2. Disability & Accessibility ITV is committed to diversity, including disability, on and off-screen. They work closely with pan-industry networks to promote diversity: ITV is currently a member of the Cultural Diversity Network (www.cdnetwork.org.uk) and is a founder-member of the Broadcast and Creative Industries Disability Network. They are also members of EFoD, EFoA, Stonewall and Opportunity Now. They are also undertaking a great deal of activity across ITV functions and regions to promote and improve diversity on and off-screen. These activities and initiatives are frequently communicated through our recruitment website and through specific external campaigns; nationally and regionally.
3. Access Services ITV is fully committed to being accessible to all – on and off-screen. Off-screen A task-force has been created to drive forward and constantly review on-site accessibility and specifications. On-screen ITV is fully committed to the principle of widening access to its television programmes for people with a hearing impairment through subtitling and signing, and blind and visually-impaired people with Audio Description. These public service commitments take the form of annual targets which are monitored by Ofcom.
4. Audio Description Audio description (AD) is an additional commentary that helps people with a sight problem to picture the on-screen action, body language and facial expressions. It is now available on television, video and DVD, as well as in cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries and sports venues. The AD target for ITV1 and ITV2 is 10% of output in 2008 – that’s about 14 hours a week – and the ITV digital channels will deliver between 2% and 8% of their programmes with AD. Because AD lends itself best to drama productions, ITV1 audio describes a large number of our most popular drama programmes, including The Bill, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Heartbeat and many films. For further information about Audio Description go to www.audiodescription.org.uk.
5. Sign Language && Sign Post Sign Language ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Men & Motors, CITV provide a selection of programmes open signed in British Sign Language. ITV1 provides roughly seven hours of signed programmes in regular night-time throughout the week, and the digital channels will deliver between 1% and 3% of signed programmes in 2008. Signpost All ITV’s pre-recorded British Sign Language (BSL) is provided by Signpost, ITV’s centre of excellence for on-screen signs language access. Based in the North-East of England, Signpost employs a team of professional on-screen and studio staff whose native language is BSL – offering top-quality access to the deaf community. Signpost’s award-winning website was the UK’s first bilingual English-BSL website - www.signpostbsl.com - where visitors can access details of signed TV programmes shown on ITV and other channels, news and information about deaf issues, learn a BSL sign a day, see signed news and find out how signing is put on to TV.
6. Subtitles Since 1993, ITV1 has been subtitling an increasing number of television programmes. In 2007, ITV1 subtitled over 91% of its output. Our much younger digital channels are continually increasing their levels of subtitling and our commitments across all our channels will increase year on year. ITV have many ways in which they make their site and channel accessible for people with disabilities and have a diverse approach to their staff and content on the show. They have no specifically disabled programmes like BBC and Channel 4 has but disability is shown in there day to day programmes
