[dbaust] Fw: bca-l: Audio Description Trial
- From: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:28:12 -0700 (PDT)
--- On Wed, 28/3/12, Lauren Henley <lauren.henley@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Lauren Henley <lauren.henley@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: bca-l: Audio Description Trial
To: bca-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, bca-womentalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Received: Wednesday, 28 March, 2012, 10:05 AM
Hi everyone,
As some of you may be aware, the Department of Broadband, Communications
and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) has provided a question and answer page on it’s
website to help inform consumers about the trial that will take place on ABC1
later
this year and how the trial will be delivered.
The FAQ page will be updated regularly to ensure that the information
is up-to-date and reflects new questions that have been posed by consumers. I
have
copied and pasted the list of FAQs so far at the bottom of this message. If you
have any additional questions that have not already been covered, please feel
free
to pass them on to Blind Citizens Australia and we will ensure that they are fed
back to a member of staff within DBCDE’s Broadcasting and Switchover Policy
Branch.
FAQs
(http://www.dbcde.gov.au/television/audio_description_trial)
1. What is audio description?
Audio
description improves access to electronic media for people with a visual
impairment. It provides an additional verbal commentary that complements the
underlying audiovisual program soundtrack. It is narration that explains what
is happening visually during television programs, movies, DVDs or live
performances.
·
2. What is the intended outcome from the
audio description trial?
The
government intends that the technical trial will generate greater understanding
of both technical and consumer requirements associated with establishing and
delivering audio description services in Australia. The trial will encompass
testing of the broadcast delivery path from capture (acquisition or
commissioning) to transmission and distribution.
3. What are the main parts of the trial?
The
technical trial will run for 13 weeks and involve the broadcast of drama,
documentary and other content with audio description on ABC1 for 14 hours per
week during prime time.
4. What is the geographic coverage of the
audio description trial?
Audio-described
programs will be broadcast on ABC1 and available across the ABC1 free-to-air
digital terrestrial footprint. It is intended to make the audio description
trial available nationally; however, the government is aware of potential
concerns with the re-transmission of ABC1 on Foxtel, TransACT, AUSTAR, VAST and
in some local council areas. The government is working with the ABC to achieve
the widest possible reach for the trial.
5. When is the public broadcast component
of the trial expected to occur?
The
public broadcast component is expected to commence in August 2012. The timing
of the public broadcast component will depend on the time taken by the ABC to
commission content and to procure, test and install equipment.
6. Who has been consulted?
The
government has consulted with a range of stakeholders, including the ABC and
Australian Communications and Media Authority and with external stakeholders
including the Australian Human Rights Commission.
7. Why is the trial using receiver-mixed
audio description rather than broadcast-mixed audio description (that New
Zealand is trialling)?
Audio
description is delivered as a second audio stream to a television or
set-top box, and can be either 'receiver-mixed' or 'broadcast-mixed'. With
receiver-mixed audio description, the normal audio stream for the program is
broadcast, while the second audio stream consists of the audio description
narration only, along with signals that lower the sound level on the primary
audio stream so that the descriptions can be heard. With broadcast-mixed audio
description, the second audio stream contains both the original soundtrack
and the descriptions mixed into it. Receiver-mixed is considered preferable for
viewers because it allows them to control the volume of the audio-described
content, and it can be fed to headphones so the viewer can hear it while others
in the room hear only the original soundtrack. Broadcast-mixed does not have
this functionality.
8. When will the results of the audio
description trial be available?
The
ABC will provide a report to the government on the audio description trial
following the completion of the technical trial in late 2012.
9. Will the government mandate audio
description on broadcasters?
The
government will consider the implications of introducing minimum levels of
audio description on broadcasters in light of the final report from the trial.
The ABC is to provide a report to government in late 2012.
10. Why will the ABC digital radio services
not be broadcast on digital television during the audio description trial?
The
ABC has advised that, due to bandwidth capacity constraints, it will be unable
to continue to broadcast its digital radio services with digital television
services during the technical trial. The digital radio services will continue
to be available online and on digital radio during this time and will resume at
the conclusion of the trial.
11. Will trial participants receive any
assistance in setting up and using the associated equipment?
Australian
Digital Testing has been commissioned by the government to identify equipment
(televisions and set-top boxes) that is capable of receiving audio-described
programs. Alongside accessible user guides, this department will make the list
of suitable equipment available to assist people considering participation in
the trial to identify whether their existing televisions or set-top boxes can
receive the audio-described content. The final report of this consultancy is
due in late March 2012.
Lauren Henley
NSW Advocacy and Information Officer
Blind Citizens Australia
Ph: (02) 9744 9844
lauren.henley@xxxxxxxxxx
www.bca.org.au
ABN: 90 006 985 226
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