BBC Broadcast to provide audio description and visual signing to five

BBC Broadcast, one of the commercial arms of the BBC, has won a four and a half year audio description and visual signing contract with terrestrial channel five after a competitive pitch.
BBC Broadcast has already begun the seamless migration of services from the existing provider to its facilities in West London and will start providing tailored services for the visually impaired and deaf communities on channel five programming. Visual signing is filmed with British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation. Programmes are interpreted in order to give deaf and hard of hearing viewers another form of access in addition to the subtitling service.
Audio Description, available through special set-top boxes, is an ancillary service for the visually impaired. Audio describers add a voice track to a programme describing what is happening on screen whilst allowing dialogue and sound effects to speak for themselves.
David Burge, Controller of Broadcast Services, five, said: “We were impressed with the competitive price and client-focused approach of BBC Broadcast. Through their work for BBC Television and relationships with various pressure groups, they are clear leaders in the access services field.”
Ruth Griffiths, Director of Access Services, BBC Broadcast, added: “We are delighted to be providing these services to five, and are glad we were able to prove that BBC Broadcast is able to maintain confidentiality while offering speed and flexibility of service.”
BBC Broadcast already provides disaster recovery services to channel five with ‘second-line’ playout and channel management disaster recovery service from Broadcast Centre, the most advanced and resilient playout facility in Europe.
(GB)