>From the web page http://www.bca.org.au/digtv.htm When a Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures WHEN A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES IMPROVED TELEVISION ACCESS FOR BLIND VIEWERS IN THE DIGITAL ERA Prepared on behalf of: BLIND CITIZENS AUSTRALIA VISION AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION November 1999 John A Simpson ISBN: 0958706522 Information Alternatives 18 Prosper Parade Glen Iris Vic. 3146 Tel: 03 9889 0392 Fax: 03 9889 6286 Email: jsimpson@infoalt.com.au TABLE OF CONTENTS SYNOPSIS SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES 2.2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2.2.1 Acknowledgments 3. BLIND AND VISION IMPAIRED TV VIEWERS 3.1 AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND RESEARCH oQ! 3.2 EUROPEAN RESEARCH 3.3 THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE 4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION? 4.1. WHAT IS AUDIO DESCRIPTION 4.2 VIDEO DESCRIPTION 4.2.1 Descriptive Video Services 4.2.2 DVS on Cable. 4.2.3 Audio Described Home Videos 4.2.4 Narrative TV 4.3 EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT 4.3.1 Developments in the UK 4.3.2 RNIB Home Videos 4.3.3 Other European Developments 5. AUDIO ENHANCEMENT IN AUSTRALIA 5.1 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT AND RPH oQ! 5.2 DESCRIBED HOME VIDEOS IN AUSTRALIA 6. THE DEPRIVATION STUDY 6.1 WORKSHOP METHODOLOGY 6.1.1 Sample Material 6.1.2 Workshop Facilities 6.1.3 Participants 6.2 ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION DEPRIVATION. 6.3 WORKSHOP OUTCOMES 6.3.1 Drama: 6.3.2 Entertainment: 6.3.3 Documentary: 6.3.4 Current Affairs: 6.3.5 Sport & Events: 6.3.6 News: 6.3.7 Information Segments: 6.3.8 Infotainment: 6.3.9 Advertisements: 6.4 FOCUS GROUP INPUT 7. AUDIO ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES 7.1 OUR CONTENTION 7.2 ENHANCEMENT ALTERNATIVES 7.2.1 Timed and Scripted Integration 7.2.2 Improvised Description 7.2.3 Audio Captioning 7.2.4 Real-time Events Coverage 7.2.5 Commercial and Promotional Content. 7.3 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT EXEMPLARS 8. DIGITAL TELEVISION - DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION 8.1 THE FUNDAMENTALS oQ! 8.2 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE US 8.3 IMPLEMENTATION IN THE UK 9. OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPERATIVES IN AUSTRALIA 9.1 THE FUNDAMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL TV 9.2 THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY 9.2.1 Technical Capacity 9.2.2 Systemic change in the Broadcast Industry 9.2.3 New Receivers and Set Top Boxes 9.2.4 International Co-Ordination 9.2.5 Industry & Regulatory Co-Operation 9.3 COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS 9.3.1 Objectives of the Broadcasting Services Act 9.3.2 The Disability Discrimination Act 9.3.3 The Commonwealth Disability Strategy 9.3.4 Other Access initiatives 10. MAKING TODAY'S TELEVISION MORE ACCESSIBLE 11. WHERE TO FROM HERE? 11.1 INFORMATION ACCESS INDUSTRY CODE 11.2 BCA AUDIO ENHANCEMENT INTEREST GROUP 11.3 DEMONSTRATION VIDEO 11.4 DDA STANDARD ON ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION 11.5 DISABILITY ACTION PLANS 11.6 DIGITAL TELEVISION CONSULTATIVE GROUP 11.7 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT STANDARD 11.8 A PILOT AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SERVICE. REFERENCES ATTACHMENT 1 - QUESTIONNAIRE - WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS' PROFILES ATTACHMENT 2 - TELEVISION USAGE SURVEY ATTACHMENT 3 - WORKSHOP ONE PROGRAM ATTACHMENT 4 - DEPRIVATION OF BLIND TV VIEWERS - SUMMARY OF VIDEO MATERIAL USED ATTACHMENT 5 - DEPRIVATION OF BLIND TV VIEWERS - ASSESSMENT OF COMPREHENSION LEVELS ATTACHMENT 6 - WORKSHOP 2 - AGENDA ATTACHMENT 7 - WORKSHOP 3 - RUNNING SHEET SYNOPSIS Experimentation with Audio Description of television (the addition of a verbal description of the on-screen action, scene and other visual elements) began in Australia in the early 1980's. >From 1983 3RPH in Melbourne has broadcast ball by ball description of international tennis as an extension of the television coverage. More recently 3RPH has provided description of major Australian drama series. These services have not generally been available beyond Melbourne and their incorporation into RPH programming has been at the expense of other content. In June 1998 Blind Citizens Australia, in association with the Vision Australia Foundation, received funding under the National Disability Research Grants Program, administered by the Commonwealth Office of Disability, to undertake research into the need for and practicality of introducing ongoing audio description services in association with the introduction of Digital Television Broadcasting. The Australian Broadcasting Authority's Specialist Group on digital Television had already identified that the additional audio capacity available with Digital transmission could be used for services such as Audio Description. The Government had indicated that it would seek the advice of the Community of Interest in regard to the introduction of Audio Description. Encouraged by this identification of a potential delivery platform for Audio Enhancement and given the expectations placed on the Industry by the Disability Discrimination Act and other Government policy, we sought, through this project to: 1. Identify and report on the extent and level of deprivation that is common across the various elements of television content in Australia: 2. Identify and document enhancement techniques that address the information deprivation experienced by blind and vision impaired viewers: 3. Assess the Regulatory and Industry Environment that is underpinning Audio Description development in Europe and North America: 4. Assess the opportunities that will arise as a result of Digital Television implementation for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in association with broadcast television services. PROJECT ACTIVITIES The term Audio Enhancement was adopted for our work in preference to Audio Description as the techniques that we have identified to improve access to Broadcast Television for people who are blind or have a vision impairment go beyond Description. They include: the introduction of standards relating to the content elements that must be provided in a verbal or audible form; the use of verbal captioning to provide audible access to on-screen text information. In Summary the project "Improved TV Access for Blind and Vision Impaired Viewers in the Digital Era" has achieved the following: 1. Conduct of an informal survey to establish the extent to which blind and vision impaired people in Australia view television. We had access to a comprehensive research report "Who's Watching? A Profile of the Blind and Visually Impaired Audience for Television and Video" published by the American Foundation for the Blind in 1997 but needed to establish whether these results were applicable in Australia. Fifty five blind or vision impaired people completed a brief questionnaire. Their combined response can be summarised as follows: 52 of 55 respondents indicated that they own or are part of a household that owns a television set; 51 of 52 respondents indicated that they watch TV for at least four hours per week; 10 of 52 respondents indicated that they watch TV for 20 or more hours each week; 39 of 52 respondents indicated that they do at least some of their viewing without someone on hand to interpret the visual aspects to them; 35 of 52 respondents indicated that issues of access to the content determine their choice of program types; 27 of the 42 Internet respondents indicated that they had viewed audio described material at least once; 25 of this 27 considered that the audio description had added to their understanding of the program(s). One indicated that the experience had been two short to make such a judgement and the other indicated that he considered his sight level did not limit his understanding of the content. Clearly, for this group at least, TV viewing is an important aspect of life. For many however, their experience is lessened by the need to consider access issues when making program choices. For those who had some experience of Audio Description its potential to add to their viewing understanding and enjoyment was clear. 2. Conduct of a study to assess the level of information deprivation experienced by people who are blind or vision impaired. We identified that this deprivation is a result of: the broadcast of vision only information, such as sports and lottery results, advertisers contact details and price information, talent identification and text based captioning of foreign language material; reliance on on-screen action which is not supported with dialogue or other audible cues; coverage of sport, news and other events that is supported by comment rather than direct description of the action. As a result, people who are blind or experience a severe vision impairment are handicapped in their participation in community life. This study was conducted across a two day workshop involving the twelve members of our Consumer Panel. Participants viewed sample television content segments across a range of types and recorded their response to specific questions about the action, information or message shown. These responses were tabulated against a benchmark score for each sample item viewed and the participants scores were expressed as a percentage, representative of the comprehension level achieved. These scores were then averaged across each of the blind and vision impaired sub-groups. The comprehension levels achieved across nine content types, (and thus a measure of the level of deprivation experienced) can be summarised as follows: Content type Low Vision Blind Drama 44% 25% Entertainment 35% 18.5% Documentary 27% 24.5% Current Affairs 37.5% 32.5% Sport/Events 19% 21% News 33% 39% Information 38% 35% Infotainment 28% 20% Commercials 66% 14% OVERALL AVERAGE 36.4% 25.8% 3. We identified a range of Audio Enhancement techniques that offer substantial benefit to the target audience In association with the Consumer Panel that was an integral part of this project we concluded that Audio Enhancement should be offered at four levels depending on the nature of the television content concerned. These are: Scripted and Timed Integration: The technique used in both the US and UK, where the description is tightly scripted and its integration is timed to fit into the available breaks in program dialogue: Improvised Description: Where the describer previews the material and makes notes about key description elements but then adds the description in real-time as the program is broadcast: Audio Captioning: Where enhancement is limited to verbalisation of on- screen text and perhaps graphics: Real-time Events Description: Where sport and other dynamic events are described in real-time without the opportunity to preview the action. Our conclusion is that a mix of these techniques is both appropriate to the needs of the blind viewer and would enable the cost efficient provision of Audio Enhancement across the various content types. 4. We produced and tested with the consumer panel a range of Audio Enhancement Exemplars. Material was selected from the Australian content broadcast by the various free-to- air networks and across the different content types from drama and comedy to news, infotainment, documentaries and commercials. Following an initial production round all sample segments were shown to the consumer group for their feed back and much valuable input was provided relating to: the appropriateness of the different Audio Enhancement methods to various content types; the level of detail needed in various situations; the terminology and other language attributes used by the Describers; the placement of description in relation to the existing sound track; the sound balance between the two audio sources. With benefit of this input we were then able to produce a further set of Exemplars to a quality suitable for demonstration beyond the Consumer Group. A further eight segments (115 minutes of content) and five advertisements were then produced. These were previewed by the Consumer Group at its third workshop and formed the basis for an extensive presentation to the Strategic Planning Seminar held in March 1999. A video tape containing these Exemplars forms an important part of our project report and will be available as an education tool for Industry and Community groups. 5. We have reviewed the Audio Description currently available overseas and the moves toward its delivery through Digital Television in the US and UK. Blind Citizens Australia has established a close relationship with Descriptive Video Service in the US and those staff at the Royal National Institute for the Blind in England who are responsible for advocating on audio description matters. Through these relationships we have been able to study closely development of Audio Description in both the US and UK and to monitor progress toward its availability as part of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB). We have noted that while DTTB services commenced in major US markets early in 1999 Video Description Services are not being delivered via this medium at the time of writing. The National Centre on Accessible Media has however commenced distribution of test materials for both Video Description, and Closed Captioning for the Deaf to inform the Consumer Products Industry on developments in this area. A similar situation exists in the UK where DTTB services commenced in November 1998. Audio Description was not available from the commencement of these services as while there is legislative provision mandating these services, facilities for reception through integrated digital television receivers and set-top conversion boxes were not provided for. A plug-in decoder card has now been developed for connection via the Common Interface slot provided in most new digital reception equipment and it is expected that Audio Description services will begin from November 1999. 6. We have monitored progress toward Digital TV implementation in Australia. The Australian Government has legislated for the commencement of DTTB services in major metropolitan centres from 1 January 2001 and in other locations by no later than 2004. We have concluded that beyond the more general advantages of digital television that are promoted by the Government and Broadcasting industry alike, Australia's move to DTTB offers a unique opportunity to improve access to television for the blind and vision impaired audience. DTTB has the technical capacity to carry Audio Enhancement as part of the transmission package: As all free-to-air television broadcasters in Australia need to make extensive changes to their program production and transmission facilities to enable their provision of digital TV, the costs of providing for Audio Enhancement become marginal to the overall upgrade cost Similarly television viewers will purchase new reception equipment to facilitate their access to digital television. Again the additional cost of accessing Audio Enhancement would be marginal to this expense. Overall, there is a willingness to consider the information needs of the blind audience at a time when the Industry and Regulatory environment is undergoing substantial change. THE WAY AHEAD In the final chapter of our project report we detail a number of Regulatory, Industry and community initiatives that we believe must be put in place in advance of the establishment of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. Our study of the information deprivation reveals a number of significant matters of current practice that need to be addressed in order to maximise access by blind and vision impaired viewers. We note that the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has recently determined that information provision constitutes a Service for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and we remind television providers of their vulnerability to action under the DDA if they fail to address the information access requirements of their blind and vision impaired viewers. We recommend the development of an industry-wide Code addressing issues of Information Access for the blind and vision impaired audience. Reflecting on the strong consumer interest and support we have experienced throughout the project and mindful of the important role that blind and vision impaired people can play in advocating the need for Audio Enhancement and setting the benchmarks for its effective provision we recommend the establishment of a Special Interest Group within Blind Citizens Australia. While the Exemplars produced for the project were adequate to introduce the concepts of Audio Enhancement and the production techniques we have identified, we are conscious that there is much work to be done in explaining and promoting the intricacies of Audio Enhancement to the broadcasting industry, consumer products manufacturers, regulators and the broader community. We believe that urgent attention should be given to the production of a comprehensive demonstration tape which can be used both to promote the general concepts of Audio Enhancement and to introduce industry and regulatory interests to the cost effective production techniques we have developed. Our preferred option would be for this production to be undertaken as a co-operative arrangement with one or more of the television networks whereby a sampling of their Australian made programming and some commercial content could be assembled. Within the report we outline the process currently underway whereby a Standard under provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act is being developed relating to Access to Commonwealth Government Information. We point out that the Commonwealth is a major contributor to the Australian Television Industry as Licensee and funder of the two national services and as a major provider of advertising content on the commercial networks. We recommend inclusion of television based information in the DDA Standard currently being developed. We also canvass the notion of television content producers and broadcasters committing themselves to the development of DDA Action Plans. These Plans represent a commitment to address matters of potential discrimination over a realistic time frame and we particularly urge television broadcasters to commit themselves to Action Plans that include a specific commitment to the provision of comprehensive Audio Enhancement. We note that Australia's move to the introduction of Digital Television is closely following implementation in both the UK and USA and that Audio Enhancement is not yet functioning in the digital domain in either country. We believe that Australia is well placed to monitor and learn from overseas experience in relation to Audio Enhancement, just as it is with the broader issues around DTTB. In order to maximise this window of opportunity we propose that the Digital Television Consultative Group, established by the Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, investigate all matters pertaining to the transmission and reception of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services as part of the DTTB platform. A review of Standards for the provision of Closed Captioning for the Deaf is a requirement of the Legislation that mandates digital television provision and similar legislation in the UK establishes levels of programming that must carry closed captioning and audio description. There is however a substantial disparity between the required level of captioning and the requirement for described programming. We believe that a Standard should be mandated which would ensure the increased provision of Audio Enhancement over a realistic time frame and we affirm the contention which underpinned our application for funding of this project, "that Audio Enhancement should be as widely available as is closed captioning for deaf and hearing impaired television viewers. While we have written of the "window of opportunity" that presents for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in parallel with the introduction of Digital Television Broadcasting, we expect that a concerted effort will be required over the next two to three years if this time frame is to be achieved. - There is much to be done on the technical front to ensure that Audio Enhancement can be transmitted as a standard component of the digital television package and can be readily received and accessed by the users of popular brand digital television sets and set top boxes. - There is extensive work to be done in improving Audio Enhancement production techniques to a point where they fully meet the needs of their primary users. - There is also a lot to be done to demonstrate the viability and commercial advantage that will attach to the use of effective Audio Enhancement. All of this work needs to occur in a real life situation where the needs and expectations of the user group can be factored in. We conclude that the establishment and operation over a realistic time frame of a model service is essential. We believe that it would be practical to establish this service in a major city location where it could offer Audio Enhancement of a range of Australian-made television content across the various Networks. Such a service would best function as a community based organisation with a small staff to lead the service and the active involvement of a larger number of suitably skilled and trained volunteers. Delivery would need to be as a simulcast using a dedicated radio channel and it would be important to have the active involvement of a specialist in Audience Research. We believe that funding for this initiative should be provided on a joint basis from Government, the Broadcasting Industry and wider community. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That the Australian Broadcasting Authority, with support from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission establish a working party, including representation from National and Commercial Broadcasters, Production Organisations and Disability Advocacy Bodies to develop an Industry Code of Practice which would detail practices and policies that would maximise access to the information and entertainment content of Broadcast Television for people who are blind or vision impaired. 2. That Blind Citizens Australia establish from among its members an Audio Enhancement Interest Group which would provide a focus for BCA's continuing advocacy on television access issues and would work to establish co-operative relationships with Audio Description/Video Description Providers in Europe and North America from where audio enhanced videos and program materials might be sourced for dissemination among blind and vision impaired people in Australia. 3. That Blind Citizens Australia, in association with the Vision Australia Foundation, seek funding and Broadcast Industry support for the production of a demonstration video which would include information on the need for and benefits of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services as well as detail of the various enhancement techniques developed as part of this project. And that BCA and Vision Australia Foundation use this video to engender support from the Broadcasting Industry, consumer products manufacturers, regulators and the community for the establishment of permanent Audio Enhancement Services across Australia. That the Working Party responsible for the development of a DDA Standard on Access to Commonwealth Government Information give consideration to the inclusion within this Standard of specific provisions relating to access to Commonwealth information distributed via broadcast Television That a Broadcast Industry Seminar be convened to inform television production and broadcast organisations on the Disability Discrimination Act Action Plan process and its potential to encompass strategies toward the implementation of Audio Enhancement Services. That the Digital Television Consultative Group, established by the Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, establish a sub-committee to investigate matters pertaining to the transmission and reception of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services as part of the DTTB platform. 7. That a Standard be developed, under authority of the Broadcasting Services Act, that will ensure the availability of Audio Enhancement on Australian television, at the same level as that mandated for closed captioning, within five years of the introduction of Digital Television Services. 8. That an Audio Enhancement Pilot Service be established; to operate over a minimum twelve period; to provide a focus for the development of Audio Enhancement techniques and production standards; and to work in close co-operation with television broadcasters toward the integration of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services into the Australian Broadcast Television System. WHEN A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES IMPROVED TELEVISION ACCESS FOR BLIND VIEWERS IN THE DIGITAL ERA 1. INTRODUCTION Television is established as the primary information and entertainment medium for the Australian community. The Australian Broadcasting Authority has concluded that 84% of the population watch television on a daily basis (ABA Update October 1995). Within the mix of programs, advertisements and other material that makes up television transmission, is a huge amount of material which we rely on for news, sporting and other general information, education, informing our purchase of goods and services, enhancing our knowledge in specialised subject areas and general entertainment. However, viewers who are blind or vision impaired are denied access to much of this content. This deprivation is a result of: the broadcast of vision only information, such as sports and lottery results, advertisers contact details and price information, talent identification and text based captioning of foreign language material; reliance on on-screen action which is not supported with dialogue or other audible cues; coverage of sport, news and other events that is supported by comment rather than direct description of the action. As a result, people who are blind or experience a severe vision impairment are handicapped in their participation in community life. Television content can be classified into distinct elements: - pre-recorded drama, comedy etc; - live entertainment; - scenic documentary; - head to head interview, chat shows etc; - coverage of sport and other events; - "show and tell" - infotainment type programs; - information segments - sports results, weather etc; - cartoon style presentation; - news coverage - which uses many of these elements in short segments; - advertising - which draws on all of these elements from time to time. Our contention was that the level of deprivation to the blind viewer varies across these content elements. Little, if any, work has been done to identify its extent and thus the degree to which the program maker or advertiser's message falls short of a significant part of the target audience. There are however methods available to redress this situation. A process variously known as Audio Description or Described Video is in development and limited use in North America and the United Kingdom. In the main, this technique has been used in association with pre-recorded programming, including drama and documentary type productions, where a secondary sound track is introduced which includes a pre-scripted description of the scene and on-screen action. This service is delivered via a supplementary audio channel which is transmitted in association with the broadcast and available through decoding equipment supplied to the viewer. In Australia, valuable work has been done to enhance the value of television to the blind viewer by adding ball by ball description to televised sports coverage; description of the scene and on-screen action in TV drama; and detailed description of special events such as street parades. Access to a secondary audio channel has not been available in Australia so delivery of this descriptive information has been via Australia's Radio for the Print Handicapped Services, particularly 3RPH Melbourne, which has made available broadcast time to simulcast with commercial television networks. With the benefit of international time differences, this technique is used on a regular basis in Melbourne to provide description of major international tennis events that are shown live by the television networks overnight. In North America the availability of Audio Description has been limited, as virtually all description is pre-scripted and timed so that it fits well into the natural dialogue or commentary breaks in the production. For this reason, it is a costly adjunct to television production and is only offered with a few hours programming each week. It is our view that forms of "Audio Enhancement" can be introduced on a more cost effective, less formal basis, inserted in real-time in association with much of the television content broadcast in Australia. Our overriding goal remains that Audio Enhancement should be as widely available as Closed Captioning is for deaf people. 2. BACKGROUND With the release in 1997 of the Final Report of the Australian Broadcasting Authority's Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Specialist Group, (Digital Television Broadcasting in Australia; Australian Broadcasting Authority; 1997) and the Government's commitment to work toward Digital Television implementation, it was timely that these issues be addressed. Digital Television not only provides a delivery platform that will readily accommodate supplementary audio channels for this and other uses, but the regulatory review that is occurring as part of the policy development process provides an opportunity for Audio Enhancement to become a formal part of the delivery system. This is already happening in the UK for example, where the Broadcasting Act now includes targets for the inclusion of Audio Description, linked to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting. 2.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES In its report "Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia" the Australian Broadcasting Authority's Specialist Group on Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting notes (page 82) "Other Features of DTTB (Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting) DTTB's multi-channel sound delivery capability might also be used in innovative ways to provide further support to persons with disabilities. One suggestion has been made that audio description services could be provided in conjunction with some types of television programs. The precise need, demand and costs associated with such services have not been defined. At this stage the Specialist Group has noted the potential application for further consideration by service providers because they are not likely to be constrained by the system decisions." Encouraged by this identification of a potential delivery platform for Audio Enhancement and given the expectations placed on the Industry by the Disability Discrimination Act and other Government policy, Blind Citizens Australia and the Vision Australia Foundation looked to the conduct of a project which would: 1. Identify and report on the extent and level of deprivation that is common across the various elements of television content in Australia: 2. Identify and document enhancement techniques that address the information deprivation experienced by blind and vision impaired viewers: 3. Assess the Regulatory and Industry Environment that is underpinning Audio Description development in Europe and North America: 4. Assess the opportunities that will arise as a result of Digital Television implementation for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in association with broadcast television services. 