[access-uk] Re: THE GREAT BRITISH SPELLING TEST

Quite agreed, Paul.  Anyway, never mind, we can spell (or maybe can't)
with or without them!  <SMILE>


--
Carol
carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx 



-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of paul leake
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2004 12:54 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: THE GREAT BRITISH SPELLING TEST


their conclusions are tosh carol, they could have said the appropriate
words 
had enought thought been given as to presentation!


Cheers

Paul

paul.leake@xxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carol Pearson" <carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2004 12:40 PM
Subject: [access-uk] THE GREAT BRITISH SPELLING TEST


> Hi all,
>
> Remember the original "Test the Nation" about which we all complained 
> which, I think, the BBC upheld but the Independent Broadcasting 
> Authority perhaps did not.
>
> Well, when "The Great British Spelling Test" came around on ITV, we 
> discovered at the first question that we were not going to be told the

> various options so couldn't "spell".  Mike contacted OFFCOM and has 
> now received the following reply which we post here in case anyone 
> else cares to write them.
>
> Please note, we did not mention Audio Description, because we simply 
> needed the options to be spoken.  Anyway, this is what OFFCOM has to
> say:
>
> The Great British Spelling Test
>
> Dear Mr Pearson
>
> The Great British Spelling Test
>
> I am replying to your complaint about the Great British Spelling Test,

> which was shown in ITV on 20 October 2004; I am sorry for the delay in

> getting back to you on this.
>
> You have expressed concern that the programme excluded blind people in

> that words were displayed on-screen but not read out. We have 
> concluded that the item was not in breach of the relevant regulations,

> and our reasons are set out below.
>
> It is very important to help people with hearing or sight difficulties

> to understand and enjoy television programmes. Many programmes on BBC,

> ITV, Channel 4, S4C and Channel 5 therefore have subtitles or sign 
> language to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some 
> programmes also have audio description
> - an extra soundtrack in which a narrator describes events for people
> who are blind or who have difficulty seeing. We call these services
> 'television access
> services'.
>
> Ofcom is required under an Act of Parliament - the Communications Act 
> 2003 - to draw up, and from time to time review and revise, a code 
> giving guidance on these television access services.
>
> We have now drawn up this Code, taking into account both comments 
> received from interested parties and advice from the Advisory 
> Committee of Older and Disabled People.
>
> The Code does not require broadcasters to provide television access 
> services in respect of each and every programme, but it does set out 
> targets for broadcasters. These targets are expressed as percentages 
> of the total number of hours of programming shown by the broadcaster, 
> excluding advertisements.
>
> ITV is currently required under the Code to ensure that 6% of the 
> programmes it broadcasts include audio description. This target will 
> increase to 8% for 2006 and 2007, and then to 10% in 2008. ITV must 
> comply with these targets; however, Ofcom cannot tell ITV which 
> specific programmes should be accompanied
> by audio description.
>
> We understand that most visually impaired people like to watch the 
> same sort of programmes as the sighted audience, with news, 
> documentaries, soap and drama high on their list.  However, not all 
> programmes – whether or not they are popular and highly-rated - are 
> suitable for audio description.
>
> Some programmes are too fast moving for a description to be really 
> helpful to the viewer. Quiz programmes and game shows, though very 
> popular, offer little opportunity for audio description because they 
> both have tightly-worded, almost continuous scripts. The Great British

> Spelling Test was a fast moving programme,
> where it would have been difficult for either the presenter to read
out
> the words or for an effective audio description to be provided.
>
> The Code says that television access services need not be provided if 
> Ofcom is satisfied that this would be impracticable on grounds of 
> technical difficulty. However, broadcasters are required to ensure 
> that producers, editors and presenters are trained in techniques to 
> describe the significance of images for
> the benefit of the blind and partially-sighted audience.
>
> We understand your disappointment that The Great British Spelling Test

> was not presented in a way that you were able to enjoy. In the coming 
> years, broadcasters such as ITV will face higher targets for 
> television access services and this may lead them to re-think the 
> format of some programmes such as quiz shows.
>
> We appreciate the trouble that you taken to raise this matter with us.

> Even though we will not be pursuing your complaint on this occasion, 
> it is important for us to know what the audience thinks.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> Ritu Manhas
>
> :: Ritu Manhas
>
>   Programme Executive
>
>   Content and Standards
>
>   +44 (0) 20 7981 3853
>
>   ritu.manhas@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> :: Ofcom
>
>   Riverside House
>
>   2a Southwark Bridge Road
>
>   London SE1 9HA
>
>   www.ofcom.org.uk
>
> **********************************************************************
> **
> ******************************************
> Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the
UK
> communications industries, with responsibilities across television,
> radio, telecommunications
> and wireless communications services.
>
> For further details and to register for automatic updates from Ofcom 
> on key publications and other developments, please visit 
> www.ofcom.org.uk
>
> This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and 
> intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they 
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>
> If you have received this email in error please notify the originator 
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> Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual 
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> them to be the views of Ofcom.
>
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> ******************************************
>
>
> --
> Carol and Mike Pearson
> carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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