Last year Ian Noon, NDCS Campaigns Team member, wrote an interesting piece for the Limping Chicken Deaf news website about TV subtitles – the lack of and the occasional hilarity given to deaf viewers by amusing subtitle fails. You have to admit that as a deaf person at some time or another everyone has been frustrated and let down by subtitles, whether it’s the final of The Apprentice or the consistent lack of sensical subtitles on the BBC news or that you've rented a movie and there are no subtitles with the film.
It’s the last example that I partly wanted to write about. Ian’s article was fantastic at drawing attention to the lack and problems with TV subtitles but it was the comments below about companies such as Love Film that really drew my attention.
I've never actually ordered anything from Love Film before, this is mainly because I know all the deaf related problems associated with it, however my boyfriend’s family have on more than one occasion. You see the problem with Love Film and other companies similar is that although some of their online films (not all! Just some… But at least you can tell.) are now subtitled many of the films that they send out in the post for people to rent are subtitled. And from what I've heard it’s nearly impossible to know beforehand what you’re getting. I can’t imagine anything more frustrating than planning a lovely night in, nice meal or lots of popcorn and then sitting down with your partner; your friends etc. to watch a film you've always wanted to see only to discover there are no subtitles whatsoever.
I’m a fairly patient Deafie but I have to say that if that happened to me I’d be contemplating throwing my TV out the window. How unfair!
A lot of people have questioned whether this lack of subtitles and lack of information actually breaks the 2010 Equality Acts legislation surrounding fair access but from what I can work out Love Film and others like them are American companies, and I doubt they’re subject to our Equality laws. Sad really, I’d love to write them a very stroppy letter.
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| Love Film are inconsistent with subtitles says Ni |
However it’s not just film rental companies such as Love Film who are letting down deaf customers. Has anyone seen the adverts for YouView? Anybody have a box. Pretty much nothing is subtitled. You can play past programmes and films from iPlayer, 4oD etc. all of which are subtitled online but none of which have a subtitle option through YouView.
According to Action on Hearing Loss there are 9 million deaf or hard of hearing people in the UK. Now that’s a pretty big market to be letting down as far as I’m concerned… That’s bigger than the population of London apparently. Imagine the impact if the whole of London suddenly stopped watching TV! Come of Love Film, the BBC, YouView and everyone else! Where are our subtitles?!
The fact that these companies are American does not excuse them from providing Access to Goods and Services (as defined by the Equalities Act 2010) in the UK. The goods and services they provide in the UK should be accessible to Disabled people therefore if the service is online it should be subtitled to guarantee Reasonable Access for deaf and hard of hearing customers/viewers. Likewise all DVDs should be subtitled. This is called making a Reasonable Adjustment.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it is up to individuals to take legal action and that is both highly stressful, time-consuming and very expensive.
Some years back I used the DDA (1995) to ensure that the Showcase Cinemas provided subtitled screenings at their cinema in Peterborough. Eventually, they settled out of court but it took a lot out of me and I doubt if I'd have the energy for a similar battle again. Furthermore, I was helped by the Disability Rights Commission which, sadly, no longer exists... None of the big deaf charities (I won't name them) were prepared to help.
If you do want to go ahead and take action I suggest you get together with other young, deaf, like-minded people and try and use the internet to get support.
Good luck!
Jill