2.2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT This work has been undertaken as a co-operative venture with funding support from the Commonwealth's National Disability Grants Research Fund. Blind Citizens Australia is the united voice of blind and vision impaired Australians. It is governed by a Council of its members and provides a national advocacy service on behalf of all Australians who experience print handicap as a result of vision loss or other disability. The Vision Australia Foundation provides a range of low vision, rehabilitation, peer support and information services across Victoria. It is governed by a Board of fifteen, including seven Directors elected from among its service customers. It currently provides Radio for the Print Handicapped Services through 3RPH Melbourne and 3MPH Mildura and is a substantial program provider to RPH Network Stations throughout Australia. Vision Australia also hosts an Audio Description Service for theatre patrons in Melbourne and has pioneered radio based audio description in Australia. It has a major commitment to information services and is currently working to establish RPH Stations across Victoria and a National Information Centre in Melbourne. Within its national policy development work, Blind Citizens Australia has, for many years, advocated for the needs of blind people, as users of television services, to be addressed. It has a formal policy position on the use of "vision only information" on Broadcast Television and has made direct representations to the ABC, SBS and commercial networks on this issue and the need for comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. Both Blind Citizens Australia and the Vision Australia Foundation are strong advocates for the principles of equity and equality that underpin the Disability Discrimination Act, Commonwealth Disability Strategy and broader disability policy. They are also fully committed to the application of emerging communications and information technologies to address the needs of people with disabilities. The Principal Consultant undertaking this work has been John Simpson. John has undertaken several disability related research projects with a consumer focus. As former Executive Officer with Blind Citizens Australia and current Executive Officer with RPH Australia, he has a well developed understanding of and empathy for consumer needs and expectations. This is matched by his expertise in matters relating to the application of current and future technologies to address the needs of people with a disability. The Project's Technical Support Consultant was Dale Simpson, an Audio Engineer with ten years experience in producing spoken word material for print disabled people. Dale manages Information Alternatives, a specialist audio production organisation, and has enjoyed a long involvement with RPH broadcasting where he has undertaken technical production for much of the network's Audio Description coverage of major events. He has worked as the principal technical producer for the network's coverage of major tennis events and was responsible for development of the various operational protocols and standards that underpin these broadcasts. 2.2.1 Acknowledgments This Project was conducted with the active support and involvement of a panel of thirteen blind and vision impaired television viewers. This group comprised the Consumer Panel for the Deprivation Study and contributed feedback to the Consultants during development of the Audio Enhancement techniques and Exemplars described in this report. It is indicative of their assessment of the value of Audio Description that all Group members have indicated there willingness to provide ongoing voluntary support toward the introduction to Australia of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. We thank all Consumer Panel members for their contribution and commitment to the project. The constructive feedback that we have received, particularly in relation to the development of Audio Enhancement Exemplars, has been highly valued by the Project Team. Valuable technical and policy advice was provided by the Project Advisory Group which included: William Jolley, BCA Executive Officer and Project Manager; Geoff Payne, General Manager Information Services, Vision Australia Foundation; Stephen Jolley, Manager RPH Services, Vision Australia Foundation; Peter Simpson, Engineering Manager with HSV Channel Seven Melbourne. We thank all Advisory Group members for their input to the project and take this opportunity to acknowledge the technical support received from HSV Channel Seven Melbourne. Finally, our work in producing sample material for review by the Consumer Panel and the Audio Enhancement Exemplars that form an integral part of this work was made possible because of the skill and dedication offered by our team of Audio Describers. We thank Marje Westh, Brian Collier and Ray Lord for their work in describing sample material for review by the Consumer Panel and we thank and congratulate Victoria Howell for her expertise and dedication in scripting and narrating much of the Exemplar material. 3. BLIND AND VISION IMPAIRED TV VIEWERS Any assessment of the value of Audio Enhancement Services to blind and vision impaired viewers is dependent on an understanding of the usage that such people make of television. While no comprehensive research in this area has been undertaken in Australia, survey work undertaken by the American Foundation for the Blind and the Bavarian Blind Union in Germany provide useful information that we believe can be applied generally to the Australian situation. As reported below we have tested this contention through the conduct of an informal usage survey among fifty five blind or vision impaired Australians. 3.1 AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND RESEARCH In 1994 the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) received from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services a two year grant to study Described Video's audience and methods of distribution. This study investigated the actual and potential audiences for video description and determined the range of methods of delivery that are potentially available. Two surveys were conducted: a telephone survey of a sample of vision impaired individuals throughout the country; and a written survey (in large print and braille) of a sample of people currently on the mailing list of the largest producer and distributor of Video Description. In addition, secondary analyses were conducted of major Federal Databases which contain relevant social-demographic information about people who are blind or vision impaired. One of the outcomes of this work was the Publication "Who's Watching? A Profile of the Blind and Visually Impaired Audience for Television and Video" (Jaclyn Packer & Corinne Kichner, American Foundation for the Blind, 1997) In determining the need for and anticipated usage of Audio Enhancement Service in Australia we have drawn heavily on this work. The following extract from the Report's introduction provides a most helpful snapshot of the US situation and likely Australian scenario. "Who is the Blind and Visually Impaired Audience for Television and Video? This audience, hardly a homogeneous group, encompasses people who, like the general audience for television and videotapes, have varied interests, priorities, and amounts of available leisure time. They represent all levels of education and income, and all races and ethnic groups. Additionally, the blind and visually impaired audience is made up of people with varied levels of vision, ranging from those whose only difficulty is reading printed words on the television screen, to those who can see most of the action but find the images blurry, to those who can pick up very little of what is on their screen, to those who have no vision at all. It is estimated that in the United States there are 10 million people who, even while wearing their glasses, are visually impaired (McNeil, 1993). This report focuses on the 6.5 million adults among them who are more severely visually impaired, according to a special analysis of federal health data (UCSF/RRTC, 1996). While there are blind and visually impaired people in every age group, the oldest age groups have the largest concentration of them. Since older people are the fastest growing age group in the United States, the number of blind and visually impaired persons is expected to increase. Because so many people watch television and videos on a regular basis, those with visual impairments already make up a substantial part of the viewing audience. In fact, as viewers, they are similar in most ways to the general audience; as a group, they watch television and videotapes in similar numbers and with similar frequency to the general population, and - our research suggests - they have similar tastes and preferences in programming. Isn't Viewing TV and Video Frustrating for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired? Yes, because television and video are primarily visual. Programming often is difficult to understand if one is only hearing it, or hearing it along with seeing it, but poorly. Many visually impaired people have had the frustrating experience of, say, listening to a chase scene for which they hear lots of tire squeals, crashes, and gun shots, but no dialogue that explains the action. Others have watched a one hour television mystery, following and enjoying it for 58 minutes until, at the climax, the show turns dramatically silent and reveals the ending in a visual way - that's who killed Mr. X! Many visually impaired people prefer to watch with a sighted friend or relative who explains enough parts of the presentations to make them aware of important elements that are presented only visually. However, the visually impaired person may not have someone available who can describe programming to him or her, or may wish to watch some shows alone. In addition, impromptu description, while better than nothing, leaves much to be desired. First, enjoyment of the show is reduced for the person describing by the responsibility of doing so. Second, it happens that, just at the moment one thing is being described, another more important incident is missed, detracting from the viewing experience of the visually impaired person, the person describing, and anyone else in the room watching. Third, the person describing simply may not be good at it. Besides frustration while watching television and videos, many people who are blind or visually impaired feel "left out" because they miss information that sighted people easily get in this culture where television and films play such a large part. Not only do they lack information or have to work harder to obtain information readily available to others, but they also are at a social disadvantage when they are not able to discuss popular topics like current movies or last night's TV sit-com. Co-called "water cooler" discussions play a large part in adult social interaction, and similar types of discussions may play an even larger role in the lives of children and teenagers; being unable to participate fully limits interactions and can negatively effect one's self-concept. Is There a Solution to the TV and Video Viewing Problems of People who are blind or Visually Impaired? Yes--Video Description is a solution. Whenever possible all forms of media should be made accessible to everyone, regardless of disability. A special technique called "video description", in existence since th3e mid 1980s, opens the possibility of full access to television and video for people who are blind or visually impaired....... Why is Video Description Important? Adding video description to a soundtrack is likely to increase the size of the audience of blind and visually impaired people for a videotape or television show, and is almost certain to enhance the viewing experience for the existing as well as the future audience of blind and visually impaired persons, plus family and friends who view the programs with them. Those who are visually impaired are within the demographic groups that watch the most television (Papazian, 1996) as they are disproportionately older and are less likely to be employed. In addition to the benefits for people with visual impairments, there is some evidence that video description helps people with cognitive impairments or learning disabilities understand and enjoy programming. It also has been shown that people without disabilities have interest in description, in situations where it is inconvenient to pay attention continuously or at all to the visual aspects of a show. For instance, they might enjoy listening to television while doing housework or receiving description over the radio or on audio cassette while driving. This parallels the situation with closed captioning in which people who do not have hearing impairments have found captioning to be convenient when the audio aspects of a show are difficult or impossible to hear, such as in a crowded bar or health club or at a train station or airport." 3.2 EUROPEAN RESEARCH Our review of the available literature has only revealed one study of the potential audio description audience in Europe. This was a survey of blind and vision impaired people undertaken by the Bavarian Blind Union and reported in the January 1997 edition of The European AUDETEL Project Newsletter. The Bavarian Blind Union has conducted a survey on audio description of television. Results show a strong interest in audio description. Questionnaires were sent to 2600 visually impaired people aged 20 - 60 and nearly half responded. The key findings are: - 97% own a television set; - 81% watch television regularly; - 90% would like audio description of television; - 92% would like the Bavarian Blind Union to promote regular audio description of television programs. Respondents would like audio description for specific programme categories: - 19% for talk shows; - 31% for magazine programmes; - 36% for westerns; - 38% for news programmes; - 39% for sports programmes; - 52% for documentaries; - 60% for police drama series; - 82% for television films. 3.3 THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE As indicated above, there has been no comprehensive assessment of television usage by blind and vision impaired people in Australia While we believe that the AFB study is widely applicable in Australia we were keen to undertake at least an informal survey to test the validity of this assumption. To this end a sampling of blind and vision impaired people were asked to complete a brief questionnaire. Respondents came from two sources: The thirteen blind and vision impaired people who comprised our Consumer consultative group each answered the questionnaire which appears as attachment One as part of their introduction to the project. 42 members of Internet discussion lists comprised of blind and vision impaired people responded to the questionnaire which appears as Attachment Two. The combined response of 55 blind or vision impaired people can be summarised as follows: 52 of 55 respondents indicated that they own or are part of a household that owns a television set; 51 of 52 respondents indicated that they watch TV for at least four hours per week: 10 of 52 respondents indicated that they watch TV for 20 or more hours each week; 39 of 52 respondents indicated that they do at least some of their viewing without someone on hand to interpret the visual aspects to them; 35 of 52 respondents indicated that issues of access to the content determine their choice of program types; 27 of the 42 Internet respondents indicated that they had viewed audio described material at least once; (Consumer Panel Members were not asked this question). 25 of this 27 considered that the audio description had added to their understanding of the program(s). One indicated that the experience had been two short to make such a judgement and the other indicated that he considered his sight level did not limit his understanding of the content. Clearly, for this group at least, TV viewing is an important aspect of life. For many however, their experience is lessened by the need to consider access issues when making program choices. For those who had some experience of Audio Description its potential to add to their viewing understanding and enjoyment was clear. 4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION? 4.1. WHAT IS AUDIO DESCRIPTION The term "Audio Description" is applied to the process of providing for blind and vision impaired people a verbal description to support their understanding of a location, event or exhibit. Audio description services are best developed in the United States where Audio Describers, most often on a voluntary basis, provide descriptions of live theatre; works of art and museum exhibits; sport and other public events; large format movie presentations; broadcast and cable television and home videos. While there is anecdotal evidence of audio description provision from the 1970s it is generally recognised that the service was established on an ongoing and organised basis when Margaret and Coby Pfanstiehl established "The Metropolitan Washington Ear" as an ongoing Audio Description Service in the Washington DC area, in 1981. Audio description services now operate across the United States offering description on a scheduled basis in theatres movie venues, museums and art galleries, and for major public events. Often these services operate in close co- operation with captioning services for the deaf and frequently audio described theatre performances are linked to opportunities for blind and vision impaired patrons to inspect the sets, costumes and props used in the production and to meet and interact with cast members. Audio description in theatres and similar venues is usually delivered through the transmission of a magnetic field, radio frequency or infrared signal which is received by the patron through a small unit equipped with an ear piece, or similar, for private listening. Description of a live theatrical performance or movie presentation will include background information such as the layout and features of the set, costumes and appearance of the characters. This is often provided in advance of the presentation and the detailed description of the action and changing scene is inserted in the natural breaks in dialogue throughout the performance. 4.2 VIDEO DESCRIPTION Experiments in describing broadcast television and videos occurred in the US from the early 1980s. There are now two major providers of this service. 4.2.1 Descriptive Video Services WGBH is a member station and major program contributor to the Public Broadcasting Service. "Descriptive Video Services" was established in 1986 and now functions as a separate division within WGBH. The following extract from the WGBH website provides an insight into the DVS Service. "What is Descriptive Video Service? Descriptive Video Service (DVS) is a national service that makes Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television programs, Hollywood movies and other visual media accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. DVS provides narrated descriptions of the key visual elements without interfering with the audio or dialogue of a program or movie. The narration describes visual elements such as actions, settings, body language and graphics. DVS was launched nationally in 1990 by the WGBH Educational Foundation, producer of many prime time public television programs and leader in the development of accessible media. How does a viewer watch DVS on Television? A viewer must live within range of a PBS Station that carries DVS and must have a stereo TV or a stereo VCR that includes the Second Audio Program (SAP) feature, standard on most newer stereo televisions and video cassette recorders. Inexpensive receivers that convert TV sets to stereo with SAP also can be purchased. Viewers who subscribe to cable should ask the cable company to "pass through" stereo with SAP." (DVS and How it Works; WGBH/DVS Brochure; www.wgbh.org; June 1999) Public Broadcasting Service programming is networked to affiliated stations across the US. DVS currently promote the availability of described programming on 159 of these stations in 36 States (September 1999). Between five and eight hours of described programming is broadcast each week, including a daily childrens' program. Other material includes high budget drama and documentary series, such as "Nature", "Mobil Masterpiece Theatre" and "Mystery". A comparison between the DVS program guide and the schedules for Australian broadcasters reveals that often documentary features aired on ABC and SBS have been enhanced with Video Description for their original American audience. A notable recent example was "The American Experience" feature "McArthur" aired on ABC TV earlier this year (1999). DVS via Public Broadcasting Service affiliates is delivered as a closed component of the broadcast television signal. As an adjunct to the stereo sound component of Television in the US and elsewhere there is a Secondary Audio Program (SAP) feature. This was originally designed to meet the need for bilingual audio delivery and can be accessed via a switch which is provided as a near standard feature on stereo TV and VCRs sold in the US. When the SAP channel is accessed and video description is being delivered the viewer receives a mix of the normal program sound overlayed with the description. Stand alone SAP receivers are also available. These are relatively portable although some have fixed tuning to the local PBS Service so only provide access to described programming within the service area of the designated station. As many of the Radio Reading Services available across the US have developed close relationships with their local PBS provider, described programming is often broadcast as a simulcast with its TV transmission. This further extends its availability although as US Radio Reading Services are often provided as a closed service receivable on a pre-tuned receiver portability of access is again often limited to the local coverage area. The DVS website currently lists 30 Radio Reading Services across eighteen States that regularly broadcast DVS programming (September 1999). 4.2.2 DVS on Cable. DVS also provides described feature length movies to a number of cable providers and most notably to the Turner Classic Movie Service. TCM currently broadcasts around 30 described movies each month. While these are mostly aired outside prime viewing hours they are well spread throughout the day and a described feature film goes to air at 6.00 pm each Sunday evening. TCM currently list 75 described movies in their broadcast list (September 1999). These include many popular classics. Described movies delivered through cable providers such as Turner Classic Movies are broadcast in an open format so the "Description" is heard by all viewers of the program. 4.2.3 Audio Described Home Videos DVS also offers a range of described Hollywood movies and PBS programming to the home video market. The current catalogue lists more than 200 titles (September 1999). These are available for purchase by direct mail; through many public libraries; and through commercial rental outlets such as Blockbuster Stores. Again these products are provided in an open format so the viewer needs only a regular VHS video cassette recorder and a television to watch these videos and hear the description. 4.2.4 Narrative TV Narrative Television Network (NTN) was established in 1988: "to make movies and television programming accessible to blind and visually impaired people through Narration, an "extra" voice added to the show to describe the visual elements of the story." (Narrative Television Network, Opening the world of entertainment to blind and visually impaired people; www.narrativetv.com; July 1999) NTN programming is distributed via 1200 broadcast and cable outlets across the US. Their Website claims an audience reach of some 25 million homes. They note that while the service is designed to meet the needs of people who are blind or vision impaired 60% of there audience is made up of fully sighted people who simply enjoy the programming. NTN's programming format is to preview the described program with a talk or interview style program often featuring interviews with Actors, Producers or Directors responsible for the production. Around twenty hours of programming is provided each week. The narration is added to the program soundtrack and broadcast in an open format so is accessible to all viewers. No special equipment is needed for use of the service. NTN has affiliations with major Cable providers in the US such as Nostalgia Television and Kaleidoscope Television; it is available via an open satellite service; is distributed throughout Canada on "The Family Channel; and is available in ten other countries including New Zealand. Like DVS, NTN receives major funding support from the US Government, directed in the main through the Department of Education. Some of NTN's library of more than 200 movie titles are available to view via their website at narrativetv.com. 4.3 EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT Much of the early history of audio described television in Europe is linked to the AUDETEL Project, a joint European Community initiative which brings together the TV Broadcasting Industry, equipment manufacturers and disability service organisations. Although established some ten years ago this consortium has not yet achieved ongoing broadcast of described programming. 4.3.1 Developments in the UK A detailed AUDETEL trial was conducted in England some years ago. Something of the early history of AUDETEL and this trial is detailed in the following, which is extracted from a presentation made by representatives of the Independent Television Commission, Independent Television Association and BBC to the International Broadcasting Convention in September 1994. "In late 1991 an international group of broadcasters, manufacturers and organisations with an interest in elderly and visually impaired people, came together to form the AUDETEL Consortium. Its objective was to perform a thorough investigation into the technical, logistic and economic possibilities of providing a descriptive commentary of television which would enhance programme enjoyment and comprehension for visually impaired people. Such a commentary provides a carefully crafted description of actions, locations, body language and facial expressions in the gaps between normal programme dialogue. What began as a service concept for helping people who had difficulty seeing the television screen, however, has since been recognised to have hugely wider potential. General studies of television viewing habits, increasingly show that viewers do not always want to fix their visual attention on the screen, but instead wish to direct it towards a range of domestic activities or past times such as cooking. One major survey for example, carried out by face-to-face interview with 1185 respondents in their homes, revealed that 39% of viewers often or occasionally "watched" television just for background while doing other things. Not only would an AUDETEL commentary be invaluable to these people, but more especially to those who spend time travelling and listening to personal or in-car audio cassette players. Recorded AUDETEL description could allow a listener to catch up with a previous night's "soap" or even enjoy a movie." ....... "At the time of writing, (June 94) these developments are about to culminate in the launch of national test transmissions to a population of about 140 prototype receivers throughout the UK. These tests will last at least 4 months, during which about 3 hours of described programs per week will be carried on the ITV and BBC Networks. Just over half of the receivers are being installed in the homes of a carefully selected population of users who will have the opportunity to experience the broadcast and to report there experiences to a researcher during individual interviews. The Delivery Challenge A major technical challenge for AUDETEL was to develop an economic method of conveying the voice of the describer within existing European television systems. These not only, do not have a spare audio channel but do not have the available spectrum capacity to create one. It was here that digital speech compression technology was able to offer a potential solution, operating via one of two possible transport mechanisms; NICAM or teletext.... Development of the first Prototypes The first prototype system was designed to be carried in the spare NICAM capacity with speech transmission at 9.5kbit/s (and with 1.5 kbit/s of control data). After specifications were drawn-up with the EBU for the use of this capacity, the system was built by both NTL working under contract to the ITC and R E Technology of Copenhagen. Another key system feature incorporated here for the first time was "fade signalling" which instructs the receiver to reduce its background programme sound level while the description is being inserted. This is important, particularly for elderly listeners, who commonly experience the difficulty (presbycusis) whereby they become increasingly less able to interpret speech in the presence of background sounds such as traffic noise or restaurant "hubbub". The first over-the-air trial using the NICAM variant was carried out in the London area in December 1992. Although the experiments successfully confirmed the operation of the system, tests had to be rapidly discontinued when complaints began to arrive from television retailers that normal NICAM reception was being effected...... AUDETEL TEST TRANSMISSION The work of AUDETEL is about to reach its peak with a major trial of described broadcasts which will be receivable by 140 receivers throughout the UK. A vital aspect of these test transmissions is not only to gain feedback from selected individuals who will be loaned receivers but also to perform a full economic analysis of the production costs in describing on a regular basis and against real scheduling deadlines. Current estimates reveal that it takes between 15 and 30 hours to describe one hour of program, depending on whether it is a simple "soap" or all action movie. Records of time expended using the workstation will show whether increased efficiency has occurred. The test transmissions will broadcast for about 3 hours per week and will be shared between BBC and ITV programmes. Two experienced describers have been appointed to support the trials in addition to the current AUDETEL describer, and each has his/her own workstation ." (AUDETEL, Audio Described Television - the Launch of National Test Transmissions; N K Lodge, N W Green and J P Nunn; International Broadcasting Convention; September 1994) An item on the Website of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) (Audio Description on Television - Coming to a television set near you!; 1998; www.rnib.org.uk/wedo/research/european/audetel) records details of the AUDETEL trial. "The research and development culminated in the production of a small number of prototype receivers, and the broadcasting by the BBC and ITV Network of three to four hours of audio described programmes a week for four months in 1994. Fifty receivers were placed in the homes of visually impaired television viewers. These were moved once during the test period to provide 100 participants in the important viewer reaction research that was conducted during that period. These viewers were selected at random from an RNIB database of 60,000 visually impaired people; in order to gather objective and systematic feedback, and reflect the overall visually impaired population. This is a standard approach for audience research. A wide range of programmes were described during the AUDETEL test. They included episodes of Coronation Street, The Bill, Cracker and Taggart; comedies such as One Foot in the Grave; wildlife series such as Realms of the Russian Bear; documentaries and many films, including Beetlejuice, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Truly Madly Deeply, and Black Widow. The data collected from the viewers shows that the majority of them welcomed the addition of audio description as it considerably enhanced their enjoyment of television programmes. Description of facial expressions were very popular, especially when people's emotions were crucial to the plot. Two comments were "I enjoyed Taggart for the first time in my life I could really understand it" and "AUDETEL really made Roughnecks come alive". The next major development toward the ongoing delivery of audio description services in the UK occurred in July 1996 when a new Broadcasting Act was introduced to provide for the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting. This Legislation includes provisions that mandate a requirement for at least 10% of broadcast programmes to include audio description by the 10th year of their digital licence. "An Explanatory guide to the provisions introduced by the Broadcasting Act 1996" includes the following: " Provisions for viewers with Sensory Disabilities. The Act provides that the ITC should publish a Code giving Guidance on provision for viewers with sensory impairments. This Code will form part of Broadcasters' licence conditions and will require that by the tenth anniversary of the introduction of any digital programme service not less than 50% of non-exempt programme hours broadcast in the service should be subtitled and not less than 10% of non-exempt programme hours broadcast should be presented with audio description. The Secretary of State also announced in the House of Commons during Report Stage that she intends to introduce by order at the earliest possible opportunity a parallel 5% target for sign language. The Act provides for the ITC's Code to exclude some types of "exempt" programmes for which it considers this level of assistance to be unachievable, from the targets on the face of the Act and set lower targets for those programmes. The ITC will do this only after consulting both broadcasters and organisations representing people with sensory impairments. It should be emphasised that these exclusions will be the exception rather than the rule; the majority of programmes should be subject to the targets set out on the face of the Act. There are currently no requirements on Channels 3, 4, or 5 regarding sign language or audio description. The new Code and targets will however apply to the digital simulcasts of their existing analogue services. All these targets are amendable by order and the Secretary of State will have the power to increase them to reflect future technological advances. (Explanatory Memorandum, Television Broadcasting Services" (Digital Conversion) Bill 1996; www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/96055-h). 