Overview

This bill mandates a code of practice to improve accessibility of on-demand audiovisual services for people with hearing or sight impairments. It requires subtitles, signing, audio description, and other accessibility features for on-demand programs.

Description

The bill requires the Secretary of State to establish a mandatory "video-on-demand accessibility code" (VODA). This code will outline minimum requirements for on-demand audiovisual service providers to include accessibility features like subtitles, signing, and audio description. The code can specify these requirements based on program type, proportion of total programming, audience consumption, or a combination. Responsibilities for meeting these requirements may be allocated among broadcasters, platform operators, and other providers. The code might also include requirements for subtitles in languages other than English, targets for implementation, and other necessary elements determined through public consultation. The Secretary of State must consult publicly before establishing the code, and will publish a report to Parliament within six months of the consultation period. The code itself is to be introduced within six months of the report's publication. The Secretary of State can delegate responsibilities for establishing and monitoring the code. The bill provides for an independent review of the code five years after its introduction. The Secretary of State can amend the code via orders or regulations, which must be approved by Parliament.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. However, there will be costs associated with establishing, implementing, and monitoring the code, including the public consultation and the five-yearly review. There could also be indirect costs for government bodies in handling appeals or enforcing the code's provisions. Further, no estimate of cost is available.

Groups Affected

• People with hearing or visual impairments: This bill directly benefits these individuals by improving access to on-demand audiovisual content.
• On-demand audiovisual service providers (e.g., Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer): These providers will be required to comply with the code's accessibility requirements, potentially incurring costs associated with adding subtitles, signing, and audio description.
• Broadcasters: These entities will have responsibilities outlined in the code, potentially needing to adapt their workflows and possibly incurring costs.
• Platform operators: Similar to broadcasters, these will likely share some responsibilities for ensuring the accessibility requirements are met.
• Government departments (specifically, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport): These will be responsible for establishing, monitoring, and reviewing the code, which requires resource allocation.

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