[vicsireland] Re: Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
- From: "Gerry Ellis" <gerry.ellis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:05:01 -0000
Hi, Antoinette,
I don't believe that settop boxes or TVs with Saorview integrated into them
would fall under the 2 European Directives on Public procurement as far as
RTE are concerned. RTE-NL sets down the specifications, but they are built
by independent organisations and sold directly to the public. It may be an
issue when RTE are making programmes or buying them in from abroad.
Thanks.
Take care,
Gerry ellis
If you don?t know where you?re going,
How will you know when you get there?
-----Original Message-----
From: vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Antoinette Fennell
CFIT
Sent: 19 December 2011 10:20
To: vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
Hi Robbie and Gerry,
I should start by pointing out I don't have legal expertise. But as
far as I know, as a public body, RTE has legal obligations to ensure
that they consider accessibility when buying in any services or
equipment. This is under European Procurement legislation.
So even though RTE do not themselves produce set top boxes, they do
have a responsibility to procure the most accessible option available
to them. So this could be an avenue worth pursuing, if it hasn't
already been done.
I have copied here the text on Accessible procurement from the NDA
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design's website:
Accessible procurement is a legal requirement for all public sector
bodies. Section 27 of the Act requires that, where reasonable, the
goods and services that are supplied to a public body should also be
accessible to people with disabilities. The Code of Practice states
that procurers should highlight accessibility "as a criterion to be
considered throughout the entire tendering process (from drawing up
and running tender competitions through tender evaluation and placing
the contract to final debriefing)".
All the best,
Antoinette
Dr Antoinette Fennell
ICT Accessibility Researcher
Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT)
NCBI: Working for People with Sight Loss
Whitworth Road
Drumcondra
Dublin 9
Tel: +353 (0)1 8821 988
Email: antoinette.fennell@xxxxxxx
Web: www.cfit.ie
On 19 Dec 2011, at 01:12, Gerry Ellis wrote:
> Hi, Robbie,
>
> Last Thursday, as part of the RTEAudience Council, I met both the
> Board and the CEO of RTE. I will meet them again early in 2012.
>
> When we met, the issue of accessibility was mentioned more than any
> other issue.
>
> I have met the staff responsible in this area and I believe that
> they are committed and that they produce output that is far superior
> to the norm in the U. S., although they produce far less of it.
>
> It is my personal opinion that we are far behind where we should be
> in terms of quantity, but that the people on the ground want to make
> the right decisions. A sledge hammer at CEO or Board level will not
> produce the desired result, but a reasoned yet insistent engagement
> will.
>
> Once the technical issues that are holding back progress are
> addressed in 2012, I believe that good progress will be made. Where
> we need pressure to be applied is the Broadcasting Authority of
> Ireland as they review the Access Rules.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
>
>
>
> Take care,
>
> Gerry ellis
>
> If you don?t know where you?re going,
> How will you know when you get there?
>
> From: vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ] On Behalf Of RobbieS
> Sent: 18 December 2011 00:23
> To: vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
>
> Hi Gerry,
>
> Sorry to be so brief but I don't have the time to research tat the
> moment.
>
> I have given hapter and verse to RTÉ in my complaints against thejm
> (for what it's worth).
>
> Apart from the usual 26-38 of the Disability Act, there is also,
> specific to RTÉ and other broadcasters, sections 53 and 54 of the
> same Act which apply specifically to Public Sector Broadcasters.
>
> Either way, it is obvious - and RTÉ have admitted so - that RTÉ are
> in breech of the Sectoral Plans to date [which I have read in full +
> updates] - but they seem to think that only those with money behind
> them matter.
>
> Are they right?
>
> Robbie
>
> On Sat, Dec 17, 2011 at 11:29 PM, Gerry Ellis
<gerry.ellis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> What legal obligations? RTE neither make settop boxes nor did they
> set down the specifications for settop boxes. RTE-NL set down the
> specs based on an international set of requirements, but this is
> separate from RTE.
>
> If you have some legal details that would help in pursuing this
> issue I would love to hear about them as they may add some leverage.