4.3.2 RNIB Home Videos In parallel with its work toward the introduction of comprehensive Audio Described Television Services the RNIB has established an Audio Described Videos service. A range of more than fifty feature length movies is available for purchase or loan (June 1999) and the loan service is available either directly from RNIB or through Blockbuster Video Stores across the country. Most titles have been narrated in England by audio describers commissioned specifically for this work however the range also includes some features supplied by DVS in Boston. As an adjunct to this service RNIB also has available a smaller range of documentary features, largely related to modern British history, where the original narration of the work is deemed to be adequate for a blind viewer and description has not been added. 4.3.3 Other European Developments While the AUDETEL Project includes the involvement of Broadcasters, manufacturers and Community Organisations across the European Community we were not able to identify manifestations of the project in other European Countries during this research. 5. AUDIO ENHANCEMENT IN AUSTRALIA 5.1 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT AND RPH In Australia the history of audio description of television is closely linked to that of our Radio for the Print Handicapped Services. To this time all Audio Enhancement of broadcast television, provided for the direct benefit of blind or vision impaired viewers has been delivered as a simulcast transmission from the RPH services. By 1983 RPH Stations were established and operating on an extended hours basis in several State Capital Cities. In Melbourne the 3RPH licence was held by a Co-Operative which involved several blind people as well as representatives of the major blindness service provision organisations. It was from among this group that the idea of using the RPH service as an outlet for providing ball by ball description of international tennis came. Tennis events such as Wimbledon, the US and French Open Tournaments and the annual Davis Cup Competition were of interest to a substantial number of blind people and were broadcast via Australian commercial television networks, often during overnight hours. As such, tennis description could be carried on 3RPH without detriment to normal programming. Regular coverage of major international tennis events began with coverage of the 1983 Wimbledon Tournament. It has operated each year since, with the co-operation of the TV networks who give permission for their court-side sound and commentary to be intermixed with ball by ball description added in the 3RPH studios. The Description is provided by leading sports callers who give their time on a voluntary basis for the project. The strategy of providing enhancement to television coverage of major events was then extended to coverage of Melbourne's annual Moomba Parade and then to description of Australian made television drama series such as "Man from Snowy River", "Law of the Lands" and more recently the police drama series "Water Rats". Originally 3RPH sourced the television sound from an off-air receiver however the various television providers now make available clean-feeds of the source program with the advantage that inappropriate content such as commercials, program promotions and the like can be readily eliminated from the modified, radio delivered sound track. Although coverage of international tennis has now become a much anticipated part of the 3RPH programming schedule and description of some Australian drama series is keenly sought by many, two factors have mitigated against the extension of Audio Enhancement of television in Australia. Firstly, while 3RPH and its parent organisation the Vision Australia Foundation remain committed to the provision of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services, their only available delivery mechanism is via the RPH Service. As such every decision to provide description has to be balanced against other programming needs. In general, while the audience values the opportunity to enjoy Described Television there is resistance to this service provision being at the expense of core RPH content. Secondly, until quite recently it has not been feasible to extend the service to other parts of the country. While 3RPH is relatively well resourced with facilities and volunteer support, as part of a larger Disability Service Organisation, this is not the case with other RPH providers who are all smaller stand alone organisations. As such they have not been able to direct there resources to duplicating the 3RPH commitment to Audio Enhancement and until recently there has not been an affordable means of relaying the 3RPH material to its sister stations. It is however now possible to relay Audio Enhancement to other parts of the country as the RPH Services have access to a satellite audio channel that is used for program distribution from Melbourne to a regional service in the Mildura area and for program transfer to other stations. As a result of this development coverage of the 1999 Wimbledon tournament was carried from Melbourne to Mildura and Hobart. This system is however not totally satisfactory as the digital compression and transmission time involved with the satellite link from Melbourne introduces a small but noticeable delay to the signal in comparison to the television distribution, so the enhanced sound is out of synch with the television sound and action for the viewer/listener in a remote location. An interesting bi-product of the 3RPH Tennis coverage occurred recently as a result of the involvement of commercial and ABC radio personnel in the project. In early 1999 the Australian team unexpectedly made the final of the Hopman Cup Tennis Tournament in Perth. While ABC television had the broadcast rights for the event no arrangements were in place for radio coverage of the finals as part of the ABC Radio Grandstand program. Using the skill acquired through his involvement in RPH tennis coverage over several years ABC Radio News presenter Rohan Forster provided a comprehensive ball by ball commentary of both the Mens and Womens' Finals working from the television picture and court-side sound received in Melbourne. 5.2 DESCRIBED HOME VIDEOS IN AUSTRALIA As reported above, the provision of audio described television in both the US and UK is closely linked to the provision for sale or rental of described videos. While a little experimental work has been done in Australia to this end, there is no ongoing production and availability of local product. However, some of the Talking Book Library Services are importing titles from both Descriptive Video Services in the US and the Royal National Institute for the Blind in the UK. In particular, the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind has developed a Video Library Service within its Library and Information Services Unit. As at May of 1999 the library had a selection of some 51 titles available and had recorded approximately 450 loans to its registered borrowers. At the time of our inquiry the library was holding a further 206 loan requests. 6. THE DEPRIVATION STUDY PROJECT OBJECTIVE ONE: To identify and report on the extent and level of deprivation that is common across the various elements of television content in Australia. If blind and vision impaired viewers in Australia are to have the benefit of Audio Enhancement to support their use and enjoyment of broadcast television it is necessary to demonstrate the extent to which they are currently deprived of access to the information and entertainment content of the medium. Television content is produced and broadcast so as to be attractive to the broadest possible audience. The program maker wants his work to be enjoyed and his message to be understood by all who view his work: the advertiser wants to communicate with all those with a potential interest in his product or service. By demonstrating that much of this creative effort falls short of a significant section of the viewing public we seek to enlist the support of programmers and advertisers in our quest for the provision of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. 6.1 WORKSHOP METHODOLOGY This study was undertaken through the conduct of a two day workshop involving a group of twelve blind and vision impaired television viewers. This Group was recruited from the start of the project to provide input to the Deprivation Study and feedback on the sample material produced later in the project. Our methodology for this study was to ask blind and vision impaired workshop participants to respond to a particular question, or questions, in relation to their viewing of a program segment or advertisement. These questions were designed to draw out the participants on their understanding of the material they had viewed. Responses were then rated against benchmark figures that had been established for each clip and the score across the blind and the vision impaired sub-groups were expressed as a percentage to indicate the approximate proportion of the segment content that had been identified by the viewing group. Television content was divided into the following types: - pre-recorded drama and situation comedy; - entertainment, including variety, game shows and skit comedy; - documentary; - current affairs and interview; - sport and events coverage; - news; - information segments, including lottery and sports results, whether and finance information; - infotainment; - advertisements. Within the workshop framework specific sessions were conducted on each topic area. Participants had the opportunity to view or listen to a number of pre-selected segments in each category and then to record their response to the question asked. Each session also included a replay of the material presented, with explanation. This was followed by a focus group discussion in order that participants could provide feedback on their broader viewing experiences. Participants worked independently and recorded their response in braille, on computer or by hand writing. 6.1.1 Sample Material In advance of the workshop, considerable time went into the selection and assembly of program material. As indicated in the project proposal, all material used was sourced from free-to-air Australian content, broadcast in Melbourne. Following a review of the broadcasting schedules of all networks, blocks of material were recorded on a selected basis so as to attain material in all the content categories, across all networks and covering the widest possible spread of Australian content. Most material was recorded during June and July 1998 although some material used was already available, particularly in the Special Events area. Once program blocks were recorded the material was reviewed in order to identify segments where there was significant non-verbal content. Consideration had to be given to segment length and to ensuring that there was not an over representation of vision only material. Once selection was completed the project's Technical Consultant compiled all material, in order, onto video tape, recording both a main and back up copy. Fifty four program segments were selected and compiled, of these 48 were put to the Workshop. >From across a broad sampling of current and near current advertising 50 advertisements were selected and compiled. 20 of these were put to the Workshop. Schedules detailing all program segments and advertisements used are attached for information. Duplicate video tapes of both program and advertising material assembled are also included. 6.1.2 Workshop Facilities In order to ensure that workshop attendees responded on the basis of their own perception of the material screened it was necessary to establish a facility where participants were separated from each other and where they could view or listen to the material in the manner most suited to their vision level and other needs. Seven of the twelve participants had no useable sight so were provided with an individual audio feed of the material. They could adjust the volume and other aspects of this to suit their particular listening requirements. Five participants had sufficient residual sight to benefit from viewing the material at close quarters. These people were provided with a small television monitor positioned to their best advantage, They could also adjust sound and picture to suit their requirements. All video material was fed from a central control facility equipped with switching capacity to ensure a clean start and end to each segment. This facility also allowed for freeze frame and slow motion replay which was used during segment replay and explanation. The Workshop was held in the meeting room of Blind Citizens Australia where the room was configured so that participants had a separate work station for viewing and responding to program segments. They were then able to come together for the focus group aspects of the workshop. 6.1.3 Participants Blind Citizens Australia advertised among its membership for potential workshop participants. The group was chosen so as to include: - a range of sight levels and conditions; - people of various ages; - people who view on their own, with sighted family or friends, and with other blind people; Although participants were all television viewers on at least an occasional basis, deliberate effort was made to ensure that the group was not comprised of people who were prolific viewers. A brief questionnaire was completed by all participants. As can be seen from the copy attached, this sought some background information about the person's sight level and viewing habits. All participants were recruited on the basis of their continuing involvement with the project. It was felt that continuity of involvement would be important to later aspects of the research where participants would be able to make direct comparisons based on their understanding of the development work being undertaken. In the end one participant in the deprivation workshop was unable to continue with later parts of the project, thus the reference in other parts of this report to a group of thirteen. 6.2 ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION DEPRIVATION. The direct output from each workshop participant was a series of statements written immediately after their viewing of the sample segments and advertisements. In most cases, for the program segments, participants were asked to describe the scene as they understood it. For the advertisements and some information type segments a more specific question was used to test understanding of key information elements. Following the workshop we reviewed all of the material used and established a benchmark score against which comprehension of each item could be assessed. For those segments where an extended response had been sought this was done by awarding a one point score for each content element identified in the clip. Points were allocated for identification of: - the location or setting; - the situation in which the scene took place; - the characters (one point each); - the action sequences (one point each); - any data content; - any underlying message or call to action. Naturally the benchmark scores for each segment varied depending on the complexity of the selected clip. For some of the information segments and advertisements the rating used was a simple one point for a YES or confirmation of some key aspect of the content. Attachment four includes a listing of the content clips used; together with the questions put to the workshop group; and a brief description of the segment. These benchmark scores were compiled into a table, separated by content type. Each participant's responses were rated against these benchmark figures. The tables that appear as Attachment five identify the segment by type give the benchmark score and then the scores achieved by participants. it is then possible to express the response received as a percentage of the benchmark score. In order to minimise the impact of previous knowledge of the material and variations in the skill of participants in expressing their understanding we have developed averages across the two sub-groups of participants, those with some useable vision and those who had no sight to aid their interpretation of the material. The percentage figures expressed represent the average response across these sub-groups for each clip viewed these are then summarised as the average across the content type. While this methodology has allowed us to demonstrate the existence of substantial deprivation among the blind and vision impaired television audience we recognise the need for its further refinement and for the conduct of any further study to involve a control group in order that a more sophisticated analysis of the incidence and level of deprivation might be completed. 6.3 WORKSHOP OUTCOMES The following summary table provides an indication of the comprehension level for each content category studied. The information is provided for the two distinct sub-groups, those with no useable vision and those with sufficient sight to assist their understanding of the material. The table includes: identification of the category; the aggregate points score possible for the items in that category; the average score achieved by sub-group members; and that score expressed as a percentage of the possible score. If we accept the percentage score as an indicator of the level of comprehension that the sub-group had across the segments in each category we can conclude that the lower the percentage score the greater the level of deprivation experienced in relation to that content. Aggregate Low Vision Blind sub-group points sub-group Drama 64 28.2 44% 16 25% Entertainment 55 19.4 35% 10.2 18.5% Documentary 25 6.8 27% 6.2 24.5% Current Affairs 39 14.6 37.5% 12.7 32.5% Sport/Events 52 10 19% 10.9 21% News 48 16 33% 18.7 39% Information 33 12.6 38% 11.5 35% Infotainment 18 5.0 28% 3.6 20% 334 118.6 35.5% 89.8 26.9% Advertisements 30 20 66% 4.3 14% 364 138.6 36.4% 94.1 25.8% The following notes set these responses in context. 43 of the 48 segments shown required a descriptive response. For the low vision group there was only one segment "A Current Affair" (Nine) where the group achieved a comprehension rating of 60%. There were nine segments where the low vision sub-group achieved 20% or less, including one "Thundercats Surf Boat Series" (Nine's Wide World of Sports) where only a 5% comprehension rating was achieved. For the blind sub-group there was only one segment that achieved 50% or better, "Burke and Wills story" (Our World, Seven) 54%. There were three segments where the blind sub-group registered no comprehension at all and a further two that rated below 10%. 6.3.1 Drama: (Low Vision 44% Blind 25%) This was the category in which the low vision sub-group did best. This was perhaps due to the fact that most of the sample material was drawn from popular drama and soapie series where participants could be expected to recognise characters and have a sense of the circumstances in which the segments were set. It is worth noting that the clip from "Home and Away" (Seven), which was relatively static and conversational rated highest at 53% comprehension while the police chase action sequence from "Water Rats" (Nine) only rated 36%. Ratings across the content segments were much lower for the blind sub-group. Again the "Home and Away" (Seven) segment rated highest at 47.5% while a sequence from "Correlli" (ABC) which included no dialogue and only muffled contextual sound with underlying music rated only 8.8% comprehension. 6.3.2 Entertainment: (Low Vision 35%, Blind 18.5%) The Entertainment section included four comedy sequences from variety programming and two game show segments. Again familiarity with the program was evident. "Wheel of Fortune (Seven) was relatively well comprehended by both the low vision and blind sub-groups (Low Vision 51.5% and Blind 43%). A segment from "Midday"(Nine) in which an American woman with extensive tattoos was being interviewed was also relatively well understood by both groups. (Low Vision 48% and Blind 25.5%). On the other hand, a complex introductory piece from "Hey Hey its Saturday" (Nine) in which cartoon drawings and interventions from the audience and other performers were used to support the host's routine, proved difficult to follow for most. (Low Vision 24.5% and Blind 18.5%). Similarly a comedy segment from "In Melbourne Tonight" (Nine) which was a take-off of the Channel Seven Show "Who Dares Wins" was most difficult for both low vision and blind participants. (Low Vision 21.5% and Blind 10.5%). 6.3.3 Documentary: (Low Vision 27% Blind 24.5%) While both low vision and blind participants indicated relatively high comprehension of the "Our World" Segment about Burke and Wills (Seven) (Low Vision 45% and Blind 54%), it is interesting to note that the blind sub-group had better comprehension of the content. This would appear to relate to their better recall of the commentary included in the segment. On the other hand, the ABC documentary "The Pitch" which explored the operations of an Advertising Agency, was not well comprehended (Low Vision 22.5% and Blind 14%). This was a very busy segment with poor audio and indirect references to a series of Artists Drawings shown on-screen. 6.3.4 Current Affairs: (Low Vision 37.5% Blind 32.5%) This category included one clip which required a simple "identification" response. The opening sequence of "The Elizabeth Durak Story", Australian Biography (SBS) was shown. This interview program started with a direct to-camera comment from the interviewee and then continued with her voice over a series of still photographs. Participants were asked to identify the interviewee, The only reference within the early part of the program was through on-screen text. The response here was directly linked to the level of useable sight of the participant. Three of the five low vision sub-group were able to read the caption while none of the blind sub-group could identify the subject. A graphically described sequence from "A Current Affair", (Nine) about the mistreatment of birds at a Western Australian poultry farm rated relatively highly among both sub-groups (Low Vision 60% and Blind 44.5%) although a sequence within this where the poultry farm operator attacked the film crew was reported as confusing and hard to follow for all participants. On the other hand, a crime re-enactment scene from "Australia's Most Wanted" (Seven) scored quite poorly (Low Vision 20% and Blind 19.5%) as did a sequence from the ABC series Uncensored (Low Vision 20% and Blind 11.5%) where the interviewee Normal Mailer's challenge to the feminist beliefs of the interviewer, Jana Went, were illustrated through the facial expressions of both parties. 6.3.5 Sport & Events: (Low Vision 19% Blind 21%) This category was dealt with in two sub-sections. Four sporting segments were used and participants were asked to describe the action or play for each. AFL football (Seven) was included to test the theory that familiarity assists comprehension. The other three sports, Womens' National Hockey Championships (ABC), Power Boat Racing (Nine's Wide World of Sports) and Ten Pin Bowling (Nine's Wide World of Sports), were less known to the audience and less often seen on television. For the low vision sub-group AFL Football was clearly the most comprehendible scoring 25% in comparison to 17.5%, 7.5% and 12,5% respectively. On the other hand, the blind sub-group was far more accurate in their recounting of the Ten Pin Bowling sequence, (27% as against football 19.5%, Hockey 18% and Power Boat Racing 18%). Arguably this was because of the audio clues provided through the clear conversation that could be heard between the contestants and with the audience. Segments from two Special Events telecasts were shown. A sequence from the Seven presentation "Melbourne City Christmas Concert" was chosen because of its complexity and the fact that it was set in an outdoor location at night. In this sequence one of the hosts encourages crowd support to get Santa to come down onto the stage from the roof of a nearby building. The segment included a lot of dialogue between the host, other guests and Santa, as well as the audible reaction of the crowd. It is interesting to note that the blind sub-group indicated a far higher level of comprehension of this material than did the low vision sub-group (Low Vision 14% and Blind 31.5%) The second segment was taken from the Opening of the 1998 AFL Grand Final (Seven). Here the visual portrayal of the scene was supported by choral presentations and solo artists. Although both sub-groups recorded relatively low scores for this segment the low vision sub-group did somewhat better (Low Vision 28%,and Blind 11.5%). 6.3.6 News: (Low Vision 33% Blind 39%) Five News segments were used, one from the ABC and each of the commercial networks plus an additional sports story from the Ten Network. Across all of these the enhanced listening ability of the blind sub-group was demonstrated as they out-rated the low vision sub-group in their comprehension of four of the five stories. None-the-less, comprehension levels of between 25% and 43% can hardly be seen as sufficient for access to the information content of major news bulletins. 