Ensuring the quality of TV and on-demand services (2024)

Over the last two decades the UK has seen huge advances in the amount of accessible content on television and video on-demand (VoD) services. Audiences, including (but not limited to) disabled people, now expect support in the form of subtitles, audio description and signing (collectively ‘access services’). This looks set to continue, with VoD accessibility requirements on the way1 and rapid developments in technology like voice recognition making it ever easier to create access services. But with this progress comes a challenge - how do we ensure that these access services are of high quality and truly serving their purpose?

This statement sets out changes we have made to the Ofcom TV access services code (“the Code”) which sets out the statutory requirements, and the accompanying best practice guidelines (“the Guidelines”) which give recommendations on ensuring the quality and usability of access services. The changes follow extensive engagement with user groups, industry and accessibility experts, a public consultation and large-scale qualitative research we commissioned to explore the expectations and preferences of disabled audiences.