>
>
> Take care,
>
> Gerry ellis
>
> If you don?t know where you?re going,
> How will you know when you get there?
>
> From: vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:vicsireland-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ] On Behalf Of RobbieS
> Sent: 17 December 2011 16:55
> To: vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
>
> For the record, all credit to Pat McCarthy of the Blind Legal
> Alliance for getting the BAI to at least go through these motions.
>
> then, true to form in such matters, they wouldn't even inform him
> that they'd acceeded to his demand/request.
>
> RTÉ have put two fingers up to the Disability Act 2005 where vips
> are concerned.
>
> For instance, they claim that:
> a). it's not parctical in terms of cost at this late stage to have
> an accessible set-top box. Their neglect of the matter in the first
> place has led to this situation, but there will probably be no
> accountability for this flagrant breech ot their legal obligations.
>
> Also, RTÉ claim that they couldn't meet the niggardly 1% target for
> audio-description because they couldn't find companies in ireland to
> do it - as if they couldn't do an in-house job if they were really
> serious about it.
>
> Come to think of it, wouldn't an in-house job be cheeper, with no
> tendering process or profit-margin required?
>
> Up the BLA,
>
> Robbie
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 4:45 PM, GERARD SHANAHAN <gershan@xxxxxx>
> wrote:
> Mark, I'm so disappointed, talk about splitting hairsIt reminds me
> of a friend who hired a prosperous electrical contractor to fit a
> door bell: 1 supervisor, 1 bell fitter and 2 men to put in 12 feet
> of electrical cable and connect the bell to the bell push.....No
> wonder nothing gets done in this country Comre, BAI, R.T.E.
> NETWORKS, SOARVIEW, EVERYONE IS DOING SOMETHING BUT NO ONE TAKES
> RESPONSIBILITY FOR NICHE PROBLEM SOLVING. Shouldn't we send a
> submission to comreg on accessibility of technology...This could
> turn into a debate and the digital change over will have taken place
> before we even get an acknowledgement of submission. regards
> confounded, confused and deluded Gerry
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Magennis" <Mark.magennis@xxxxxxx
> >
> To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 10:21 AM
> Subject: [vicsireland] Re: Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
>
>
>
> Gerry,
>
> Set top boxes are not covered by the access rules. The Access Rules
> only cover content access services - audio description, subtitling,
> and sign language. In fact, the BAI itself is only concerned with
> television content. Technical aspects of broadcasting and networks
> are under the remit of ComReg.
>
> Mark
>
> On 14 Dec 2011, at 21:41, GERARD SHANAHAN wrote:
>
> Gerry, B.A.I. have provided documentation on access for
> consultation on www.bai.ie/?page_id=2006 I've just downloaded them
> but haven't read them yet maybe other people should have a look and
> make submissions before closing date. Do you know if the topic of
> accessible set top boxes is within the parameters? Gerry
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerry Ellis"
<gerry.ellis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 8:47 PM
> Subject: [vicsireland] Review of Broadcasting Access Rules
>
> Hi,
>
> These Access Rules are set by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland,
> but are
> given statutory strength through the Sectoral Plans of the
> Disability Act.
> The old plans required 2% of Audio Description and 2% of Subtitling,
> but
> neither of these targets were met.
>
> I think it would be great if VICS made a submission on the review
> either by
> itself or as part of the TV Access group.
>
> I would suggest that reference to the 21st Century Communications
> and Video
> Accessibility Act from the United States would be helpful as it has
> far more
> ambitious targets than anything that is likely to come from the BAI
> itself.
>
> See details of the call for submissions at:
> http://www.emara.org/news/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7054
>
>
>
>
> Take care,
>
> Gerry ellis
>
> If you don't know where you're going,
> How will you know when you get there?
>
>
>
> --
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Check-out NCBI's Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh appeal on the following link.
http://youtu.be/25P2tiuCi0U
NCBI: Celebrating 80 Years
********************************************************************
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limited by guarantee (registered in Ireland No. 26293) .
Our registered office is at Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
NCBI is also a registered Charity (chy4626).
NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments
is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of
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