6.3.7 Information Segments: (Low Vision 38% Blind 35%) Ten information segments were used. Three of these were announcements of lottery results. Respondents were asked to indicate if they could access the key information (the numbers drawn). Where this information was provided verbally all of the blind sub-group and most of the low vision sub-group indicated that the information was accessible to them. However, where the information was available only in a visual form only those with sufficient sight to comfortably view the screen indicated that they could access the information. While we did not ask participants to record the numbers it was clear from our subsequent discussion that even those with relatively good useable sight felt they would have struggled to write down the keno draw information (Nine) which included far more numbers than the others. The fourth segment used was an ABC promotion "On ABC Tonight" This was chosen deliberately as the verbal presentation was given in an informal manner and did not follow the sequence shown on-screen. Four of the low vision sub- group indicated that they could follow it sufficiently to have an understanding of the night's program choices, however, some of the blind sub-group found the announcer's oblique references to what followed what hard to comprehend. (Low Vision 80% and Blind 57%). Finance segments from both Ten and Seven News were used. In both cases this information was provided as a bridge into or out of a commercial break and as a visual component only. Comprehension of this material was very poor. Low vision participants were able to gleam some details but none were able to gain a comprehensive understanding of the material. Among the blind sub-group the material was totally inaccessible and several participants indicated that they did not know that financial information was delivered in this way as a regular part of the Evening News. (Low Vision 20% and 20%, Blind 0% and 0%). Four television weather segments were used. For three (Seven, Nine and Ten) participants were asked to record key elements of the reports. Comprehension levels varied across both sub-groups and group members indicated that this was attributable to the particular style of the Presenter as well as the clarity of the graphics used. There was little difference between the comprehension level of the low vision sub-group and the blind sub-group and in fact the blind sub-group scored higher for two of the segments. (Low vision 40%, 40% & 36.5% and Blind 38%, 50% & 53%). The final weather segment used was taken from the ABC 7.00 News. Given that this service is intended for viewers across Victoria, participants were asked to nominate a country location ahead of their viewing and then to try to establish tomorrow's forecast for that location. Among the low vision sub-group some members were able to find details for their chosen location (or a nearby regional centre) on the map and to draw conclusions from these. For the blind sub-group the only success came for those lucky enough to pick a location where there was verbal reference to a bad storm that day. (Low Vision 40% and Blind 11%) 6.3.8 Infotainment: (Low Vision 28% Blind 20%) Segments were used from four infotainment programs. The clip from the Nine program "Money" provided the most information to both sub-groups (Low Vision 50% and Blind 36%) as much of the general content was verbalised. Participants however reported that they were not able to access certain key information such as contact details which had been included in a vision-only form. Segments from Better Homes and Gardens (Seven) and Gardening Australia (ABC) were shown to be of less value as the commentary was oblique to the main visual content. The situation for the low vision sub-group was however marginally better as they were able to gain some benefit from the visual content. (Better Homes: Low Vision 30% and Blind 21.5%; Gardening Australia: Low Vision 25% and Blind 18%). A Real Estate segment from Our House (Nine) was chosen as all of the information here is included on slides that are shown at high speed. The viewer is then encouraged to record the segment and view it via the slow motion feature on a standard video recorder. Our intention here was to test participants understanding of the segment and its methodology. Only one of the twelve participants indicated that they could follow the process that was being suggested. 6.3.9 Advertisements: (Low Vision 66% Blind 14%) Twenty advertisements were shown to the group and participants were asked to identify one or two key elements of the advertiser's message, such as the name of the product being promoted, price or contact details. No attempt was made to test for a deeper understanding of the storyline or content detail. Among the low vision sub-group a 66% level of recognition/information was achieved while for the blind sub-group the level dropped to 14%. For the low vision sub-group recognition/comprehension was highest where participants were asked to identify products or services that have a high community profile and lowest where they were asked to record specific information such as contact details. Among the blind sub-group there was very high recognition of an advertisement promoting work place safety,(Workcover Victoria) where the dialogue made the message quite clear, although the punch line was in visual form only. There were however eleven advertisements where none of the seven sub-group members could provide the information requested. 6.4 FOCUS GROUP INPUT Focus Group discussions in relation to each workshop segment were recorded on tape and by a notetaker for later review. This material includes useful information about participants broader television viewing experiences as well as the group's reaction to explanation of the sample material viewed during the workshop. Set out below in summary form are the main themes that emerged from these discussions. Drama Often the level of concentration needed to follow television drama is such that the experience becomes less than enjoyable. Low vision participants indicated that they often draw wrong conclusions from their limited visual access to television programming. For those with low vision, production techniques such as the use of visual effects and subdued lighting further limit their access to the visual content. Character identification is a particular frustration for low vision viewers. Frequently the plot has little or no meaning for this reason. Blind viewers also identified character identification as a major problem as they are totally dependent on voice identification and reference from other characters. Often the music bed behind a scene detracts from its comprehension as it masks the contextual sound. Entertainment Members of both the low vision and blind sub-groups indicated that they avoid pacey comedy scenes (such as the Hey Hey Its Saturday segment used) as the emphasis on visual elements such as body language, graphics and interaction with the audience and other talent make such segments confusing and sometimes senseless. As those involved with comedy and light entertainment often present in a less formal manner their speech is sometimes lazy and difficult to follow without reference to the visual context. When contextual clues are only given visually the content becomes less meaningful. An interview segment from "Midday" was reviewed. It was clear from the visuals that the interviewee was in a remote location but this information was not conveyed by the host or guest so was not known to the blind and some low vision members of the group. Both low vision and blind participants indicated significant frustration when there is sustained laughter or other audience noise during an interview or comedy segment as this often masks the audible clues that would otherwise be available to them. The perception that many group members had of the format and objective of TV Game Shows was significantly different from the reality. Even with a long running show like Wheel of Fortune, which was known to most, there was significant misunderstanding of the fundamentals of the game and its physical dimension. This level of misunderstanding was even greater with a program such a Hot Street which was largely not known to the group. Documentary Several group members commented that the music bed used with scenic documentary material can often provide a real clue to the scene being portrayed. In contrast, members felt that the voice-over material used with some scenic documentaries confuses the message as the commentary might be centred on something other than the visual content. The segment from Our World viewed was reported as confusing to members in both sub-groups as much of the message appeared to be given in the visual component while the commentary centred elsewhere. Again the issue of confusion over context was raised, particularly in relation to the clip from Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. While the segment was about touring experiences in the Buchan Caves area of East Gippsland there was a focus later in the segment on a North American Indian Village. While the link to this "model village" would have been obvious to viewers with full access to the visual content it was not recognised by most of this group. Often the audio production techniques used in documentary material detract from its comprehension. Techniques such as use of conversation recorded on location and the tendency toward fast cutting between apparently unrelated components were cited. Current Affairs Reliance on on-screen captioning for talent identification was cited as a real problem for all members. Even those who could read on-screen graphics in an ideal viewing situation indicated that they could not rely on access to this information in an every day setting, as often by the time they focused on the slide or super it was taken down before they could read it. There was also a great deal of discussion about the fonts and colour contrast used. The use of time shifted material (flashbacks, file footage etc) was identified by many as a cause of confusion as often the only indication of time shifting is provided visually. All members of the group indicated that they could not normally rely on facial expression or other body language as a clue to reaction. They commented that while voice characteristics often provide clues in a real life situation, those involved with Television Current Affairs are often able to mask audible indications of there feelings. The medium places a higher reliance on facial expression and body language to portray surprise, anger, and other emotions. There was extended discussion about problems associated with use of on-screen captioning of foreign language material. All group members indicated that they could not follow on-screen captioning at least in an everyday viewing situation. The group was most critical of Current Affairs and News Producers who use this technique in preference to voice-over interpretation. Sport All participants indicated that they find television coverage of sport less meaningful and less enjoyable than radio coverage. The major reasons for this were identified as: - the commentary is usually around the action rather than a description of it; - while scores and other key information are available in a visual form continuously, or at least frequently, verbal references to this key information are infrequent and often paraphrase the visual information; - for the low vision sub-group poor colour contrast was a major problem, sometimes in identifying the opposing teams and often in reading scores and other graphics based information; - often the verbal information provided is of a subordinate nature, for example all participants new that the Power Boat Racing segment viewed was the sixth race in the series but few new what the series was. Events Participants reported that when viewing a major event such as the AFL Grand Final Opening their experience is substantially an audio based one: - the blind respondents commented that an event like this is purely a series of musical items with no contextual information; - the low vision participants indicated that they gain little from the visual presentation as they cannot see the detail in the wide shots and the closer shots offer them nothing in context. A sequence in the segment viewed showing heraldic trumpeters standing on top of the MCG Scoreboard was cited as a demonstration of this point. Many of the low vision sub-group could identify the trumpeters in the close-up shot but had no idea of their location as they were lost in the wide shot. - Blind participants indicated that they had been able to follow much of the Christmas Concert segment, as the language used had been pitched for children in the large on-site crowd and therefore was far more descriptive than usual. - Low vision participants indicated that they had found this segment hard to follow because of its night time setting; the frequent changes in camera shot between the set, the crowd and Santa on the roof. Again the issue of context was raised as some low vision participants had been able to identify Santa on the roof and then identified him when he arrived down the chimney on set. They had not however understood the relationship between the building (which was across the road) and the set, so had not recognised that there must have been two Santa characters. News The group was about evenly divided on their use of television as their primary news source. Participants indicated that they rely, in the main, on the reporter's content to provide the core component of the story. They gain far less from the video grabs and contextual audio. Both blind and low vision participants spoke of the frustration in not being able to identify speakers in news stories and sometimes not identifying a cut from one contributor to another. All of the low vision sub-group indicated difficulty and frustration with on-screen captioning. They commented on font size and style, colour contrast and on-screen duration as barriers to their use of this identification. Blind participants spoke of issues around the relative levels of background sound, interviews and reportage as a major problem. Information Segments Group members praised those situations where lottery result information is verbalised during the draw but were critical of the practice of providing summary result information as a slide with a generic voice-over message. They pointed out that it takes no more air-time to say "tonight's Tatts Two numbers are 14 and 18" than it does to say "here are tonight's tatts two numbers". Low vision participants again identified issues of colour contrast and on-screen duration as barriers to their accessing much on-screen information. Participants were critical of the segment "On ABC Tonight" as the verbal information para-phrased the on-screen detail and omitted key information such as broadcast times and the program rating. Participants argued that the matter of program rating was of particular importance because of the broadcaster's legal and community responsibilities in this regard. All participants were critical of the practice of including finance reports in news bulletins as part of the bridge into or out of a commercial break. Comments centred on the lack of verbal content, the complex graphics used and the on-screen time allocated for these segments. Several of the blind sub-group indicated that they were not aware of the placement of financial reports in some network new bulletins as there was no audible clue to their existence. Issues around vision-only information content were discussed more broadly and participants expressed extreme frustration and resentment with the practice adopted by some networks of providing scores of in-progress sports matches in visual form only in order to protect there later replay of the material. This practice was seen as blatant discrimination by some among the group. Group members generally indicated that they do not rely on television weather forecasts as a primary information source. They indicated frustration with the form of these presentations where only selected information is verbalised and often what is verbalised is marginal to the core content of the report. Infotainment Blind participants indicated that they got very little value from "how to" type programs (gardening, house renovation, etc) largely because the instructional information is usually portrayed visually while the commentary is supplementary to this. Low vision respondents indicated that they gained some overall ideas and concepts from "how to" programming but that much of the detail and the context was often hard to follow. The Better Homes and Gardens segment was cited, here. It had been possible for some to gain an understanding of the suggestions made but without a broader perception of the size, shape and other characteristics of the room. The segment from "Money" was discussed in some detail. Participants indicated that they had gained an overall understanding of the Presenter's message but that they were frustrated by not having access to the contact and other detail provided on-screen. Advertisements Low vision participants indicated that they pay little attention to advertisements that rely on unsupported vision content. While they might be able to identify the product, service or company being promoted, the storyline is often difficult to follow and even where they could do this with some concentration they tend to use the ad breaks as an opportunity to "tune out" given the high level of concentration needed during program time. Blind participants indicated that there are many commercials that hold no meaning to them because all of the information and attraction is conveyed visually. All participants spoke of their frustration with advertisements where key contact detail, prices, sales dates, etc are only provided in a visual form. In particular the group was critical of an advertisement from the MS Society where the contact information was only in visual form. Participants were also most critical of apparently misleading advertising. The sample advertisement screened "Sound and Vision Stores" was seen as particularly poor as its verbal lead in "here is a very special announcement" followed by silence, was both discriminatory and likely to course alarm. Similar comments were made about the advertisement "Millennium Bug" where the only audio content was sound akin to loss of transmission by the television station. Across the group there were a number of people who indicated their hostility to advertisers who perpetuate discriminatory advertising techniques. The themes that run through these comments and some suggested ways in which television viewing can be made more accessible to the blind and vision impaired audience are picked up in Chapter Ten below. 7. AUDIO ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES PROJECT OBJECTIVE TWO: To identify and document enhancement techniques that address the information deprivation experienced by blind and vision impaired viewers. 7.1 OUR CONTENTION In planning and conducting this project the Project Team were fortunate to have significant experience with Audio Enhancement, both as delivered overseas and as trialed in Australia. Principal Consultant John Simpson had visited the facilities at WGBH in Boston and held discussions with personnel at the RNIB in London who had been central to the European AUDETEL Project. Technical Consultant Dale Simpson and Project Advisory Committee Member Stephen Jolley had been central to the development of simulcast Audio Description through 3RPH in Melbourne. With the benefit of this expertise the Project Team was convinced that: Success in establishing Audio Enhancement as a permanent adjunct to Australian Television was dependent on finding and developing enhancement techniques that were far more cost effective than those used for broadcast Video Description in the US and home video description in both the US and UK: To meet the information deprivation experienced by blind and vision impaired viewers Audio Enhancement must be available across the full spectrum of television content: The best opportunity to gain industry support for the introduction of Audio Enhancement would come with the introduction of Digital Television: As television advertising is one of the main drivers of the industry in Australia it would be essential to include enhancement of commercial content when quantifying information deprivation and in developing Audio Enhancement techniques for the Australian situation. Our fundamental objective was to have Audio Enhancement established as an easily accessible adjunct to Australian Television Broadcasting that would add value for the blind viewer, the program maker and the commercial sponsor. Our target is that Audio Enhancement should be at least as available as Closed Captioning is for deaf and hearing impaired viewers. With the benefit of the consumer input provided as part of the first Project Workshop our next step was to produce some Audio Enhancement Exemplars and to test their effectiveness with our Consumer Group. As part of the first workshop we reached agreement with the consumer group that we should look to the development of Audio Enhancement in Australia using four defined techniques: A) Scripted and Timed Integration: The technique used in both the US and UK, where the description is tightly scripted and its integration is timed to fit into the available breaks in program dialogue: B) Improvised Description: Where the Describer previews the material and makes notes about key description elements but then adds the description in real time as the program is broadcast: C) Audio Captioning: where enhancement is limited to verbalisation of on- screen text and perhaps graphics: D) Real-time Events Description: where sport and other dynamic events are described in real-time without the opportunity to preview the action. Our view remains that a mix of these techniques is both appropriate to the needs of the blind viewer and would enable the cost efficient provision of Audio Enhancement across the various content types. 7.2 ENHANCEMENT ALTERNATIVES 7.2.1 Timed and Scripted Integration We have coined this term to describe the production technique used both in the US for broadcast description and description added for the home video market in the US and UK. Clearly this remains the optimal style of description for use in those situations where time and budget allow for the writing of a detailed description script and for its refinement so that it fits into the natural breaks in program dialogue. The description is generated by an appropriately trained script writer who works from the finished program material. This is available to them through a specially developed computer work station where the program is provided on video with on-screen time code so that the descriptive passages can be timed to fit into the dialogue breaks. Once the description script is completed a narrator records the description sound track so that it is synchronised with the program video and audio. If the end product is to be a home video the original program sound and description are combined onto the tape in an open format so that all viewers hear the description, integrated with the original sound. If the purpose is television broadcast then the description sound track is held in a digitised form and is inserted into the transmission in parallel with the program video and audio at time of broadcast or network distribution. The description is carried as a discreet element within the transmission and is only available to those who have the appropriate decoding facility at the reception end. While the method of carrying the audio description and its reception varies between the US Public Broadcasting System service and the AUDETEL trial conducted in the UK, the principle is fundamentally the same. As indicated earlier, Descriptive Video Services in the US provide between five and eight hours per week of described programming which is broadcast via Public Broadcasting System affiliates. While the quality of this contribution is very high it represents a very small proportion of the free-to-air programming broadcast in the US. When we visited DVS in April 1995 their budget for provision of an average six hours content per week was around $3 million per year. Above all, it is this level of production cost that causes us to seek alternative Audio Enhancement techniques. Clearly the Australian industry and community could not sustain an effective Audio Enhancement service with production costs at this level. Our view is that Scripted and Timed Integration should be provided and funded as part of the process for producing high budget Australian drama and documentary content. Beyond this, the Australian Television Industry could have access to Described programming from the US and UK. In reviewing the range of programming available through DVS for example, we were aware of several major documentary series screened recently by the ABC and SBS where Description would have been available had a delivery mechanism been in place in Australia. 7.2.2 Improvised Description Where description of television drama has been undertaken in Australia it has been accomplished through use of a technique we identify as Improvised Description. Here the Describer has access to the program material after its production but before its broadcast. As undertaken by 3RPH in Melbourne a team of two Describers previews the program, taking detailed notes that will prompt their description of key visual elements. The Describers, who have been volunteers in the Australian context, go over the program several times to ensure their familiarity with it, in order that they can predict when an action sequence or scenic view is to be shown so that their description remains timely and relevant to the program content. 3RPH has arrangements in place to have direct access to the program audio at time of broadcast, via ISDN or broadcast line. The Describer then views the program via an off-air monitor and their description is mixed with the program sound and broadcast as a simulcast in parallel with the television transmission. The blind viewer can then listen to the Description via a standard radio receiver or can balance the television sound and radio broadcast so that they can effectively determine the relative levels of the original sound and description. As undertaken in Australia this Enhancement technique has been very inexpensive as the description has been prepared and provided by volunteers from among the large and dedicated group who sustain the 3RPH service. While the quality of the Description provided has varied over time and across the various drama productions described, the service is popular among the 3RPH listening audience and its availability is limited more by the scarcity of available air-time than it is by the availability of enthusiastic and trainable volunteers. Our view is that Improvised Description should be developed as one of the mix of enhancement techniques that would be part of a comprehensive Audio Enhancement Service. We see this as the technique which could be most suited to support lower budget drama series, soapies, and much of the pre-produced entertainment content. 7.2.3 Audio Captioning When reviewing overseas development and implementation of Audio Description we were concerned to note that no sustained attempt was being made to enhance access to news, current affairs, sport, information and infotainment programming. A quick review of television program guides in Australia shows that such programming dominates the Australian content available on free-to-air television. The consumer group assembled for this project made it clear that programming across these content types is important to them yet is often the hardest to access. It is our view that access to this content could be dramatically improved through the provision of what we describe as Audio Captioning. As described below we have produced a range of audio captioned material and tested its effectiveness with our consumer group. The response was that the addition of a verbalisation of the on-screen text and graphics often allowed the blind viewer to make effective use of such programming. Based on the production and consumer testing described below, our view is that Audio Captioning can often be added in real-time (as the program goes to air) and that where provided by a trained narrator who is familiar with the program format, requires little preparation. If such a service were provided in co-operation with the Producer, Audio Captioning would be an easily achievable and highly valued adjunct to television news. We have also tested the technique with sports coverage, game shows, information segments and advertisements. Even if Audio Captioning was being provided without the direct involvement of the program originator there are techniques available such as Digital Frame Store that would allow the narrator to add the captioning in a professional and timely manner. The video material that accompanies this report includes examples of Audio Captioning across a range of content types. 7.2.4 Real-time Events Coverage There are each year many hours of television air-time devoted to coverage of sport and other major events in real-time. Clearly Audio Enhancement in support of this programming presents its own demands and opportunities. This again is an area where the Australian experience appears to be ahead of the US one. As described earlier in this report, Audio Description in Australia was largely founded on coverage of major tennis events and then coverage of other public spectacles. The need for what we describe as Real-time Events Coverage is both extensive and diverse. The priority of course should be to ensure access to those events of major interest, that do not enjoy effective radio coverage. In the Australian context this form of Enhancement should be available for live or delayed sports coverage, major public spectacles, live entertainment and ceremonial occasions. The Technique of Real-time Events Coverage requires a Describer or Describers with an understanding of the Event to be described and with adequate advance access to key information. For sports cover this would include team lists; player and team statistics; details of the Event program (what match will be on when etc). For other events it might include the Producer's script or running sheet, details of key participants; and details of any visual effects that are to be introduced. Where the service can be provided in close co-operation with the providers of the television coverage this can be of real advantage as it might enable access to the Director's Talkback, off-line camera shots and a direct audio feed of the actuality sound. The Australian experience shows that even where this direct linking is not possible, skilled and well prepared Describers can soon read the situation so that they can predict when best to intersperse their description. The 3RPH experience is that when Real-time Events Description is offered as a genuine community service, professional sports callers and the like are keen to offer there support. 