Charlie Swinbourne: Why so much silence as Channel 4 and Channel 5 subtitles disappear from our screens?

Earlier this week, we reported on how the Channel 4 programme Bake Off had been broadcast without subtitles, leading to complaints from many deaf fans of the show.

As Liam O’Dell wrote, subtitles disappeared when fire suppression systems (we assume this may be sprinklers which might have damaged equipment) were activated at Red Bee Media’s Broadcast Centre in West London on Saturday.

Since then, subtitles have not only been missing from Channel 4 programmes, but also other Channel 4 channels such as E4 and Film4.

There have also been reports of subtitles being missing from Channel 5, and of delays in subtitles appearing on other channels such as the BBC (some rumours suggest the BBC has been using live AI-generated subtitles instead while the problems are fixed).

What’s really striking is the lack of urgency or further explanation for the continuing lack of access affecting millions of deaf people in the UK, or of any sense of when the problems might be fixed. Not to mention why there was no back-up plan.

Is inequality acceptable when something unexpected happens? Is it not such a big deal any more? How long is it acceptable for?

Or should bigger questions be asked about how one simple fire alert knocked out access for millions of deaf people from some of our most-watched TV channels?

As one deaf person put it on Twitter, if the sound had gone missing from TV programmes, non-deaf people would be in uproar and the media would be covering it in a massive way.

But it seems that the issue isn’t seen as such a big deal for the broadcasters or even some of the leading deaf organisations, who have given little comment on the problems or any sense yet that they’re trying to do anything about them.

Here are just a few of the latest tweets from deaf people on this issue:

It’s really annoying that @Channel4 and @All4 haven’t fixed their subtitles, and from what I can see haven’t even had the decency to explain/give a timeline to when they might fix it. I watch your shows to unwind after work. @RNID can you help?

— Julia S (@MissJelby) September 30, 2021

@Channel4 Any news on when subtitles will return? They have been missing across your platforms all week making you so inaccessible to those that rely on them. Why is there no contingency for this?

— Rachel Boyd (@rachelmhopkins) September 30, 2021

Dear @Channel4, sort out the subtitles and other technical difficulties. It's unfair that people are able to watch Channel 4, E4 and Film4 but those who rely on subtitles couldn't watch cos there are no subtitles. That's just wrong. #WhereIsTheAccessibility

— Amrit Nangla (@amritnangla) September 30, 2021

@channel4 @RedBeeMedia @Ofcom This is ridiculous. It’s THURSDAY and we still don’t have subtitles. Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back and Taskmaster the latest on a long list of inaccessible TV. When is this going to be fixed? Where’s the contingency plan? How much longer do we suffer?

— Alexandra Shaw (@asureshawthing) September 30, 2021

 

So what have the organisations responsible got to say?

Soon after posting this blog, I discovered that Red Bee Media had just posted a four-tweet update, two days after their last tweets on the subtitles issues:

We are very aware that there continue to be problems with providing subtitles on some of our customers’ programmes, and we understand the challenges this creates for Deaf and hard of hearing viewers, as well as for other people who are reliant on the service. (2/4)

— Red Bee Media (@RedBeeMedia) October 1, 2021

Please know that we continue to do everything in our power to resolve all issues caused by the incident and we will continue to keep you updated. (4/4)

— Red Bee Media (@RedBeeMedia) October 1, 2021

 

Meanwhile Channel 4 have simply said more information will be on its way, at some point, in a tweet which is pinned to the top of their Twitter profile:

Sadly we’re still experiencing some tech issues which means some viewers may have problems watching our channels or access services. Sorry for the ongoing disruption – we’ll let you know here as and when we have updates.

— Channel 4 (@Channel4) September 28, 2021

Ofcom has no tweets on the issue at all, their only word being a statement given to Liam for his article earlier this week, a spokesperson saying:

“Given the concerning impact on people with hearing and visual impairments, we are in regular contact with the affected broadcasters to monitor the steps being taken to restore these access services as quickly as possible.”

The National Association of Deafened People has spent all week trying to get a response from different organisations and individuals:

Disappointing that @Ofcom has yet to comment on the current lack of or poor quality of #subtitles on @BBCOne, @Channel4 & @channel5_tv since the incident at @RedBee last Saturday. Many vulnerable people who rely on TV subtitles are being disconnected as a result @LilianGreenwood

— NADP (@NADP_official) September 29, 2021

However there hasn’t been a lot more from other deaf organisations. This morning, I’ve been in touch with several leading deaf charities asking what action they can take to help resolve this issue. I’m hoping to get more of a sense of what they’re doing very soon.

So what needs to happen? At the very least, I think deaf people need to be given a sense of when subtitles will return to normal. Will it be tomorrow? Monday? Next week? Christmas?

The unexpected can happen, of course, but at the very least, we deserve a clear sense of when things will change, and of exactly how this issue happened in the first place.

Charlie Swinbourne is the editor of Limping Chicken, as well as being an award-winning screenwriter and director.