We Deafies should tip a hat to former home secretary David Blunkett for raising the issue of mistakes in live subtitling, as well as the way blind people (like himself) are left out when programmes are broadcast in a foreign language, which identifies a problem Andy Palmer recently wrote about for an instalment of The Question – Should Deaf people pay a lower licence fee?
Here’s an extract from The Guardian’s report:
David Blunkett believes broadcasters are failing deaf and blind people by using garbled subtitles and by being reluctant to dub foreign programmes.
The MP and former Labour home secretary said TV executives were guilty of “worshipping the cult of youth”.
Blunkett, who was born blind, said deaf people were struggling with subtitles such as “the Arsenal player has been fouled by a zebra” (instead of referring to footballer Patrice Evra) and “looking for the prince of chemical and bionicle weapons” (principally chemical and biological weapons).
He also complained that blind people were left frustrated when foreign dramas and documentaries were not dubbed.
Blunkett told the Radio Times that broadcasters were failing to deal with a growing problem of an ageing population, many of whom suffered from blindness and deafness.
He said: “Broadcasters talk a good deal about equality, but preaching is not enough. In an ageing population, people with hearing and sight impairments are becoming part of the mainstream.
“It’s no longer about a minority: we’re a major sector of the viewing public, and we have the same rights as everyone else who pays the licence fee.
Read the whole article here: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/27/david-blunkett-tv-subtitles-and-dubbing
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robertmduncan
August 27, 2013
Just one point – there are a lot of mistakes in pre-edited subtitles as well, because the subtitlers are either not given enough time or are not trained well enough to deal with all the different subject matter. And the technical failures in subtitling also need to be addressed.
Editor
August 27, 2013
I totally agree – have seen more and more mistakes in pre-recorded programmes, albeit much more subtle than the live mistakes. Ed
Linda Richards
August 27, 2013
What worries me is the reference in the article to Ofcom to working with deaf and hard of hearing groups…. What groups? Who are they ‘working’ with? Why can’t evidence or comments be made directly to Ofcom? And let’s look at the ‘signing’ on TV while we’re at it….. Another area that’s badly neglected with Deaf people fobbed off with trite translations and interpretations. The BBC don’t do any of their own ‘access services’ anymore. They subcontract it all out to Red Bee Media Ltd, who sometimes subcontract it out again. Lmr
Liz
August 28, 2013
David Blunkett certainly has commented correctly that preaching is not enough. Action needs to be taken. I am sick of people preaching. Like I know many are. Lets see action!
And like Linda says about what worries her regarding Ofcom to be working with deaf and hard of hearing groups. I totally agree, what groups? and Who are they working with? I’d like to see their evidence too as to with they are with and what they do. They obviously don’t work with us. Otherwise we would all know what was happening.