7.2.5 Commercial and Promotional Content. Our study of the commercial content of Australian Broadcast Television (advertisements and promotional announcements) revealed that this aspect of television content mirrors program content in that: some segments are not accessible to the blind and vision impaired audience as their story line is presented in a totally visual (or near totally visual) form: they need Audio Description. other segments are discriminatory to this audience as, while the underlying content might be intelligible, key information such as prices, contact details, conditions of sale, etc are provided only in a visual form: These announcements need modification or where this is not possible Audio Captioning. Section 6 "The Deprivation Study" reports on consumer response to a range of commercial material. With the benefit of this input we produced Exemplars of both Audio Described and Audio Captioned commercial material. As indicated elsewhere in this report we are convinced that Television Advertisers deny themselves access to a significant part of their market by poor advertising practices. Clearly, the addition of Audio Description and Audio Captioning should become an integral aspect of Australian Television. It is however equally important that those who produce and fund commercial content recognise that there are simple techniques available that will often ensure that their core message reaches the blind and vision impaired audience. In so doing, their message will be better reinforced to the broader population of television viewers who can not be expected to sit with their eyes glued to the set for the entirety of their viewing, Our point here is perhaps best made by reference to an announcement shown widely on commercial and ABC television during October 1998. This contained essential information as it related to the restoration of Gas supply throughout Victoria following major interruption to supply in late September. The announcement consisted of a series of still slides and a voiced message. The speaker verbalised all of the information shown on-screen except the most important detail, the telephone number to be used for further information or in cases of uncertainty. The slight script modification necessary to include verbalisation of the six digit number would have made no difference to the length of the announcement but would have substantially increased its impact across the community. This practice is not however confined to instances where urgent material needs to be got to the viewing audience. In fact, in preparing material for the Deprivation Study we noted many similar instances where the key information was not provided to the vision impaired audience, including material produced for both the MS Society of Victoria and the Guide Dog Associations. In selecting and preparing material for this project we reviewed much of the commercial content going to air in mid-1998. We noted that much of the high budget corporate or product identification content had a high visual emphasis, often with a relatively complex story line. Our expectation was that this material was well suited to the addition of closed format Audio Description. We tested this contention by adding description to a number of advertisements and then testing the impact with our consumer panel. Some of the advertisements selected such as the White Pages and Kawasaki adverts included in the video material associated with this report had been completely unknown to the blind members of the sample group and had been meaningless to those with a substantial vision impairment. Other selected material, such as the CSR Sugar and RACV adverts that are included in the report material, had sufficient audible information for broad identification by group members but the story line and fuller message content had not been accessible to them. In all cases, the addition of Audio Description was seen as being of substantial benefit to group members. We also tested simple Audio Captioning techniques with the group by adding basic contact information, prices etc. Again the group was highly appreciative of this additional information. All group members expressed the view that access to commercial content would be of substantial value to them. It was clear from our discussions that this response was in part due to the fact that this population are isolated from much of the ephemeral advertising information that others in the community absorb without specific effort. 7.3 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT EXEMPLARS As indicated above, our belief is that a comprehensive Audio enhancement service operating in the Australian context would need to draw on all of these enhancement techniques to be viable and to offer more than token access to the blind and vision impaired audience. A major part of this research has been devoted to testing the likely effectiveness of these techniques. Within the discussion at our first Consumer Workshop there was a focus on what might be achieved through Audio Enhancement. The group readily understood the concepts of various forms of Audio Enhancement and offered constructive input on where various techniques might be advantageous. With the benefit of this input our next task was to collect and produce various examples for testing purposes. An initial set of 14 program segments and ten advertisements were prepared for presentation to Consumer Workshop Two. Three of the program segments were taken from Audio Descriptions made in the USA and UK. The remainder were produced from off-air recordings of recent Australian Broadcast TV content. Three days were spent in studio adding enhancement to this material and two further days were spent in post production and assembly of the segments for presentation. As our objective was to simulate as closely as possible the environment in which each form of Audio Enhancement might be generated for an actual service, it was important to ensure that our Describers had a level of prior knowledge of the material that would exist in the real life situation. For this reason material that was to be Audio Captioned and that for Real-time Events Coverage was not previewed while that for the Improvised Description Exemplars was made available to the Describers in advance. We did not attempt to produce Scripted and Timed Integration material at this time preferring to rely on overseas generated material. Recognising that material that is to be Audio Captioned does not always stay on-screen for long enough to be verbalised in real-time, and mindful of the fact that in a TV studio environment the Describer would have the opportunity to preview this, or have an isolated feed for description purposes, our Technical Consultant employed a digital frame store to assist the Describer. A split of the input video was supplied to a second monitor via the frame store device so that the shot could be frozen at the point where a caption appeared and held until the verbalisation was completed. This initial round of Exemplars was reviewed by the Consumer Group at Workshop Two and much valuable input was provided relating to: the appropriateness of the different Audio Enhancement methods to various content types; the level of detail needed in various situations; the terminology and other language attributes used by the Describers; the placement of description in relation to the existing sound track; the sound balance between the two audio sources. With benefit of this input we were then able to produce a further set of Exemplars to a quality suitable for demonstration beyond the Consumer Group. A further eight segments (115 minutes of content) and five advertisements were then produced (three studio days and three days post production). These were previewed by the Consumer Group at its third workshop and formed the basis for an extensive presentation to the Strategic Planning Seminar held on March 3. A video cassette containing this material forms part of this report. 8. DIGITAL TELEVISION - DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT OBJECTIVE THREE: To assess the Regulatory and Industry Environment that is underpinning Audio Description Development in Europe and North America. Our firm view has been that the introduction of Digital Television Broadcasting, both in Australia and elsewhere would bring with it unprecedented opportunities to improve television access for people who are blind or vision impaired. An appreciation of the opportunities that will emerge with the role-out of this new delivery platform is however predicated on a an understanding of the essentials of the medium. In this chapter we have provided some explanation of the characteristics of Digital Television Broadcasting along with some comment about how moves to apply the technology to the benefit of blind people in other countries. In Chapter Nine we will then look more closely at the opportunities that will present in Australia for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in consort with the role-out of Digital Television Broadcasting. 8.1 THE FUNDAMENTALS Australia's Broadcasting Services Act, the legislation that governs the provision of broadcast radio and television services, was amended in 1998 to facilitate the introduction of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB). The government has announced its intention that free-to-air television services in the major cities should begin digital transmission from 1 January 2001 and in other areas sometime between then and 2004. This legislative change and the frenetic Industry, and Regulatory activity that surrounds it, followed an extended study of the options for introducing Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting undertaken by a Specialist Group established by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) and comprising representatives from the Government, ABA, Broadcast Industry and consumer products manufacturers. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Website includes a good deal of information about Australia's move to digital television, including a series of responses to frequently asked questions. The following extract from this material will help to explain the Government and Industry's intentions and expectations. What is the difference between digital and analog television? Analog and digital television differ in the way the information is carried from the source to the receiver. In simple terms, in analog broadcasting the signal is in the form of a continuous wave form whereas a digital signal is in the form of discreet bits of information. The advantages of digital lie in the possibility of manipulating the bits of information in certain ways, so that information can be processed by both sender and receiver, can be compressed into smaller packages (hence using the available carrying capacity more efficiently) and the desired information can more easily be separated from the background noise and interference (hence resulting in clearer reception). The ability to compress the digital data stream means that digital transmission is far more efficient in its use of spectrum than analog transmission. What are the benefits to consumers of digital television? The benefits of digital terrestrial television to viewers are substantial. Digital television allows the broadcast of widesceen, cinema quality programs with surround sound. It can also allow the provision of multiple information streams allowing the user access to a more enriching and even interactive television experience. >From a technical point of view, it provides clearer, sharper pictures without the interference and ghosting that currently effect many viewers in built up areas or hilly terrain. The change to digital is also being driven by adoption of digital television in other countries. The UK and the US are in the process of migrating to digital television, and a number of other countries are developing digital TV strategies. Increasingly programs sourced from these markets (which comprise a substantial proportion of those broadcast on Australian networks) will be in digital format. What will consumers require? To take advantage of the benefits provided by digital television consumers will be required to purchase either a new digital television set, or a set top box to convert the incoming digital signal for display on an analog receiver. It is difficult to predict how much sets will cost, and the price could fall rapidly once the market is established. Large widescreen digital sets capable of displaying high definition video will probably cost several thousand dollars while conventionally sized sets are likely to approach the prices of current sets. The price of set top boxes will depend on their functionality, but will probably be a few hundred dollars. The simulcast period of at least eight years will ensure that viewers have plenty of time to plan the purchase of digital technology. Why is the government making these decisions now? Decisions by Government are required now to allow planning and capital investment to proceed and ensure that digital television becomes a reality within the next five years. Delays by Government in taking these decisions will result in continuing uncertainty for broadcasters and consumers and ultimately see Australia fall behind the rest of the world in the transition to digital broadcasting. Major broadcasting markets including the US and UK, from which a substantial proportion of the programs shown on Australian television are obtained, have already announced the implementation of digital TV. (Digital Broadcasting Questions and Answers: www.dcita.gov.au/nwsirel/98 March 1998) In Australia as elsewhere, television is available via three principle delivery mechanisms: direct to home satellite offers both pay and free-to-air services; cable systems provide access in major cities to pay TV services; terrestrial delivery from a ground based transmission source to the home has been the traditional and predominant medium for delivery of free-to-air television. The move from analog to digital television is occurring across all of these platforms: satellite transmission of both free-to-air and pay TV is now provided in a digital form; while the Optus cable service is provided in a digital format the Foxtel service is transmitted in analog format but with use of a digitally based access management system; terrestrial services have traditionally been provided in a analog form and will move, over the next few years, to digital. The legislation that enables this migration however, provides that operators of free-to-air terrestrial services must maintain their analog transmission for eight years from the introduction of digital, so as to ensure that all Australians continue to have access to free-to-air television services. While the need for and potential application of Audio Enhancement is common across all delivery platforms the focus of this project has been to look at the opportunities for introducing comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in consort with the introduction of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB). Migration to DTTB has been mandated through amendment of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to include a new Schedule 4. It is this Schedule which lays out the Government's intentions for the delivery and regulation of the platform. The Explanatory Notes to the amending legislation include the following simplified outline of the new Schedule. The ABA (Australian Broadcasting Authority) is to formulate schemes for the conversion, over time, of the transmission of television broadcasting services from analog mode to digital mode. There is to be a simulcast period throughout which broadcasters are to transmit their television programs in both analog mode and digital mode. At the end of the simulcast period analog transmissions are to cease. Broadcasters must meet standards relating to High Definition Television (HDTV) format transmission of television programs in digital mode. Broadcasters must meet standards relating to captioning of television programs for the deaf and hearing impaired. Broadcasters will be allowed to use spare transmission capacity on digital transmission channels to provide datacasting services. Owners and operators of broadcasting transmission towers must give digital broadcasters and datacasters access to the towers for the purpose of installing or maintaining digital transmitters. There are to be reviews before 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2005 of certain elements of the digital television regulatory regime. (Explanatory Memorandum to Television Services Broadcasting (Digital Conversion) Act 1998). Among the reviews required by 1 January 2000 is one to determine the scope of regulations which should be made in relation to standards covering captioning for deaf viewers. Matters relating to the provision of captioning on Australian broadcast television have been covered by the Codes of Practice that apply to Commercial Licensees and the ABC. This review is determining standards that would apply to all free-to-air broadcasters. These standards will relate to the extend of captioning provision as well as its style and quality. The Issues Paper released with the Call for Submissions to this Review includes the following reference to Audio Enhancement. "While not specifically addressed in the Digital Conversion Act, the opportunity has also been taken to canvas issues on the provision of enhanced television to another relatively disadvantaged group in the community, the blind and vision impaired. The possibility of providing audio description for blind and visually impaired viewers was noted by the Environment, Recreation Communication and the Arts (ERCA) Senate Committee Inquiry into the Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Bill 1998. The Committee's final report recommended that the issue of audio description for television be referred to the Consultative Group on Digital Television. The committee further recommended that, after consultation with user and consumer groups and Industry representatives the Group should report on the matter to the Parliament." (Issues Paper Review of Captioning Standards; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts: December 1998." 8.2 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE US Serious moves toward the provision of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting commenced in the US in 1991 when the Industry concluded that High Definition Television could be delivered via the existing 6 Mhz VHF and UHF channels used for analog transmission. During the 1990's Industry and Regulatory interests worked together through the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Systems (ACATS) to develop and test the ATSC Standard for digital terrestrial television. The ATSC standard mandates use of MPEG-2 technology for compression of the video, the Dolby AC-3 standard for provision of the surround sound audio and an MPEG-2 standard transport stream. The ATSC standard was approved in December 1996. Among the advantages claimed for digital television the relative merits of High Definition Television and the potential to broadcast multiple program streams of standard definition television often via for supremacy. In the US context the emphasis is clearly on the potential for High Definition transmission. DTTB services commenced transmission early in 1999 in the US. Affiliates of the four major networks operating in the ten largest markets were required to begin digital transmission by May 1st and network affiliates in a further 20 markets were required to commence their digital service by November 1 1999 Work toward the provision of audio description on digital television has also been underway for some time. The President's Advisory Committee on the Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters completed its report and recommendations in December 1998. Recommendation 7 states: "Broadcasters should take full advantage of new digital closed captioning technologies to provide maximum choice and quality for Americans with disabilities; where doing so would not impose an undue burden on the broadcasters. These steps should include the gradual expansion of captioning on public service announcements, public affairs programming and political programming; the allocation of sufficient audio bandwidth for the transmission and delivery of video description, disability access to ancillary and supplementary services; and collaboration between regulatory authorities and set manufacturers to ensure the most efficient, inexpensive and innovative capabilities for disability access." (Recommendation Seven Charting the Digital Broadcasting future; President's Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters (USA) 1998; provided by Kevin Taglang, The Benton Foundation Washington DC) The framing of this recommendation followed enactment of Section 305 of the Telecommunications Act 1996 which among other things directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct an inquiry into the provision of Video Description. While Video Description has been available on a limited basis for more than ten years its availability has been limited in part because of restricted opportunities for its inclusion in the transmission of analog television. It is argued in the US that the availability of additional audio streams within the DTTB transmission provides the opportunity for substantial expansion of the service. The National Centre on Accessible Media, a sister organisation to Descriptive Video Services, under the WGBH Education Foundation, established an Industry- wide Access Project in 1998 to work toward the implementation of Descriptive Video and Closed Captioning as part of DTTB delivery. Throughout 1999 the NCAM has taken a number of significant steps toward this goal: On April 5 DVS broadcast via satellite its first programming with a second stereo audio service containing the descriptive narration; On April 21 Broadcasters had their first opportunity to study closed captioning and descriptive narration solutions for digital television at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Convention in Las Vegas; On July 26 NCAM demonstrated the broadcast of High Definition Digital TV with encoded multiple closed caption services, text data and descriptive narration. This demonstration was conducted at a meeting of the Technical Committee of WHD-TV, the model station and Digital TV research centre in Washington DC. A single digital TV bitstream was broadcast containing English captions, Spanish captions, TV cross-over (Web TV) links, and an alternate stereo audio track with Video Description added. Each of these features was displayed simultaneously on a separate Digital TV receiver. On August 31 NCAM released the first in a series of CD--Rom based test materials for use by broadcast equipment manufacturers. The CD contains an ATSC compliant bitstream with a four and a half minute program sample, alternate stereo audio track with video description, English and Spanish captioning and TV cross over hyperlinks. The disk comes with a user's guide and other documentation. Single copies of the test disk are available without charge initially to equipment manufacturers and a subscription system is being set up for future releases. At the time of finalising this report (November 1999) we note that the US Federal Communications Commission has under consideration draft Rules that if approved would formalise a requirement for the provision of Video Description on Broadcast Television. As the FCC Rule making process is a closed one until the public comment stage the details of the draft Rules are not known. 8.3 IMPLEMENTATION IN THE UK Britain's move toward DTTB has been as a leader among the participants in the European DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) initiative. The final report of the ABA' Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Specialist Group "Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia" records: "In 1990 Swedish Television suggested that fellow European Broadcasters should form a concerted pan-European platform to develop digital terrestrial HDTV. During 1991 broadcasters, consumer electronics manufacturers and radio-regulatory bodies came together to discuss the formation of a pan-European group that would oversee the development of digital television in Europe - the European Launching Group. Over the course of about a year the ELG expanded to include the major European media interest groups, both public and private, the consumer Electronics manufacturers, and common carriers. It drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (which) was signed by all ELG participants in September 1993 and the Launching Group became Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB). The European DVB project comprises a core system which is intended to provide for a family of systems covering all transmission media. It is based on the use of the MPEG-2 video and audio coding and the MPEG-2 transport multiplex. Common service information and scrambling systems will be available for all systems but the modulation and channel coding systems will be chosen to meet the different transport system requirements." (Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia; Australian Broadcasting Authority; 1997). The DVB system incorporates six standards: DVB-S for satellite delivery; DVB-C for cable networks; DVB-CS for television distribution systems within buildings; DVB-MC for direct to home microwave multipoint distribution systems operating at frequencies below 10Ghz; DVB-MS for direct to home microwave multipoint distribution systems operating at frequencies above 10Ghz; DVB-T for terrestrial television broadcasting. The DVB-T Standard is based on use of MPEG-2 technology, which here is used for encoding and compression of the video component and for compression of the audio. The transmission scheme is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing where a bundle of carriers are transmitted across a block of frequencies at slightly different instances in time so that the receiving equipment can draw on the best received information stream. It is argued that this system facilitates reception of consistently high quality signals as it eliminates problems of multi-path and reflected signals. It lends itself to use of Single Frequency Networks where the transmission emanates from more than one geographic point on the same channel to eliminate poor reception and extend coverage. The ABA Specialist Group's Report goes on to discuss the situation in the UK: "The UK policy framework for the introduction of DTTB services in the UK was set by broadcasting legislation introduced in December 1996. The key forces driving the UK policy were early commencement, more services choices and an entry path to eventual complete migration to digital. Spectrum shortages have encouraged the UK to adopt a system whereby the available DTTB channels are divided up into three or four standard definition (PAL broadcast equivalent) channels which can be accommodated within the spectrum space needed for one existing analog television channel. To achieve this the UK has placed a third party, the "multiplex operator", between the service provider and the transmitter...... The multiplex operators will be covered by a new multiplex licence and are required to assemble a package of services as part of a competitive licence grant arrangement. The proposed arrangements preclude any move to HDTV services until after PAL transmission ceases. The UK Legislation encourages broadcasters, manufacturers and transmission multiplex operators to work together for an early launch of DTTB. It also allows Ministers to consider the timing of switching off analog services within the five years after awarding the multiplex licences. The six proposed national multiplexes are currently being planned within bands IV and V on an interleaved basis alongside the existing analog services." (Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia; Australian Broadcasting Authority; 1997). It is worth noting here the emphasis in the UK on providing more standard definition channels rather than HDTV as this has some impact on the system's capacity to carry alternative stereo soundtracks encompassing Audio Description. The 1996 UK legislation includes a specific provision to mandate the broadcast of closed captioning, audio description and sign language enhancements. The explanatory guide to the provisions included in this amending legislation states: "Provisions for viewers with sensory disabilities The Act provides that the ITC (Independent Television Commission) should publish a code giving guidance on provisions for viewers with sensory impairments. This code will form part of broadcasters' Licence conditions and will require that by the tenth anniversary of the introduction of any digital program service not less than 50% of non-exempt program hours broadcast in the service should be subtitled and not less than 10% of non- exempt program hours broadcast should be presented with audio description. The Secretary of State also announced in the House of Commons during Report Stage that she intends to introduce by order at the earliest possible opportunity a parallel 5 per cent target for sign language. The Act provides for the ITC's Code to exclude some types of "exempt" programmes for which it considers the level of assistance to be unachievable, from the targets on the face of the Act and set lower targets for those programmes. The ITC will do this only after consulting both broadcasters and organisations representing people with sensory impairments. It should be emphasised that these exemptions will be the exception rather than the rule; the majority of programmes should be subject to the targets set out on the face of the Act. There are currently no requirements on Channels 3,4 or 5 regarding sign language or audio description. The new code and targets will, however, apply to the digital simulcast of their existing analog services. All these targets are amendable by order, and the Secretary of State will have the power to increase them to reflect future technological advances." (Explanatory Memorandum, Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Bill 1996; www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/95055-h). The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) is an active partner with the BBC, independent television services, the Independent Television Commission and consumer product manufacturers in efforts to establish ongoing Audio Description, or AUDETEL Services. Both prior to and during conduct of this research the Project team has enjoyed a close working relationship with those staff at the RNIB responsible for advocacy on matters relating to Audio Description and broadcasting more generally. The Project Consultant visited the RNIB in 1996 to discuss these matters and has met with senior RNIB personnel during the conduct of this work. As part of this co-operative effort Denise Evans, RNIB's Broadcasting Officer provided the following briefing for this project in May 1999: "RNIB is currently working with the Broadcasting Industry on the introduction of an audio description of television service in November this year. The service will be for Digital Terrestrial Television only, as provided for in our 1996 Broadcasting Act. Digital Terrestrial Television launched in the UK in November last year but it was not possible to start audio description at that stage as the receivers (set-top boxes) did not include the receiving capability. That is what is being addressed now. The audio description will be delivered into the home via a module which will fit into the Common Interface Slot in the set top boxes and integrated digital television sets that are starting to become available. This of course means that the viewer has to have both the digital equipment and the AUDETEL module, Both of which have to be paid for separately. We are not happy with this situation but it is the only way to get a service started. We view this, therefore, as a short term measure and will be working with the industry to try to ensure that the receiving capability is incorporated into future receivers. Alongside the development of the module the broadcasters are starting to prepare for the provision of the descriptions. The BBC will probably set up its own in-house unit and the commercial companies will contract out the work. Two, ITV and Channel 4 have already contracted a company called ITFC which is one of the main sub-titling companies. We have had regular contact with ITFC on describer requirements and will continue to do so. The broadcasters will select the programs for describing which will be initially prime time programmes (eg drama, soaps, films) as identified in the AUDETEL test transmission research from 1994. The ITC is the regulatory body for digital terrestrial multiplex operators (except for the BBC) and they have issued guidelines on achieving the audio description targets (hence a rush to get a service started this November) and on audio description. The overall target for audio description is 10% per channel by the tenth year of the licence. We feel that this is inadequate and the government should be reviewing the situation next year. If you have a chance to influence legislation do try to ensure that the targets are higher and that the reception of the audio description is taken into account, as well as the transmission. This aspect was missing from our legislation and has proved to have caused a lot of work to try to resolve." 9. OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPERATIVES IN AUSTRALIA PROJECT OBJECTIVE FOUR: To assess the opportunities that will arise as a result of Digital Television implementation for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in association with broadcast television services. Digital Television Broadcasting is claimed to offer substantial benefits to all of its users. In this Chapter we will look briefly at how those generic advantages might benefit people who are blind or vision impaired. We will then look more closely at how the technology itself and the timing and policy framework for its introduction to Australia creates a window of Opportunity for the parallel introduction of Audio Enhancement. Finally we will consider some of the broader Community expectations and policy imperatives that underscore the need for improved television access for blind and vision impaired viewers. 9.1 THE FUNDAMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL TV Plans for the introduction of Digital TV are invariably accompanied with explanations of the superiority of the medium: - cinema quality programs with surround sound; - clearer, sharper pictures that are free from ghosting and the other interferences that are common to analog transmission; - the opportunity for a greater diversity in programs and providers as a result of the spectrum efficiency of the medium; - and, in the future, interactively akin to the Internet and the prospect of multiple views of the same sporting or other action sequence. Clearly many of these general advantages will be of particular benefit to those who are blind or vision impaired: - improved picture clarity will be highly valued by those with limited sight who's ability to interpret fine detail is marginal; - distortion free transmission will also directly assist those with limited vision; - improvements to the audio component of the transmission will allow those with little or no sight to maximise the information they receive from the program soundtrack; - also, as many people who are blind or vision impaired are in the older age range and suffer hearing loss in association with their vision loss the ability to better customise the program sound to meet their particular hearing requirements will be of distinct advantage; - finally, as substantial users of television, blind and vision impaired viewers like others, will appreciate the diversity of programming that should come with more efficient spectrum usage. 9.2 THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY Beyond the more general advantages detailed above, Australia's move to DTTB offers a unique opportunity to improve access to television for the blind and vision impaired audience. It is clear from our review of the planning process currently underway that the introduction to Australia of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting over the next few years will provide a unique opportunity for the establishment of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. Our expectation is that various elements, and the circumstances of this implementation strategy will combine to create an environment in which Audio Enhancement can take its place alongside Closed Captioning, as an integral part of broadcast television delivery in this country. 9.2.1 Technical Capacity Work undertaken by both the AUDETEL Project in the UK and the National Centre for Accessible Media in the US indicates that Audio Enhancement can be readily delivered as part of the digital television transmission package. This might be achieved in one of two ways: 1. Given that the specifications for both the US and European forms of Digital Television provide for the transmission of multi-channel surround sound, verbalised description could be carried in one of the virtual sound channels so that it would be presented from one speaker, as part of the overall sound mix, where its relative level and other characteristics could be adjusted in comparison to other sound components. Delivery in this way would however be more akin to the open audio description found on analog home videos, as the description could not be turned of without detriment to the overall sound balance. Also, such a system would present as an open described form where viewing was through a television or video player that did not offer surround sound capacity. 2. The second and arguably preferable alternative would be to use some of the datacasting capacity that will be contained within each 7 Mhz channel for the transmission of a supplementary audio stream containing the Audio Enhancement. This system would however require the provision of multi-output receivers or set top boxes so that the supplementary audio stream can be directed through headphones or a second audio amplifier and listened to in parallel with the primary sound and picture. Also, there is a regulatory question that will need resolution if this option is to be used in Australia. While current planning provides for broadcast television licensees to offer datacasting services on the unused portion of there allotted 7 Mhz channel, there are unresolved questions about the relationship between such datacasting services and the primary television service. Although a distinction has been drawn between stand alone datacasting services and enhancements to the primary television programs, matters around the divide between the two and consideration of issues such as the imposition of additional licence fees for datacasting are the subject of a regulatory review being undertaken by the Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts, in association with the Australian Communications Authority. Clearly if Audio Enhancement is to be offered for the benefit of blind and vision impaired Australians it must be seen by Government as an enhancement of the primary television content, provided to meet the needs of a disadvantaged group within the community, rather than as a supplementary product of the television broadcaster provided for commercial gain or to more generally enhance the attraction of their programming. 9.2.2 Systemic change in the Broadcast Industry All free-to-air television broadcasters in Australia are required to move to digital transmission over the next one to five years. This requirement brings with it the need to make extensive changes to program production and transmission facilities. Fundamental to this system upgrade will be the capacity for multi-channel sound recording as part of the production and post production process and the delivery of ancillary information streams as part of the transmission process. It is our view that in the context of this rebuilding of the television broadcasting system the provision of facilities to enable delivery of Audio Enhancement will have a minimal cost and planning impact. 9.2.3 New Receivers and Set Top Boxes Similarly, for television viewers to take advantage of the new system in the short term, and for them to access the medium at all following the mandatory simulcast period, they will need to purchase new reception equipment. Regardless of whether the consumer opts for a digital television receiver or a set top box to enable viewing through their current set, such reception equipment should readily facilitate access to Audio Enhancement Services. The fundamental issue for resolution here is not one of available technology but rather is one of the pragmatics of equipment design and manufacture for the mass market. We are aware from our contact with the Royal National Institute for the Blind that the delay in introducing Audio Description Services in the UK, following the launch of Digital Television in November 1998, has been caused by the absence of suitable domestic reception equipment rather than any delay from the broadcasting Industry perspective. Correspondence from Denise Evans, Broadcasting Policy Officer with RNIB, quoted in full in Section 8.3 of this report advises: "Digital Terrestrial Television launched in the UK in November last year but it was not possible to start audio description at that stage as the receivers (set-top boxes) did not include the receiving capability. That is what is being addressed now. The audio description will be delivered into the home via a module which will fit into the Common Interface Slot in the set top boxes and integrated digital television sets that are starting to become available. This, of course, means that the viewer has to have both the digital equipment and the AUDETEL module, Both of which have to be paid for separately. We are not happy with this situation but it is the only way to get a service started. We view this, therefore, as a short term measure and will be working with the industry to try to ensure that the receiving capability is incorporated into future receivers." Clearly, in the Australian context we have the opportunity, and the good will to learn from the UK experience and resolve this issue ahead of the role out of domestic receivers and set top boxes. 9.2.4 International Co-Ordination Australia's move to digital television will closely follow implementation in both the US and UK, Australia has opted for the European Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) system, one of the two major delivery systems being introduced worldwide. While this and the US ATSC system differ in the way that they assemble and transmit television content, they offer the viewer a similar range of features - they both offer multi-channel sound and both feature datacasting capacity, part of which can be applied for the delivery of Audio Enhancement. >From our assessment of the implementation processes as they unfold in Australia, the UK and US, we believe that the timeframe for Australian implementation and the fact that we have opted for one of the two substantially similar delivery platforms being introduced around the world creates a most favourable climate for the parallel introduction of Audio Enhancement in Australia: The Australian Television Industry and those with an interest in Audio Enhancement can build on the work being undertaken in both the US and UK; As much Australian television content is sourced from the US and UK and as the availability of audio enhanced programming is expanding in both markets there is an excellent opportunity to acquire described programming from its source for broadcast in Australia; As most domestic electronic equipment marketed in Australia is manufactured from European or US design there is an enhanced opportunity to ensure that receivers and set top boxes available in Australia are capable of Audio Enhancement delivery. As Audio Enhancement production and delivery in both the US and UK will be founded on similar DTTB technology to that being introduced in Australia, there will be a real opportunity for an international approach to the development of production and content standards. 9.2.5 Industry & Regulatory Co-Operation It is clear from the interaction we have had during the conduct of this project with both representatives of the Television Broadcast Industry and those responsible for its regulation that there is a willingness to consider the information needs of the blind audience at a time when the Industry and Regulatory Environment is undergoing substantial change. This final point is best demonstrated by reference to the extract quoted previously in Section 8.1 of this report from the Issues Paper released by the Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts to inform its review of Captioning Standards in the lead-up to digital television. "While not specifically addressed in the Digital Conversion Act, the opportunity has also been taken to canvass issues on the provision of enhanced television to another relatively disadvantaged group in the community, the blind and vision impaired. The possibility of providing audio description for blind and visually impaired viewers was noted by the Environment Recreation Communications and the Arts (ERCA) Senate Committee Inquiry into the Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Bill 1998. The Committee's final report recommended that the issue of audio description for digital television be referred to the Consultative Group on Digital Television. The Committee further recommended that, after consultation with user and consumer groups and Industry representatives, the Group should report on the matter to the Parliament." With these various incentives available to us it is clear that both the Television Broadcasting Industry and those representing the interests of blind and vision impaired people in Australia should take full advantage of this window of opportunity. 9.3 COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS In reviewing the case for the introduction to Australia of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services it is important to take full account of the broader legislative and Government policy imperatives that impact on the situation of people with a disability. 9.3.1. Objectives of the Broadcasting Services Act Among other things, Section 3 of the Broadcasting Services Act indicates that the legislation seeks: "to promote the availability to audiences throughout Australia of a diverse range of radio and television services offering entertainment, education and information" "to provide a regulatory environment that will facilitate the development of a Broadcasting Industry in Australia that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs. (Section 3 Broadcasting Services Act: Commonwealth of Australia: 1992)" We are very aware of the reference to "availability" in the first of these Objectives, which we assert relates to access by all sections of the community. We also draw attention to the expectation in the second Objective that the Industry be "responsive to audience needs". In the context of equitable television access for people who are blind or vision impaired, these references clearly provide the mandate for Government to ensure that comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services become an integral element of broadcast television provision in this country. 9.3.2. The Disability Discrimination Act In 1992 the Australian Parliament enacted (with bi-partisan support) the Disability Discrimination Act. The Objects of this legislation are: "(a) to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the grounds of disability in the areas of (i) work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport; and (ii) the provision of goods, facilities, services and land; and, (iii) existing laws; and (iv) the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and, to ensure, as far as practicable, that persons with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law as the rest of the community; and, (c) to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle that persons with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community. (Section 3 Disability Discrimination Act: Commonwealth of Australia: 1992)" The DDA functions substantially as complaints based legislation, that can offer a remedy through conciliation or as a result of a formal hearing, either after discrimination has occurred, or where it can be demonstrated that future action would be unlawful. DDA Standards The DDA provides for the development of DDA Standards which are developed in consultation with relevant sectors of the community and set a benchmark for what will be accepted as compliance with the Act. One of the defined areas for the application of DDA Standards is access to Commonwealth Laws and Programs. Work is currently underway under this head to develop Standards relating to access to Government information and communication. Beyond its regulatory role the Australian Government is a major player in the Australian Television Industry: it funds and mandates the operation of our two national television services; it is a major user of national and commercial television for the dissemination of information about its laws and programs. As such the Australian Government has a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that television content that it funds or auspices is not presented in a way that is discriminatory against those who are blind or vision impaired. It is arguable that provision of a television service and provision of television content for entertainment or information purposes are all "Services" as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act. It is equally arguable that the mandating and funding of the ABC and SBS constitute "Commonwealth Government Programs". It is our view that in all these circumstances the Commonwealth should work with community interests to develop a standard under the DDA which would address issues of access to the television content that it has responsibility for, either as the broadcaster or as contributor of the content. Clearly the Commonwealth should then use such Standards as a lever to ensure that both national and commercial television broadcasters provide access to their programming and information content via an Audio Enhancement service. DDA Action Plans In addition, there is provision under the DDA for Government Agencies, Corporations and other organisations to develop DDA Action Plans which are then lodged with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. These plans articulate the course of action that the lodging organisation will take to ensure that its policies and practices are in line with the expectations of the DDA. Such plans can serve as a defence in cases where a DDA complaint is lodged in relation to a matter that is to be dealt with under the Action Plan. To our knowledge none of the commercial television broadcasters have developed and lodged DDA Action Plans. While the ABC has a plan in place it is vague on the issue of access to its programs and other content and implementation of the plan receives low priority from the corporation. We are not aware of an Action Plan to cover the operation of SBS. As detailed elsewhere in this report, television providers across Australia consistently broadcast material that is inaccessible to people who are blind or vision impaired. While the extend of this discrimination varies across the range of programming and content types, all television broadcasters have a vulnerability to action taken under the DDA. Our view is that all television licensees and major content producers should protect themselves against such action by developing DDA Action Plans that demonstrate a commitment to address issues of access for their disabled audience. In the context of this project, we believe that such Action Plans should articulate a commitment to introduce comprehensive Audio Enhancement services to compliment there programming and other information provision over a realistic time frame. 9.3.3 The Commonwealth Disability Strategy Beyond these legislative imperatives, the Commonwealth set in place, in November 1994, its Disability Strategy, as a ten year plan to provide: "direction for Commonwealth Government Agencies to work towards the goal of a progressive, fair and inclusive society in which all citizens including people with a disability, have equal opportunities to access Government programs and services." (Commonwealth Disability Strategy First Progress Report: 1995). While the Strategy does not have the weight of legislation, it has been endorsed as an ongoing initiative by the Coalition Government and its co-ordination is undertaken by the Commonwealth Office of Disability with the active support of the Minister for Family Services. The Strategy consists of a series of action points that are to be addressed in all Government Departments and Agencies over a pre-determined time line. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts enjoys a position of substantial influence among both national and commercial television broadcasters. In our view the Department should include strategies relating to access to the information and entertainment content of television within its Disability Strategy Planning. By ensuring that the Commonwealth takes the lead in the provision of non- discriminatory content, and through a pro-active educative campaign, the Department could do much to minimise discriminatory practices and to encourage the establishment of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. 9.3.4 Other Access initiatives In reviewing these various imperatives we are aware of several initiatives that the Commonwealth has taken to address issues of information access for people with disabilities: For more than fifteen years the Commonwealth has provided support for the licensing, operation and transmission of Radio for the Print Handicapped Services. RPH Services are provided by independent community based organisations that have been awarded Community Broadcasting Licences and receive Government funding support to offset program production and transmission costs. Importantly the Commonwealth has facilitated access to the print information that forms the core of RPH programming through inclusion in the Copyright Act of a Statutory Licence arrangement which eliminates the need for the RPH Services to seek permission from Copyright owners prior to use of published material. Similarly, the Commonwealth has for many years facilitated the inclusion of captioning on broadcast television, to meet the needs of deaf and hearing impaired viewers. This support is provided through ongoing funding support to the Australian Caption Centre and Television Industry and, as discussed elsewhere in this report, a process is currently underway to facilitate the development of captioning standards for introduction with the move to DTTB. Following the lodgement and determination of a complaint under the Disability Discrimination Act, the Commonwealth facilitated establishment of the National Relay Service to provide a means of telephone based communication between deaf and hearing impaired TTY (telephone typewriter) users and other users of the telephone network. While this service and the associated provision of TTY machines is now funded directly by the Telecommunications Industry, the Commonwealth has provided legislative backing for the scheme and maintains a monitoring role in its operation. Over the last two years the Commonwealth has provided around $1.5 million per year through the AccessAbility Grants Program for research to address the information needs of people with disabilities. In all of these examples and elsewhere, Australian Governments have consistently demonstrated a commitment to address the information needs of people with disabilities, both through direct funding of innovative programs and through the use of legislative and administrative processes to facilitate change. With Digital Television Broadcasting now on the way it is time to add Audio Enhancement to this fine list of policy achievements. 10. MAKING TODAY'S TELEVISION MORE ACCESSIBLE The focus of this report and the research leading to it is clearly on the need for comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services and the opportunity for their implementation with the introduction to Australia of Digital Television. Our interaction with the Consumer Panel that has supported this work has however highlighted to us that there are issues of "good practice" that if adopted by the Television Production and Broadcast Industries would substantially improve access to the medium for people who are blind or vision impaired. In particular, our review of the feedback provided by Consumer Panel members as part of the Focus Group aspect of the Deprivation Study has revealed several matters of practice or policy that mitigate against access to the information and entertainment content of broadcast television by members of the blind and vision impaired population. While we fully appreciate that television is substantially a visual medium and that in many regards enhanced access will only come with the introduction of a supportive mechanism (Audio Enhancement), we take this opportunity to urge the Industry to give full consideration to those policies and practices that if amended would significantly reduce the discriminatory nature of the medium. In short, we believe that a comprehensive Industry Code should be developed which would set parameters relating to access to the information and entertainment content of the medium. Among the various comments made as part of the Focus Group process we note the following themes, all of which come down to matters of good practice rather than the fundamental characteristics of the medium. Sound Balance In their review of sample material across various content types the Consumer Group referred to issues relating to the balance between the primary sound (dialogue and the like) and ancillary sound, including music beds, actuality sound, and audience response and laughter. We note that this is also often an issue for people with hearing impairments and believe that program producers must give greater attention to the matter of balance between the various sound elements in order to make there product accessible to the greatest possible proportion of the audience. Talent Identification The use of on-screen captioning as the only method of identifying talent was widely criticised. The point was made that this practice to often results from artistic choice rather than from an objective assessment of effective information dissemination. Foreign Language Interpretation The practice used by many documentary and current affairs producers of using on-screen captioning as the only method of interpretation for foreign language material was condemned by the group. In particular, the ABC was criticised for its persistence with this practice despite approaches over a sustained period from both individual blind people and representative organisations. Several particpants indicated that they had personally taken up the matter with ABC Management, had only received a token responses and were now considering action under the Disability Discrimination Act. We strongly urge all content producers and broadcasters to give full consideration to the discriminatory nature of this practice and to develop practices which ensure that blind and vision impaired viewers have the maximum opportunity to access this form of programming. Sports Coverage Group members also drew attention to the reliance that is placed on visual presentation of key information during sports coverage. It was pointed out, for example, that it is current practice to sustain a brief visual summary of score information throughout a telecast. As a result commentators often make less reference to the current score. Group members indicated their belief that this practice severely detracts from their access to the program and urged that all broadcasters ensure that score and other key information within sports commentary is presented verbally on a frequent basis. Sports Results Even more frustration was expressed about the practice adopted by some commercial networks where progress and final scores are presented in visual form only and are linked to a tag suggesting that those who want to watch a later replay should turn away. We agree with the view expressed by several group members that this practice amounts to blatant discrimination which seeks to protect the viability of sports replays at the direct detriment of people who are blind or vision impaired. Commercial Content. As part of its review of commercial content, the Consumer Group discussed in detail the use of vision only information in advertising and promotional content. It was pointed out that often the story line that underpins an advertisement is reasonably accessible but the advertiser's key information, such as product, contact and price details is provided in a vision only form. There is reference in Section 6,4 to an announcement run on Melbourne Television in October 1998 which provided essential information about the process for reconnection of Melbourne's Gas Supply. All of the content was verbalised except for the contact number to be used for clarification or further information. While we fully appreciate that this announcement would have been put together at short notice to meet a short term public information need, we assert that it provides an ample demonstration of the need for the implementation of some Information Access Standards. If such Standards had been in place this material would have been tested against these as a matter of course and the small modification needed would have substantially advantaged many people in the community. Misleading Audio Content The Consumer Panel also drew attention to commercial content that uses misleading audio content as an attention grabber. Among the sample material viewed for this project were two advertisements that included audio content that was misleading and could have caused alarm among blind and vision impaired viewers. One announcement started with the words "Here is an important announcement" followed by silence for much of the balance of the advert. The audio content in the other consisted of a sound effect similar to the raster that is heard if a broadcaster's transmission is interrupted. Our view is that standards covering matters of information access should include provisions precluding the use of audio that would be misleading to a section of the viewing audience. Other Visual Information The focus group summary included as Section 6.4 of this report draws attention to several other situations where key information is provided in a vision only form. Programming discussed includes: Lottery Results that are supported by a generic announcement rather than specific reference to the key information for that draw; the inclusion in News Bulletins of graphics based financial details and the like; and the listing of Program Guide information. This last practice was given particular attention because of the obligation on television broadcasters to include program classification information as part of forward promotion. Clearly when the information is in a vision only form this obligation is not addressed for the blind viewer. On-screen text and graphics. In asserting that television producers should not place total reliance on on-screen text and graphics, we are arguing for audio delivery in parallel rather than as a replacement to vision based delivery. In fact, all members of our Consumer Group recognised the importance to the general viewing audience of on-screen information and were keen to stress that their needs must not be addressed at the expense of others such as those with hearing impairments. Those Group members with some useable vision were however keen to stress to Broadcasters and Producers the need for improvement in the standard of on- screen presentation. The following issues were identified in particular: the size and colour contrasts used for on-screen text and graphics symbols; the fonts used (the Tiresias Screenfont has been developed in Europe which maximises access for people with vision impairment and a range of other determinants. the on-screen duration of slides and scroll speed of trailers. Again we concur with the Consumer Group's view that these parameters could be adequately addressed through a comprehensive Information Access Standard or Industry Code. 11. WHERE TO FROM HERE? Through conduct of this research we have been able to demonstrate that blind and vision impaired television viewers are deprived access to much of the information and entertainment content of Broadcast Television. We have reported on techniques that are in development and limited use overseas to augment television viewing for this audience and we have developed and tested Audio Enhancement techniques that offer a more cost effective means of redressing this information deprivation. We have argued that with the introduction to Australia of Digital Television there is a window of opportunity available that would allow Audio Enhancement to be established as a parallel augmentation to Closed Captioning for the deaf. We have explored something of the technology behind Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting and reported on the regulatory and broader Government policy environment that exists at the time of migration to Digital Television. And we have reviewed the fundamental characteristics of this technology which would enable Audio Enhancement delivery and reception. In this the final chapter of our project report we will detail some Regulatory, Industry and community initiatives that we believe should be put in place to facilitate the establishment of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services. 