Research findings published by Ofcom last year suggested that very few hearing-impaired people who can use sign language to watch television benefit from sign-interpreted programmes on low audience channels.
As a result, Ofcom began a process of talking to broadcasters and groups representing the interests of deaf people ('deaf groups'). Our aim was to see whether arrangements could be put in place that would better meet the needs of sign language users. This document explains what the current arrangements are, and explains why Ofcom considered it necessary to examine whether different arrangements should be put in place. It also describes the process of consultation with deaf groups and broadcasters, the outcome of that process, and Ofcom's decisions.
Since the process leading to these decisions has been a thorough and lengthy one, and many of the issues have raised legal and financial issues, this document is necessarily long, and, in places, complex. Full details of Ofcom’s considerations are set out later in this document.
There are two approaches to signing on television. Sign-interpreted programmes show a signer, usually in the corner of the screen, who interprets what is happening in the main picture. Sign-presented programmes are presented in sign language, and dubbed in English, often with subtitles. There are currently very few examples of this - the most well-known example is the BBC’s See Hear programme.
