One of the problems facing TV and the media is that of communicating effectively essential information concerning their services and plans with deaf people. Planners, broadcasters and providers of TV and the media need to recognise their responsibilities and the rights of deaf people to have full information and access to services available to the community as a whole.

It is estimated that one in five of the Scottish population has a hearing loss; this means that there are over one million people in Scotland who have a range of hearing loss, from the profoundly deaf to those who are mildly deaf. They have different communication needs. In addition, there are approximately 6,000 deaf people whose first or preferred language is British Sign Language.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it is unlawful for a service provider to discriminate by offering a lower standard of service or providing a service in a worse manner to deaf people.

Television is a medium, which is likened to a "window" to the outside world, offering immense information and knowledge to viewers. However SCoD is concerned that deaf people do not enjoy the same benefits from this particular medium. SCoD is also concerned about the negative way deaf people are portrayed on the television and in the media.

The Scottish Council on Deafness therefore recommends that the following good practice be implemented:

1. All news programmes and bulletins on every television channel should be fully subtitled.
   
   
2. Subtitling should be available across the full range of programmes (drama, factual, entertainment, sports, etc) on all channels.
   
   
3. All videos and DVDs should be closed-captioned.
   
   
4. Subtitling should be of highest quality; i.e. accurate and consistent.
   
   
5. All public service broadcasts must be signed and subtitled.
   
   
6. All schools programmes must be subtitled and signed.
   
   
7. For signed programmes, all television broadcasters should be encouraged to use skilled BSL users who have been successfully auditioned. The size of the signer on the screen should be easily seen.
   
   
8. Deaf people should be portrayed in a positive way in the media, meaning that there should be no (negative) stereotyping of deaf people.
   
   
9. Background noise including the use of music on television and radio programmes should be reduced to minimum and attention should be paid to speed of speech delivery.
   
   
10. No degrading jargon should be used to describe deaf people in the media; e.g. mute, dummy.
    
    
11. For drama programmes and performances, deaf actors should be used for any role as deaf people, meaning that no hearing actors should be hired to act as deaf people.
    
    
12. The television and media world should involve deaf people in the provision and monitoring of services and also encourage the employment of deaf people to facilitate service use by deaf people.

Selected Bibliography

ITC, ITC Guidelines on Standards for Sign Language on Digital, Terrestrial Television, London, ITC

The Disability Discrimination Act, 1995, London, HMSO

The Broadcasting Act, 1990, London, HMSO

The Broadcasting Act, 1996, London, HMSO