11.1 INFORMATION ACCESS INDUSTRY CODE As referenced in Section 6.4 and discussed more fully in Chapter 10 our study of information deprivation has revealed that in parallel with the need for comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services there are a number of significant matters of current practice that need to be addressed in order to maximise access to television by blind and vision impaired viewers. We are aware that the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has recently determined in the matter of Maguire V SOCOG that information provision does constitute a Service for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and we therefore remind television content producers and broadcasters of their vulnerability to action under the DDA if they fail to address the information access requirements of their blind or vision impaired viewers. We believe that this is a matter that would be best approached through an Industry-wide initiative as it impacts on national and commercial broadcasters as well as those responsible for program and commercial production. For these reasons we urge the Australian Broadcasting Authority to use its influence, in co-operation with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, to facilitate the development of an industry-wide Code addressing issues of Information Access for at least the blind and vision impaired audience. RECOMMENDATION ONE: That the Australian Broadcasting Authority, with support from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission establish a working party, including representation from National and Commercial Broadcasters, Production Organisations and Disability Advocacy Bodies to develop an Industry Code of Practice which would detail practices and policies that would maximise access to the information and entertainment content of Broadcast Television for people who are blind or vision impaired. 11.2 BCA AUDIO ENHANCEMENT INTEREST GROUP Throughout the conduct of this project we have experienced strong support and interest from blind and vision impaired people across Australia. Those who participated in the Consumer Panel supporting the project have indicated their commitment to an ongoing voluntary involvement in promoting the availability of Audio Enhancement Services. Many of those we have spoken with in the context of presentations to the Blind Citizens Australia Convention, and in other forums, have also expressed their support for our work and desire to become involved in its furtherance. We are also aware that in the lead up to permanent and substantial Audio Enhancement Services there are opportunities to access described videos and television programming from overseas sources. Both Descriptive Video Services in the US and the Royal National Institute for the Blind in the UK make their home video products available on a commercial basis and the opportunity should be taken to maximise the availability of this product in Australia. Also, in this era of Internet access and Satellite distribution of television programming, there are opportunities to access much of the broadcast described programming currently available in the US and soon to be available in the UK. Blind Citizens Australia is a membership based organisation that achieves much of its advocacy, policy development and peer support success through the direct efforts of its members. With these thoughts in mind we believe that the opportunity should be taken to retain and expand the focus on Audio Enhancement through the formation of a Special Interest Group within Blind Citizens Australia. RECOMMENDATION TWO: That Blind Citizens Australia establish from among its members an Audio Enhancement Interest Group which would provide a focus for BCA's continuing advocacy on television access issues and would work to establish co-operative relationships with Audio Description/Video Description Providers in Europe and North America from where audio enhanced videos and program materials might be sourced for dissemination among blind and vision impaired people in Australia. 11.3 DEMONSTRATION VIDEO We believe that the Audio Enhancement Exemplars produced as part of this project have provided an adequate demonstration of the enhancement techniques that we have developed, within the scope of this project. We are however conscious that there is much work to be done in explaining and promoting the concepts of Audio Enhancement to the broadcasting industry, consumer products manufacturers, regulators and the broader community. This work is vital and urgent if we are to see the introduction of Audio Enhancement Services in tandem with the role-out of Digital Television Broadcasting. It is also extremely important that those undertaking this advocacy are supported with professional quality sample material, particularly when talking to those who's core business is the production of high quality television content. We have learned much from the feedback we have received when showing this sample material, With benefit of this feedback we know that we could now produce much improved sample segments and we are conscious that our initial efforts were based on use of off-air recording on domestic video equipment. For all of these reasons we believe that urgent attention should be given to the production of a comprehensive demonstration tape which can be used both to promote the general concepts of Audio Enhancement and to introduce industry and regulatory interests to the cost effective production techniques we have developed. Our preferred option would be for the development of a co-operative arrangement with one or more of the television networks whereby a sampling of their Australian made programming and some commercial content could be assembled for this purpose. Failing this, we believe that funds should be sought from the Commonwealth or through a charitable Foundation sufficient to enable this production to proceed on a purely commercial basis. RECOMMENDATION THREE: That Blind Citizens Australia, in association with the Vision Australia Foundation, seek funding and Broadcast Industry support for the production of a demonstration video which would include information on the need for and benefits of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services as well as detail of the various enhancement techniques developed as part of this project. And that BCA and Vision Australia Foundation use this video to engender support from the Broadcasting Industry, consumer products manufacturers, regulators and the community for the establishment of permanent Audio Enhancement Services across Australia. 11.4 DDA STANDARD ON ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION In Section 9.3 of this report we examined the obligations for television broadcasters and content producers that attach to the Disability Discrimination Act. We also outlined the process currently underway whereby a Standard is being developed relating to Access to Commonwealth Government Information. We pointed out here that the Commonwealth is a major contributor to the Australian Television Industry as Licensee and funder of the two national services and as a major provider of advertising content on the commercial networks. Also, in Section 11.1 above we referred to the vulnerability that television broadcasters and content producers have under the DDA if they don't address the information needs of their disabled audience. It is important to note that this obligation extends to the Commonwealth at least to the same extent as it does to commercial organisations. Current work in relation to the DDA Standard on Access to Government Information is not specifically focussed on access to information distributed via television. We believe however, that in parallel with moves toward the introduction of Audio Enhancement and the development of an Industry Code on Information Access the Department of Communications should be leading development work toward the inclusion of television based information in the DDA Standard currently being drafted. RECOMMENDATION FOUR: That the Working Party responsible for the development of a DDA Standard on Access to Commonwealth Government Information give consideration to the inclusion within this Standard of specific provisions relating to access to Commonwealth information distributed via broadcast Television 11.5 DISABILITY ACTION PLANS In Section 9.3 we also canvassed the notion of television content producers and broadcasters committing themselves to the development of DDA Action Plans. Such Action Plans represent a commitment to address matters of potential discrimination over a realistic time frame. We believe that as major providers of information television broadcasters and content producers should protect themselves against DDA action by developing such Plans which would then be registered with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. In the context of this work, we particularly want to urge television broadcasters to commit themselves to DDA Action Plans that include a specific commitment over a reasonable timeframe to the provision of comprehensive Audio Enhancement as an adjunct to their service. We recognise that there has been little exposure to the concept of DDA Action Plans across the Industry and urge the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission to provide a stimulus to this process through conduct of a comprehensive briefing process which would include information about the concepts of Audio Enhancement. RECOMMENDATION FIVE: That a Broadcast Industry Seminar be convened to inform television production and broadcast organisations on the Disability Discrimination Act Action Plan process and its potential to encompass strategies toward the implementation of Audio Enhancement Services. 11.6 DIGITAL TELEVISION CONSULTATIVE GROUP As discussed in Chapter Eight of this report, Australia's move to the introduction of Digital Television is closely following similar implementation in both the UK and USA. At this time Audio Enhancement Services have not been established using the digital platform in either country and much of the technical fine tuning needed to provide for their transmission and ready reception is still in progress. We believe that Australia is well placed to monitor and learn from overseas experience in relation to Audio Enhancement, just as it is with the broader issues around DTTB. The Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts has established a Consultative Group to have oversight of the DTTB implementation process and we believe that a sub-committee of this body, supplemented with appropriate Audio Description expertise would be best placed to resolve technical issues relating to the introduction of Audio Enhancement in the broader environment of a move to Digital Broadcasting. RECOMMENDATION SIX: That the Digital Television Consultative Group, established by the Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, establish a sub-committee to investigate matters pertaining to the transmission and reception of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services as part of the DTTB platform. 11.7 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT STANDARD As indicated elsewhere in this report a review of Standards relating to the provision of closed captioning services for people who are deaf or hearing impaired is a requirement of the Amending Legislation that mandates digital television provision. The issues paper distributed with the call for submissions earlier this year explains that matters relating to the availability of captioned programming have previously been dealt with under the Codes of Practice in place for the ABC and Commercial Broadcasters. We have also referenced the fact that the Legislation providing for Digital television delivery in the UK includes a provision which establishes levels of non-exempt programming that must carry closed captioning and audio description. 10% of non-exempt programming must be described by the tenth anniversary of the introduction of digital broadcasting, while the quota for closed captioning is 50% of non-exempt content. One of the fundamentals of this project has been to identify and test the viability of audio enhancement techniques that can be cost effectively applied across the range of television content. We have asserted that processes such as Improvised Description and Audio Captioning can be provided at a far lower cost than Timed and Scripted Integration and feedback from our Consumer Panel has indicated that the availability of such description would be highly valued by the target audience. On the basis of these developments we strongly support the proposal that a Standard be developed which would mandate the increased provision of Audio Enhancement over a realistic time frame. We are however equally strong in our view that in light of the cost effective techniques that we have demonstrated this Standard should be set at the same level of content as that applied for captioning for deaf viewers. We affirm the contention which underpinned our application for funding of this project, "That Audio Enhancement should be as widely available as is closed captioning for deaf and hearing impaired television viewers. RECOMMENDATION SEVEN: That a Standard be developed, under authority of the Broadcasting Services Act, that will ensure the availability of Audio Enhancement on Australian television, at the same level as that mandated for closed captioning, within five years of the introduction of Digital Television Services. 11.8 A PILOT AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SERVICE. While we have written here of the "window of opportunity" that presents for the introduction of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services in parallel with the introduction of Digital Television Broadcasting, we expect that a concerted effort will be required over the next two to three years if this time frame is to be achieved. As discussed elsewhere in this report there is much to be done on the technical front to ensure that Audio Enhancement can be transmitted as a standard component of the digital television package and can be readily received and accessed by the users of popular brand digital televisions and set top boxes. In parallel with this technical development there is extensive work to be done in improving Audio Enhancement production techniques to a point where they fully meet the needs of their primary users. >From a commercial perspective there is also a lot to be done to demonstrate the viability and commercial advantage that will attach to the use of effective Audio Enhancement. All of this work needs to occur in a real life situation where the needs and expectations of the user group can be factored in. For all of these reasons we conclude that the establishment and operation over a realistic time frame of a model service is essential. Based on the community, government and industry support we have received during the conduct of this project we believe that it would be practical to establish a pilot service in a major city location such as Melbourne where it could offer Audio Enhancement of a range of Australian-made television content across the various Networks. We would see such a service functioning as a community based organisation with a small staff to lead the service and the active involvement of a larger number of suitably skilled and trained volunteers. Delivery of the Audio Enhancement Services during this trial period would need to be as a simulcast using a dedicated radio channel. For preference, this should operate on the open bands, as our Radio for the Print Handicapped Services currently do, where its service would be available to the broad population of blind and vision impaired people. Alternatively, it may be necessary, at least initially to offer this as a closed subscription service using an off-band frequency or SAP channel associated with a high powered FM commercial or national service. In either circumstance it would be important that the paid staff include someone with specific responsibility (and matching expertise) for ongoing audience research. Our initial rough estimates indicate that establishment of such a service would cost between $150,000 and $250,000 depending on transmission arrangements and around $300,000 per year to operate. We believe that funding for this initiative should be provided on a joint basis from Government, the Broadcasting Industry and wider community. RECOMMENDATION EIGHT: That an Audio Enhancement Pilot Service be established; to operate over a minimum twelve period; to provide a focus for the development of Audio Enhancement techniques and production standards; and to work in close co-operation with television broadcasters toward the integration of comprehensive Audio Enhancement Services into the Australian Broadcast Television System. REFERENCES AUSTRALIA Broadcasting Services Act 1992; Commonwealth of Australia; 1993Disability Discrimination Act 1992; Commonwealth of Australia; 1992Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia (First Report); Australian Broadcasting Authority; 1995 Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Australia (Final Report); Australian Broadcasting Authority; 1997 Explanatory Memorandum to Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Act 1998; Commonwealth of Australia Australian Broadcasting Planning Handbook for Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting; Australian Broadcasting Authority; Draft November 1998 Commercial Television Conversion Scheme 1999; Australian Broadcasting authority; April 1999 Commercial Television Conversion Scheme Explanatory Paper; Australian Broadcasting authority; March 1999 Digital Datacasting Test Transmissions, Draft Regulatory Policy; Australian Broadcasting Authority; May 1999 National Television Conversion Scheme 1998; Australian Broadcasting Authority; Draft December 1998 Digital Broadcasting Questions and Answers; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts Website; 1998; www.dca.gov.au/mediarel/98/digitalqa.html Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting - Its Introduction for Television Broadcasting in Australia: Colin Knowles, Australian Broadcasting Authority; Paper presented to 1996 Australian Broadcasting Summit; IIR; 1996 Digital Broadcasting - the Wedge Widens; Giles Tanner Australian Broadcasting Authority; Paper presented to Communications Research Forum, September 1998 Multi-channel Broadcasting and Program Diversity; Adrian Walker, Communications Research Unit. Department of Communications and the Arts; Paper presented to Communications Research Forum, September 1998 The Potential for Spectrum Sharing; Prof Reg Coutts, Dr Derik Rogers, Ms Nittaya Soonthonsiripong; Centre for Telecommunications Information Networking, University of Adelaide; Paper presented to Communications Research Forum, September 1998 "ABA releases draft digital channel plans for TV services" Media Release; Australian Broadcasting Authority Website; May 1999 www.aba.gov.au/whats_new/newrel_99/35nr99.htm "ABA releases draft regulatory policy for datacasting trial" Media Release; Australian Broadcasting Authority Website; May 1999 www.aba.gov.au/whats_new/newrel_99/41nr99.htm "ABA welcomes comments by Digital Convergence Australia" Media Release; Australian Broadcasting Authority Website; March 1999 www.aba.gov.au/whats_new/newrel_99/18nr99.htm "Big opportunities for Australian industry in digital broadcasting" Media Release; Minister for Communications; December 1998 "Digital Broadcasting a step closer" Media Release; Minister for Communications; April 1998 Digital Television Consultative Group; Australian Broadcasting Authority Website; www.aba.gov.au/what/digital/consult_aba.htm ( May 1999) Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Specialist Group; Australian Broadcasting Authority Website; www.aba.gov.au/what/digital/spec_aba.htm (May 1999) Reviews into the scope of datacasting services and enhanced services, Discussion of Options; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts www.dcita.gov.au June 1999 Review of Captioning Standards Call for Submissions and Issues Paper; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts; December 1998 Review of Digital Television format Standards (High Definition Television), Discussion of Options; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts Website; www.dcita.gov.au Review of Regulatory Arrangements for the allocation of broadcasting spectrum for the provision of datacasting services, Discussion Paper; Australian Communications Authority and Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts; DCITA Website www.dcita.gov.au June 1999 Television Fund Issues Paper and Media Release; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts; July 1999 "Comms Companies band together for Digital TV push"; Selina Mitchel Newswire; www.newswire.com.au March 1999 Listing of Audio Described Videos; Extract from Library Catalogue Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind; May 1999 Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations; 1993 Submission to Review of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice; National Federation of Blind Citizens of Australia; October 1996 Review of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (an Information Package containing an overview of the Review, an explanatory document and a draft of the Code with advisory notes) Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations; March 1999 EUROPE The European AUDETEL Project Newsletter; Royal National Institute for the Blind; January 1997AUDETEL Audio Described Television - the Launch of National Test Transmissions; M K Lodge, N W Green, J P Nunn; Paper presented to the International Broadcasting Convention; September 1994 Digital Television and Radio: What's happening?; Royal National Institute for the Blind Website; 1998 www.rnib.org.uk/wedo/research/european/audetel/digtv.html Audio Description on Television Coming to a television set near you; RNIB Website; 1998 www.rnib.org.uk/wedo/research/european/audetel/welcome.html BBC Digital frequently asked questions - Key Facts; BBC Online; June 1999 www.bbc.co.uk/info/reception/digifaqs/facts.shtml Facts about DVB-T; Martin Jacklin, Peter MacAvock, Andrew Oliphant; DVB Project Office & BBC; 1999 www.dvb.org/dvb_articles/dvb_pcm110.htm Receiver Opportunities of World DTTB Standards, a receiver manufacturers view; Cornelius M Huizer, Jan van der Meer; Philips Digital Video Systems; www.dvb.org/dvb_articles/dvb_receivers.htm Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting an explanatory guide to the provisions introduced by the Broadcasting Act 1996; Broadcasting Policy Division, Department of Heritage (United Kingdom) www.culture.gov.uk UNITED STATES Welcome to Descriptive Video Services (various background documents from the DVS Website) www.wgbh.org/wgbh/access/dvs Video Description in North America; Jacklyn Packer, American Foundation for the Blind: New Technologies in the Education of the Visually Handicapped; John Libbey, Eurotext p 103 - 107; 1996 Who's Watching? A Profile of the Blind and Visually Impaired Audience for Television and Video; Jaclyn Packer, Korinne Kichner; American Foundation for the Blind; 1997 Adding Audio Description to Television Science Programs, Executive Summary; from American Foundation for the Blind Website; May 1996 www.afb.org/afb/e_ex1.html Project to Conduct Research on Described Video's Audience and methods of distribution (advance section of final report) www.afb.org/afb/e_video2.html DTV Access Project, National Centre on Accessible Media; various documents from the NCAM website; www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/ncam/dtv/ Narrative Television Network (various documents from website); www.narrativetv.com AudioVision Canada; Robert S Trimbee The National Broadcast Reading Service (Canada) 1995 ATTACHMENT ONE QUESTIONNAIRE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS PROFILES NAME: ................................................................. ........................... ADDRESS: ................................................................. ....................... PHONE: .......................... EMAIL:..................................................... AGE RANGE: 20 - 30 30 - 40 40 - 50 50 - 65 OVER 65 SIGHT LOSS: Totally Blind Min Vision Usable Sight WHEN SIGHT LOSS OCCURRED ......................................................... HOW OFTEN DO YOU WATCH TV? Once a week or less Some days each week Most days each week Every Day HOW LONG FOR < One hour 1 to 3 hours 3 to 5 hours 5 hours > WHO DO YOU USUALLY WATCH WITH? On own With blind partner, family member, friend With sighted partner, family member, friend With family group DO YOU WATCH Mostly ABC, ABC and Commercial, Mostly Commercial SBS, SBS and Commercial, SBS and ABC, All Three WHAT CONTENT TO YOU WATCH MOST? ........................................ ................................................................. .......................... ............ WHY ................................................................. ........................... WHAT DO YOU WATCH LEAST ......................................................... ................................................................. .......... ............................ WHY ................................................................. ........................... OTHER COMMENTS ................................................................. ....... ................................................................. .............. ........................ ATTACHMENT TWO TELEVISION USAGE SURVEY TO BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED BY EMAIL TO: infoalt@ozemail.com.au. Do you or those you live with own a television set? Yes/No 2. How often do you watch TV (average number of times per week)? 3. For how long do you usually watch (average duration of viewing)? 4. A) Do you watch on your own or with others? B) If with others are they sighted or blind people? 5. A) What types of programming do you prefer? B) Why? 6. A) What types of programming do you watch least? B) Why? A) Have you ever watched Audio Described TV programs or videos? YES/NO B) Please describe when and what they were. C) Did you find the description assisted with your understanding of the program content? ATTACHMENT THREE WORKSHOP ONE PROGRAM DEPRIVATION OF BLIND TV VIEWERS To be held at Blind Citizens Australia 87 High Street Prahran, on Saturday and Sunday, 29 and 30 August 1998. SATURDAY 9.30 WELCOME AND ROLE CALL INTRODUCTION - BILL JOLLEY BACKGROUND COMMENTS - J SIMPSON * About Audio Enhancement * Explanation of Project * Explanation of Workshop process 10.15 DRAMA AND SITUATION COMEDY Seven sample segments. "Describe what is occurring during this segment". Focus Group discussion - 20 minutes 11.15 BREAK 11.30 ENTERTAINMENT - including Variety, Game Shows and Skit Comedy. Six sample segments. "Describe what is occurring during this segment". Focus Group discussion - 20 mins 12.30 LUNCH 1.15 DOCUMENTARY Four sample segments. "What is the Producer trying to convey in this segment?" Focus Group discussion - 15 mins2.00 CURRENT AFFAIRS & INTERVIEW Six sample segments. Questions specific to each segment. Focus Group discussion - 15 mins 2.45 BREAK 3.00 SPORT AND EVENTS Sport Four sample segments. "Briefly describe the passage of play in this segment." Questions varied for each segment. Events Two sample segments, run twice, with response time - 15 mins "Describe the scene that is the subject of this segment". Focus Group discussion - 20 mins 4.00 DAY ONE WRAP UP - Discussion of outstanding issues 4.30 DAY ONE CLOSE SUNDAY 9.30 DAY TWO INTRODUCTION 9.45 NEWS Five sample segments. "What is the substance of this news report - who, what, where?" Focus Group discussion - 20 mins 10.45 BREAK 11.00 INFORMATION SEGMENTS - including lottery and sports results, whether, finance Ten sample segments. What is the key information being provided in this segment? Questions specific to segments Focus Group discussion - 15 mins 11.45 INFOTAINMENT Four sample segments. What is the key information being provided in this segment? Focus Group discussion - 15 mins 12.30 OTHER TV CONTENT Focus Group discussion - 30 mins 1.00 LUNCH 1.45 ADVERTISING 20 adverts run twice. Questions specific to each advert. Focus Group discussion - 30 mins 3.15 BREAK 3.30 GENERAL DISCUSSION * Outstanding Issues * Other matters * Where to from here? 4.30 WORKSHOP CLOSE ATTACHMENT FOUR DEPRIVATION OF BLIND TV VIEWERS SUMMARY OF VIDEO MATERIAL USED DRAMA AND SITUATION COMEDY "Describe what is occurring during each segment?" 1. Home and Away Seven 9/6/98 1.15 Stroke Victim in Hospital (6 points) Scene, patio outside hospital ward. Male patient appears as Stroke or Head Injury victim or similar. Girlfriend arrives and they talk. Much of scene depicts one to one conversation. 2. All Saints Seven 9/6/98 0.50 Tea Room "accident" scene (8 points) Scene, hospital staff-room. Three staff on a break are talking and fooling around. Female cleaner comes in and collects rubbish bag. As female staff member is teasing male, cleaner swings rubbish bag so that it knocks hot drink over female. Concern that female is burned. One male challenges cleaner. 