clips and line feeds that would have greatly assisted the quality of the subtitles we produced. ITV have asked schedulers to raise the issue of subtitling as a matter of course with producers of live events, which are much more difficult to subtitle than pre-recorded programmes."

Ken Smith told us that Nickelodeon provided 300% access on 29th May. They did that by giving viewers the choice of 3 programmes for each slot. Viewers then called a freephone number to vote for their choice. Since every programme was subtitled, viewers theoretically had 300% access! Disney did something similar but 'only' offered a choice of 2 programmes - ie 200% access.

Regional News subtitling leaves room for considerable improvement on both BBC and some ITV channels. It is becoming increasingly rare to have trouble free access to regional news, the BBC say the problem lies with finding stenographers to subtitle live items and correcting bugs in the computers which put the subtitles on air. We have not had a response from the ITV channels.

ACCESS TO TV IN EUROPE

DBC is grateful to Gerry Stallard and the EBU [European Broadcasting Union] for allowing us to use the following information (E & OE). All figures are per annum unless otherwise stated:

BBC IMPROVED SERVICE FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE

In line with the BBC's policy of extending access for deaf and hard of hearing people to television, a major new initiative increases the number of programmes available with British Sign Language interpretation from just over two hours to more than eight hours a week. The improved services include :

• Increasing digital television signed output from two and a half hours a week to more than eight hours.
• A week-day interpreted news bulletin, currently 15 minutes on BBC 24 at 8.00am.
• A new signed sports programme
• Interpreters on 'EastEnders Revealed'
• Signed documentaries like 'Back to the Floor', 'Blood on the Carpet' and 'Trouble at the Big Top'?

VIDEO RECORDERS AND VIDEOS

Anthony Kent tells us that Akai no longer manufacture VCRs which can record subtitles, partly because consumers in this country base their purchase on price. Akai say that incorporating the subtitling chip would push the price up and retailers do not recognise the need to stock VCRs which can record subtitles so they decided to withdraw from the market.

DBC finds it hard to believe that incorporating the Design for All concept and inserting the subtitling chip in all VCRs would result in a ''noticeable" price increase but Akai say the cost of providing the subtitle recording facility would be "significant". DDA is not helpful in this situation because it only applies to products sold direct from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Anyone wanting a VCR which can record subtitles will need to look for a Panasonic NV-FJ710 or the NHVD 675. It might not be ideal for your purposes but full marks to Panasonic for taking our needs on board.

[ Web site:
Panasonic UK home page, Panasonic details about NV-FJ710BS ]

Anthony Kent wrote to Philips, who used to produce VCRs which can record subtitles, asking whether they would insert the chip into some future models. Their reply was anything but sympathetic and we will follow it up, pointing out that a lot of people use subtitles and might find the facility useful. Meanwhile we suggest that deaf people boycott all Philips electrical products.

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The Forest Bookshop is able to supply Channel 4 Schools Videos superimposed with BSL or subtitles by CHASE.

For more information please contact:

The Forest Bookshop
Telephone: +44 [0]1594 833858 (4 lines)
Minicom/TTY: +44 [0]1594 833858
Fax: +44 [0]1594 833446
Videophone: +44 [0]1594 810637
Web site: Forest Bookshop Home Page,

Cats Protection sent us a copy of their promotional video. I love cats and was disappointed it wasn't subtitled so wrote to point out that deaf people love animals and would welcome subtitling. They replied apologising for the lack of subtitling and said that many deaf people are members of the Society. One member wrote to tell them their cat alerts them to the phone and doorbell!

LISTINGS INFORMATION

DBC received a lot of complaints from people who find the TV listings for subtitling and signing, whether in their newspaper, magazine or onscreen, unreliable. The best way to try to get some improvement in the service is to write to the Listings or Media Editor of the newspaper, magazine or broadcaster and explain why you need it. However, as subtitling output is increasing so quickly (BBC output , for example, is now 66% across both BBC1 and BBC2) and the number of channels increases, it is going to be very difficult for any media to get it right all the time. Broadcasters' own information is usually the most reliable.

People who use BT Cellnet Wireless Application Protocol [WAP] mobile telephone service can access listings information can call up Internet page: unmissabletv.com [also viewable from a standard web browser] and get hold of the information from there. We don't, however, know whether this includes information on subtitling and signing but will find out.