3. Blue Healers Seven 10/6/98 0.40 Tania found injured in house (11 points) Scene, in house, girl lies on floor, appears injured. Scene changes to outside as Police are knocking on door. Male Police runs round back, female continues to knock. Car rushes past male at speed and knocks him to ground. Female runs to male, grabs for her gun as she approaches. Scene changes to inside as both Police rush in, female checks and calms injured girl. 4. State Coroner Ten 24/8/98 0.50 Dermett injured in hit and run (8 points) Scene, in office, obviously night. Older man walks in as male and female are preparing to leave. Female collects files and leaves, males follow talking. As they cross road car approaches at speed and hits both males. Older man knocked to ground, younger man bounced onto bonnet, roof then ground. Female rushes back from parked car to investigate. 5. Corelli ABC 14/8/98 2.20 Drug shoot-up in gaol cell (8 points) Scene, prison at night. Man in bare feet pacing in cell. Door slot opens and small parcel drops through to floor. Prisoner unwraps syringe and small vile. Prepares syringe (shown in detail). Sits, injects into hand then appears to collapse. 6. Water Rats Nine 7/7/98 3.10 Car chase - fatal accident (11 points) Male and female Police Officers in city street, recognise suspect. Run to car and as suspect car takes off they pursue. Pass apparent roadworks site then head into warehouse, dockside area. Car chase shown in detail including some near misses. Car being pursued is cornered and in attempt to escape runs into end of long pipe or street light pole which is hanging off back of truck or similar. Impacts through windscreen, decapitates suspect, scene is gruesome. Drugs in back of car smattered with blood. 7. The Games ABC 24/8/98 3.05 Talkback radio scene (12 points) Scene, in office, John is talking on mobile phone. Cut to radio host in studio taking talkback call. Scene cuts between office and studio throughout. After finishing one call John picks up second mobile and dials. Brian comes in and as he speaks John points to radio. John speaks to radio show producer. As the radio host takes his call he takes phone from ear - apparently cut-off. This happens several times. Eventually he puts down second mobile and picks up phone handset lying on desk and apologises to caller. As he does, first mobile rings and he answers - scene fades. ENTERTAINMENT - including Variety, Game Shows and Skit Comedy. "Describe what is occurring during segment? 1. Hey Hey its Saturday Nine 15/8/98 2.40 - Opening monologue (13 points) On host set, we see Daryl at first but female co-host is obviously off camera. As Daryl talks newspaper clip is shown. Illustration of thong with rockets attached is shown. As woman in audience laughs loudly audience shots are shown. Shots of co-host and Wilbur with band. Cartoon of Mortien can with rocket motors is shown. Daryl picks up cards from audience members shows two cards with chewing gum stuck between. He stretches apart and pretends to eat gum. Cartoon of new baby shown as crew member's baby is mentioned.2. Midday with Kerrie Anne Nine 17/8/98 1.20 - Interview with Tattoo'd Lady Julia Canusi (5 points) Segment opens with head and shoulders shot of woman, all exposed skin is covered with tattoos. We then see two panel shot indicating that guest is at remote location - tagged Los Angeles. Camera pans down, we see that arms and legs are also covered with tattoos.3. IMT Nine 17/8/98 1.20 - "Who dares wins" skit (12 points) Scene, suburban street location. Characters presented as Mike Whittney and Tania Zaetta approach. He has money in hand throughout. They approach man in street who gives more attention to Tania's apparent bust line than to Mike. Close-up shots of Tania's bust. Scene shifts to outside of a meeting location with people in background. Man in street is interviewed briefly, then re-appears dressed as Pauline Hanson. Shots of Mounted Police controlling large unruly crowd. After further comment man goes off screen apparently to walk through hostile crowd. Rubbish thrown back into shot - supposed crowd ripping clothes from man. As Mike talks, camera focuses on Tania who is exaggerating her bust. 4. Totally full Frontal Ten 17/8/98 0.45 Libra Advert skit (8 points) Scene, woman at wardrobe selecting clothes to pack. TV is on in background showing weather report. As report proceeds woman moves clothes and picks up small pack apparently tampons. As report continues she moves further clothes and picks up second pack, then holds up foil strip of condoms. As weather man concludes she up-ends case onto bed. 5. Hot Street Seven 24/8/98 1.50 from Round three (10 points) Game Show set, male and female teams of four down flanks with host in centre. Host talks to female team and as he suggests players change places they execute little dance routine. Host shows Captain card for choice of word. We see options on screen. She makes choice. Remainder of team are facing away from Captain with headphone on. As game begins Captain taps number two on shoulder, she turns and removes headphones. Captain then gives verbal clue of word. When number two guesses right she turns to number three and sequence is repeated. 6. Wheel of Fortune Seven 24/8/98 end of Round One (7 points) Game Show set. Host and three contestants stand at low barrier overlooking large wheel mounted horizontally. Wheel has insert panels with Dollar amounts and other chances. Game board is vertical with blanks for words spaced out. When letter is guessed its square is turned and light from behind to highlight letters as they become known. Contestants spin wheel, and if they choose letter that is in phrase they getcredited Dollar amount they spun up. As game progresses Board is filled with correct letters as guessed. DOCUMENTARY "What is the Producer trying to convey in this segment?" 1. Our World Nine 16/8/98 Burke and Wills Story - Crocodile sequence (4 points) Scene starts with host to camera in remote locations. He is showing old picture of young girl. Aerial and wide shots of mangrove country are shown then crocs in water. Cuts to small town and then to re-creation of large croc in town park then more wide shots of rivers and mangroves. 2. The Pitch ABC 18/8/98 "Mr Derwent campaign" segment (8 points) Scene,Ad Agency artwork preparation area. Staff are preparing flip cards of animation character for presentation to client. We see some detail of character, and people working. Scene changes to conference room and discussion between Ad Agency rep and client, others are present. Again we see detail of animation as they are shown and discussed. 3. Healthy Wealthy and Wise Ten 17/8/98 Absailing sequence Buccan Story (7 points) Scene opens with group of young students preparing to undertake absailing. We then see various people attempting absailing exercise. Some are confident others are most reticent. Scene then changes to TeePee Village location. After wide shots we see tourist group involved in sing-song around campfire with woman playing guitar. 4. Doco before BTN segment on Spinafex ABC ? (6 points) Host speaks to camera from Spinafex location. He places large thermometer under spinafex clump to check temperature. We then see close ups of small animals in spinafex. Then go to animation of construct of spinafex leaf as it is described. CURRENT AFFAIRS AND INTERVIEW 1. Australian Biography SBS 16/8/98 1.30 Elizabeth Durack Interview - from start (1 point) "Who is being interviewed?" Scene, woman in home office type location talking to camera. As music comes up frame freezes and super appears bottom left, "Elizabeth Durack" bottom right, "born 1915, Artist". As she resumes talking photo is shown of young girl with other children. 2. 60 Minutes Nine 16/8/98 2.40 Tax Sell Story - audience reaction segment (9 points) "What is being portrayed in this segment?" Scene, studio audience viewing large TV monitors. Host Paul Lineham sits at desk on platform with computer/TV monitor alongside. As process is explained we see audience members with hand held devices with large knob to turn. We see clips from the Prime Minister's and Mr Beasley's addresses. These are interspersed with shots of audience using meter devices and bar graph showing reaction to aspects of address. Lineham reviews audience response and we cut in and out of this footage. 3. Australia's Most Wanted Seven 24/8/98 1.10 Paul Burt Story (8 points) "What is your understanding of the crime being described and re-enacted?" Scene, suburban street location host to camera. Then re-enactment of victim leaving home and being shot. This is interspersed with interview and repeat showing of hand firing gun. 4. A Current Affair Nine 19/8/98 1.10 RSPCA Story - from start ( 8 points) "Describe the action and scene here." Starts with host to camera. Then film of TV crew in shed or similar, farmer demands they leave and strikes out at camera and crew members. Then cut to film of previous story. Women being interviewed then graphic shots of poultry in very poor condition with injuries, some dead and filth in poultry cages. 5. Uncensored ABC 26/8/98 0.25 Norman Mailer Interview (5 points) - reference to Feminist Movement "Beyond the verbal interview what is the Producer portraying here?" Face to face interview, Morman Mailor and Jana Wendt. Focus is on Jana's reaction (facial expressions) to Norman's provocative statements. 6. Foreign Correspondent ABC 18/8/98 2.30 Pakistan India conflict (8 points) - captioned interview with locals. "What is the situation for the film crew here?" "What do you understand of the foreign language content?" Scene, mountain road, Pakistan side of Pakistan/India border. Reporter is interviewing Military Officer then they stop locals in truck and question them. Captioned foreign language material is used without verbalisation. At end we see film crew and others moving out because of threat of Military action. SPORT 1. AFL Football Seven 17/5/98 1.40 Adelaide V Richmond - from 3/4 time (8 points) "Describe the play in this segment?" Start of last quarter, Adelaide kicking to left, Richmond to right. Adelaide, 9 11 65 Richmond 7 4 46. Ball worked forward a few meters by Richmond then second bounce. Adelaide given free inside Richmond 50 metre circle. Kick taken then Umpire recalls and gives kick back outside fifty metre circle. Adelaide kick, mark and kick. Jarman marks at 50 metre circle and kicks a point. 2. Women's National SBS 16/8/98 1.35 Hockey Championships - Qld V WA (8 points) "Describe the play in this segment?" Segment starts with WA team list on screen as comments are made. Caption, "first semi-final". Qld players hit off, play is in WA half near centre and then moves toward goal. One attempt at goal during segment. 3. Wide World of Sports Nine 15/8/98 1.35 Dark and Stormy Thundercats Surf Series - Round 6 (8 points) "Describe the sport covered and highlights of the action taking place?" Segment starts with slide of race line-up. Wide shot of beach and line-up with caption of commentators names. On board shots from two boats - as race starts a crew can't get motor started and big wave swamps them. After some time cut to wider shots of race, some further shots of stranded boat then shots of boats as they finish first lap. 4. Wide World of Sports Nine 15/8/98 2.10 Ten-Pin Bowling, competition unknown. (8 points) "Describe the play that occurs in this segment?" Segment opens with shots of audience clapping. First Bowler, male, first bowl down left, one pin. Second bowl down right, 2 or 3 pins. Second Bowler, female, one pin right side. Second bowl in left gutter. Third Bowler, Kara, 7 pins. EVENTS 1. Melbourne City Christmas Concert Seven 21/12/97 2.00 - Santa Clause segment (10 points) "Describe the scene that is the subject of this segment?" Scene, large outdoor stage in city location with large crowd in attendance. Host and "Inn Keeper" character refer to Santa's attendance. Santa appears on top of Office Building in sight of crowd. After some dialogue Santa is to be encouraged down the chimney on count from crowd. After three attempts Santa arrives on set via large fire place and is welcomed by host and "Inn Keeper". Scene ends with Santa handing out presents. 2. 1997 Grand Final Opening Seven 27/9/98 3.00 - use from start "Welcome to the G" (10 points) "Describe the scene that is the subject of this segment?" Scene Opens with Bruce McAvaniey to Camera. He intros Opening. Heraldic Trumpeters are on top of Scoreboard then as song starts we see large choir assembled on the arena in formation around large central platform. As song continues we see groups of young people in formations around large circular banners that they hold flat so that aerial shot shows these as disks around perimeter of arena. NEWS "What is the substance of this news report - who, what, where?" 1. TEN News Ten 17/8/98 1.35 Steve Fossett Balloon Rescue Story (14 points) Opens with RAAF Hurcules taking off. Scenes of Balloon take-off. Scenes of Mission Control - Allan Blount Mission Controller to camera. File footage Steve Fossett at Press Conference. Map of world showing balloon progress then close up of Coral Sea area with indications of heavy storm shown. Brian Hill, Maratime Rescue Centre Canberra, to camera. Joe Ritchie, Rescue Controller, St Louis, to camera. RAAF Hurcules in flight. Still slide showing "Voice of Flying Officer Mathew Devlin". Shot of Navy vessel at sea and then crew member using binoculars. Still, map of Coral Sea area with super of phone and "Laurie Ripper, Skipper Atlanta". Film of Balloon launch. 2. TEN News Sport Story Ten 17/8/98 1.55 Pat Rafter wins ATP Championships Ohio (8 points) Story opens with Presenter to Camera. Banner "Another Title" Slide of scores headed "A.P.T. Championship" video starts with court-side scoreboard then players entering court. Aerial shot then into segments of play. After match-point Sampras shown reluctantly shaking hands then protesting to Umpire. Rafter, to camera interview. Rafter holds trophy high then seen signing autographs. 3. Nightline Nine 17/8/98 2.15 Wollongong Floods (late breaking story) (10 points) After Opening Titles Waley to Camera. Map of NSW Coastal area showing relationship between Wollongong and Sydney, then zoom in on more immediate flood area map. Night scene of road with traffic bank-up due to floods. Then Police Officer addressing waiting motorists using megaphone. Shots of waiting motorists then to camera comments from a couple. Shots of cars travelling through heavy floods, shots of cars stuck in mud. Shots of houses threatened by flood waters, then man with child wading though waist deep water using rope for support. File footage of previous mud-slide. Second aspect of story - shots of ambulance with lights flashing then of rescue crews and fast running river. 4. Seven Nightly News Seven 14/7/98 1.30 Head-on crashes "Tragic Toll" (8 points) Presenter to camera - Banner "Tragic Toll". Map of South Gippsland, Philip Island area. Aerial shot then ground level shots of bad head-on accident on country road. Various shots of rescue attempts and then stretcher loading into ambulance. Sergeant Gary Ricardo to camera comment. Second aspect of story, vision of night time head-on smash captioned "amateur vision". Various grabs of damaged vehicles. Graham Petrie, Ambulance Officer, to camera comment. Shots of Queen's Road then overhead lane indicators. 5. ABC News ABC 14/8/98 2.05 Health insurance Story (8 points) Presenter to camera, Banner "Private Incentive". Footage of advert encouraging Private Health Cover - theme is patients in hospital beds on supposed freeway. The stats of Health Cover memberships - 97/98 comparison. Russell Schneider, Health insurance Assoc to camera. John Howard in radio studio. Michael Lee Opposition Spokesman, at Press Conference then to camera comment. Reporter, outside location, to camera piece. Back to footage from ad. INFORMATION SEGMENTS "What is the key information being provided in this segment?" "Does this presentation provide you with meaningful and comprehensive information?" 1. Keno Draw Nine 16/8/98 1.10 (1 point) Jackpot $1,021,000. Numbers 16, 48, 32, 28, 9, 72, 22, 61, 55, 54, 26, 78, 71, 62, 38, 20. 23, 18, 70, 77. 2. Tatts two Results Seven 14/7/98 1.00 (shown within Home and Away) (1 point) Numbers 43 & 36, Dividends shown. 3. Ozlotto Draw 230 Seven 14/7/98 2.30 (1 point) Prize Pool $3,203,407. Numbers 9, 38, 28, 26, 2, 43 supps 15, 18. 4. On ABC Tonight ABC 15/8/98 0.40 (shown 6.59 pm (1 point) Segment starts with preview of Hamish McBeth. Then slide listing programs with starting times, classification and if program is Captioned. Bottom of screen contains URL. Voice over does not give all times etc. 5. TEN News Finance Ten 17/8/98 0.40 (4 points) Segment starts out of Ad break, music backing, no voice over. Comprises series of background slides with info supered - All Ords, closing figure, today's movement and ten day trend shown as graph; - Four leading stocks, closing prices with today's movement; - Australian Dollar movement for day; - Gold Price. 6. Seven News Finance Seven 14/7/98 0.25 (3 points) Segment follows "Coming Up" and leads to Ad Break, music, no voice over. - closing figure, today's movement and 15 day trend shown as bar graph; - Gold price and movement indicator; - Australian Dollar figure and movement indicator. 7. Weather Ten News Ten 17/8/98 2.45 (6 points) Presenter works to camera with chroma-keyed charts and maps behind. Presenter summarises and highlights information of today's weather from displays but does not cover extent of info provided on screen. Starts with Melbourne situation, then Victoria and then Australian major cities. Generalises with trends "this massive front coming our way" but no indication of direction intensity or movement as indicated on map. Again forecast is summarised verbally and fuller info on screen. There is very little verbal info given that is not shown on screen. 8. Weather Nine News Nine 19/8/98 2.15 (6 points) Presenter works to camera and refers to chroma-keyed maps and charts that appear to be behind him. Works through today's conditions Australia wide with reference to barometric chart, rainfall etc. Then to today's temperatures and conditions across Victoria and then for Melbourne. Then tomorrow's forecast - Australia wide. Again presenter summarises and highlights visual information. 9. Weather Seven News Seven 14/7/98 2.20 (6 points) Starts with Presenter in front of chroma-keyed view of Melbourne skyline. Vision is speed-up to show trend over time period. Stats appear as supers over skyline panorama. Starts with Melbourne situation. Some verbal references that are not covered on screen. Cloud sequences etc are shown as an animation as if flying at high speed at cloud level across Australia. Visual information is summarised but greater use of examples that are not shown on screen. Use of extended, seven day outlook. 10. Weather ABC ABC 14/8/98 2.20 "Before viewing segment pick a location in Victoria and then view the forecast from that perspective." (4 points) Presenter works to camera with Chroma-keyed maps etc behind. Starts with today's situation across Victoria. Presenter makes specific reference to some locations and highlights trends elsewhere. More specific than others in verbalising general forecast across State and then moves out of shot with specific reference "these are temperatures across State tomorrow". Quite good at providing specific verbalisation of Melbourne situation. INFOTAINMENT "What is the key information being provided in this segment?" "How much value to you is this segment?" 1. Better Homes and Gardens Seven 9/6/98 One Room two looks segment (6 points) Opens with Presenter on lounge, putting curtains onto rod, then hangs rod. Room look One: Starts with room empty except 2 lounges, dining table and 2 pictures. Walls are pale blue. Hangs venetian blind. Roles out large mat. Places bright coloured cushions on lounge. Fits covers to timber dining chair backs. Places occasional tables. Places ornaments onto shelving unit and around room. Ends with to camera from lounge. Room look Two: Starts on lounge, to camera. Walls now strong gold colour - segment fades. 2. Our House Nine 10/6/98 Real Estate Round-up (4 points) Consists of high speed sequence of property photos and billboards. At end we are prompted to rewind and use pause button on video to view. No verbalisation of central information.3. Money Nine 10/6/98 Paul's Tips (4 points) Segment set in outdoor city location, host to camera. Information is presented as overlay slides over file footage. Key information is not verbalised but is referred to in Paul's general comments. 4. Gardening Australia ABC 14/8/98 Planters Pallette - Renior's Garden (4 points) Starts with wide shots of large Queensland style home in tropical garden setting. Host, to camera piece while walking through garden. Segment consists of shots of various garden features. Then Host with garden owner walk though setting talking about features. SELECTED ADVERTS Adverts selected from an original selection of 50. 1. White Pages (1 point) "What product or service is being advertised?" Lipstick message on mirror for girl in night dress. 4. Big M (1 point) "What product is being promoted?" Young people in city street situations using Big M containers in mock sporting situations. 5. Kawasaki (1 point) "What brand name is being promoted?" Desert location, couple dressing in tight jeans and leathers then with Kawasaki bike. 6. Bridgestone Tyres (2 points) "What are the contact and price details included?" Presenter (Dipper) standing in high stack of tyres and key info is printed on sides of tyres. 7. Uncle Toby's (1 point) "What product and brand?" Ad based on swimmer training and then eating cereal breakfast. 11. Intro Line(Boy) (2 points) "What is Intro Line and where can it be contacted?" Subject is shown firstly as dog breeder with many dogs then using Infoline service for social contact. 17. Sound and Vision (2 points) "What is range of products advertised?" "what incentive to buy is being offered?" Add comprises scrolling text of products, incentive to purchase (up to 33% off) and store locations. Has no audio after "The following is a special announcement". 18. MS Society (1 point) "How do you respond to this advert?" Scene, young and older woman talking - obviously close relationship. As young woman stands to leave we realise she is MS sufferer. Ad does not include verbal reference to phone number which is shown. 23. CSR Sugar (2 points) "What Company is being promoted?" "What is their slogan?" Two men in boat fishing, negotiation over one's need to acquire sugar sachet. 26. RACV (2 points) "What is the storyline in this advert?" Dispute between neighbours in their gardens when one cuts down branch and throws it over others fence. Interspersed with series of tags to RACV Insurance products. 29. Mars Bars (1 point) "What product is being promoted?" Black and white shots of kids in sporting situations - skate boarding, basketball, surfing etc. Mars Bar is shown in colour as contrast to drabness of scene. 30. Impulse (2 points) "Name the product and explain the story line?" Aftermath of traffic accident, man and woman exchange address details - he is captured by her fragrance and she reacts positively. 31. ABC Shop (2 points) "What retail outlet is being promoted and what particular sales campaign?" Ad is based on series of finger drawings on frosted window panes, interspersed with text info. Ends with ID to ABC Shop. 33. Living Ford (suspension) (2 points) Name the Company and the slogan (tag) that runs across this and other adds?" Man on beach is building elaborate sand castles - tag indicates he is a clay model sculptor with Ford. Tag "Ford Live it" 36. Jeans for Genes Day (2 points) "Name two of the retail outlets supporting this promotion?" Much of ad time given over to slide detailing Event Sponsors - they are not named verbally. 37. Jack Daniels (1 point) "What product is being promoted?" Scene, nightlife in large city with musicians playing, practising etc. This is interspersed with some shots of people drinking what is apparently whisky. Tag indicates Jack Daniels. 40. NAJEE "What is being advertised?" (1 point) Add consists of series of fast changing text slides which change in time with apparent explosions. 46. Workcover Safety (1 point) "What is the message of this advert?" Set in staff locker room, man is packing-up personal effects after workplace accident. 47. Millennium Bug (1 point) "What course of action are you be encouraged to take through this advert?" Ad is completely silent series of black and white text slides urging that it is time to step on the Millennium Bug. 50. Just Jeans (2 points) What product (brand name) is being promoted and what specific sales campaign?" Girl, apparently naked approaches bar - tag urges us that Just Jeans Sale ends Saturday. ATTACHMENT FIVE DEPRIVATION OF BLIND TV VIEWERS ASSESSMENT OF COMPREHENSION LEVELS Table with 6 columns and 12 rows SUMMARY Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Group Score Comprehension Level Group Score Comprehension Level DRAMA 64 28.2 44% 16 25% ENTERTAINMENT 55 19.4 35% 10.2 18.5% DOCUMENTARY 25 6.8 27% 6.2 24.5% CURRENT AFFAIRS 39 14.6 37.5% 12.7 32.5% SPORT/EVENTS 52 10 19% 10.9 21% NEWS 48 16 33% 18.7 39% INFORMATION 33 12.6 38% 11.5 35% INFOTAINMENT 18 5.0 28% 3.6 20% ADVERTISEMENTS 30 20 66% 43 14% TOTAL 364 138.6 36.4% 94.1 25.8% table end Table with 6 columns and 10 rows DRAMA Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level Home and Away 6 3.2 53% 2.85 47.5% All Saints 8 3.2 40% 2.57 32% Blue Heelers 11 4.4 40% 2.71 24.5% State Coroner 8 4 50% 2.57 32% Correlli 8 3.4 42.5% 0.71 8.8% Water Rats 11 4 36% 1.57 14.2% The Games 12 6.2 52% 3.0 25% TOTAL 64 28.2 44% 16 25% table end Table with 6 columns and 9 rows ENTERTAINMENT Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level HEY HEY IT'S SATURDAY 13 3.2 24.5% 2.4 18.5% MIDDAY - Tattoo Lady 5 2.4 48% 1.3 25.5% IMT- Who Dares Wins 12 2.6 21.5% 1.3 10.5% TOTALLY FULL FRONTAL 8 3.6 45% 0.7 9% HOT STREET 10 4.0 40% 1.4 14% WHEEL OF FORTUNE 7 3.6 51.5% 3.0 4.3% TOTAL 55 19.4 35% 10.2 18.5% table end Table with 6 columns and 7 rows DOCUMENTARY Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level OUR WORLD 4 1.8 45% 2.2 54% THE PITCH 8 1.8 22.5% 1.1 14% HEALTHY WEALTHY & WISE 7 1.6 22% 1.3 18% SPINAFEX DOCO 6 1.5 26.5% 1.6 26% TOTAL 25 6.8 27% 6.2 24.5% table end Table with 6 columns and 9 rows CURRENT AFFAIRS Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level AUSTRALIAN BIOGRAPHY 1 0.6 60% 0 0% 60 MINUTES - Tax Sell Story 9 4.0 44.5% 4.2 46% AUSTRALIA'S MOST WANTED 8 1.6 20% 1.6 19.5% A CURRENT AFFAIR 8 4.8 60% 3.6 44.5% UNCENSORED 5 1.0 20% 0.6 11.5% FOREIGN CORRESPON-DENT 8 2.6 32.5% 2.9 35.5% TOTAL 39 14.6 37.5% 12.7 32.5% table end Table with 6 columns and 10 rows SPORT Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level AFL - Adelaide Vs Richmond 8 2.8 35% 1.6 19.5% WOMEN'S NAT. HOCKEY 8 1.4 17.5% 1.4 18% THUNDERCATS SURF SERIES 8 0.6 7.5% 1.4 18% TEN PIN BOWLING 8 1.0 12.5% 2.2 27% EVENTS MELBOURNE XMAS CONCERT 10 1.4 14% 3.1 31.5% 1997 AFL FINAL OPENING 10 2.8 28% 1.2 11.5% TOTAL 52 10 19% 10.9 21% table end Table with 6 columns and 8 rows NEWS Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level TEN NEWS Balloon Rescue 14 5.8 41.5% 5.0 36% TEN SPORT Pat Rafter 8 2.4 30% 2.9 36% NIGHTLIFE Floods 10 3.0 30% 4.3 43% SEVEN NEWS Road Deaths 8 2.6 32.5% 3.3 41% ABC- Health Insurance 8 2.0 25% 3.3 41% TOTAL 48 16 33% 18.7 39% table end Table with 6 columns and 12 rows INFORMATION Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level KENO 1 0.6 60% 1 100% TATTS TWO 1 0.4 40% 0 0 OZ LOTTO 1 0.8 80% 1 100% ON ABC TONIGHT 1 0.8 80% 0.6 57 TEN FINANCE 4 0.8 20% 0 0 TEN WEATHER 6 2.2 36.5% 3.2 53% NINE WEATHER 6 2.4 40% 3.0 50% SEVEN WEATHER 6 2.4 40% 2.3 38% ABC WEATHER 4 1.6 40% 0.43 11% TOTAL 33 12.6 38% 11.5 35% table end Table with 6 columns and 7 rows INFOTAINMENT Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level BETTER HOMES & GARDENS 6 1.8 30% 1.3 21.5 OUR HOUSE 4 0.2 5 0 0 MONEY 4 2.0 50% 1.4 36% GARDENING AUSTRALIA 4 1.0 25% 0.7 18% TOTAL 18 5.0 28% 3.6 20% table end Table with 6 columns and 23 rows ADVERTISEMENTS Low Vision Support Group Blind Support Group Potential Points Segment Score Comprehension Level Segment Score Comprehension Level WHITE PAGES 1 0.6 60% 0.4 43% BIG M 1 0.8 80% 0.3 28% KAWASAKI 1 0.6 60% 0.1 14% BRIDGESTONE TYRES 2 1.6 80% 0.4 21.5% UNCLE TOBYS 1 1.0 100% 0 0 INTRO LINE 2 1.6 80% 0.9 42.5% SOUND AND VISION 2 1.4 70% 0.6 29% MS SOCIETY 1 0.2 20% 0 0 CSR SUGAR 2 1.6 80% 0.4 22% RACV 2 1.0 50% 0 0 MARS BARS 1 0.6 60% 0 0 IMPULSE 2 0.8 80% 0 0 ABC SHOP 2 1.2 60% 0 0 LIVING FORD 2 1.6 80% 0 0 JEANS FOR GENES DAY 2 1.4 70% 0 0 JACK DANIELS 1 0.6 60% 0.3 28% NAJEE 1 0.4 40% 0 0 WORKCOVER 1 1 100% 0.9 85% MILLENNIUM BUG 1 0.4 70% 0 0 JUST JEANS 2 1.4 70% 0 0 TOTAL 30 20 66% 43 14% table end ATTACHMENT SIX DIGITAL TV ACCESS - CONSUMER WORKSHOP TWO AGENDA 9.30 Welcome and Introductions Project Progress Report - Outcomes from Workshop One - Report to Office of Disability - Preparation of AE Examples 9.45 Overseas Developments - Material available in US - DVS Promo Tape - Auditel Promo Tape 10.00 SESSION ONE - PRE-SCRIPTED DESCRIPTION - Before and After sample from US Promo Tape - US Movie Sample - Field of Dreams - UK Movie Sample - Four Weddings and a Funeral Focus Group Discussion 11.00 MORNING TEA 11.15 SESSION TWO - SIMULCAST DESCRIPTION - Man from Snowy River - Better Homes and Gardens - House Facelift segment - Russel Gilbert Show - three short Comedy Skits - Foreign Correspondent - South African Truth and Reconciliation Segment Focus Group Discussion 12.30 LUNCH 1.15 SESSION THREE - AUDIO CAPTIONING - Game Show - Wheel of Fortune - Seven Nightly News Bulletin - Australian Biography - Elizabeth Durack Story - AFL Football Scores etc 17 May Adelaide v Richmond 2.30 STRECH BREAK 2.35 SESSION FOUR - LIVE EVENT DESCRIPTION - Opening AFL Grand Final 1998 - Opening Federal Parliament 1998 - US Open Tennis Final (before and after example) Focus Group Discussion 3.30 AFTERNOON TEA3.45 SESSION FIVE - ADVERTS A) Audio Captioned Ads 6 Bridgestone Tyres 11 Introline (Boy) 17 Sound and Vision Stores 18 MS Society 40 Najee 47 Milenium Bug 52 Gas reconnect Ad 54 ANZ Save $600 Focus Group Discussion B) Audio Described Ads 1 White Pages 5 Kawasaki 23 CSR 26 RACV 33 Living Ford Suspension 46 Workcover Safety 53 Sandboy Chips 55 Family Circle Focus Group Discussion 4.45 Workshop Summary and final comments 5.00 WORKSHOP CLOSE ATTACHMENT SEVEN DIGITAL TV ACCESS PROJECT - WORKSHOP 3 RUNNING SHEET 1. Wheel of Fortune (Seven) 21.30 (run full show) - Group to select section for demonstration. 2. National Nine News 16.00 aprox - news stories - world news - sport - weather (run from first Ad break) - Group to select segments for demo in comparison with Seven News 3. Seven Nightly News 23.00 - news stories - world news - sport - weather (run in full) - Group to select segments for demo in comparison with Nine News 4. Great Outdoors - Inside 4WD Story 3.00 5. Neighbours (Ten) - Opening segment - The Idol 8.30 - Group comments on techniques sought - run twice 1) with isolated sound 2) sound on sound 6. Foreign Correspondent - BIAC Story 23.00 - group comments on techniques sought 7. Water Rats - simulcast 3RPH 23/2/99 - run to first ad. - discussion about simulcast techniques. DESCRIBED ADVERTS 1. White Pages 2. Kawasaki 3. CSR 4. RACV 5. Workcover Safety ---------- End of Document