Complaints hinder Audio Descriptor trial

The ABC has been testing Audio Descriptors for vision-impaired and blind viewers as part of a government trial, by providing verbal commentary that explains what is happening visually during programs.

Similar programmes operate overseas.

The 13-week trial was designed to test how broadcasters capture audio description through to its transmission in the broadcast signal and how it is received in the home.

But it resulted in more than 1000 complaints about the reception.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy thanked those who participated in the trial.

“It’s clear that audio description is a service that is strongly desired by the vision-impaired community, and the trial was embraced with real enthusiasm by participants. I share that enthusiasm for what new digital technologies can provide to enable improved access to television and other electronic media for people with a disability,” he said.

“However, there were significant technical concerns raised during the trial, with over 1000 complaints from viewers whose reception of ABC1 was disrupted because of the audio description broadcast.”

The ABC will report to the government before the end of the year.

“The audio description trial is an important first step on the pathway to establishing a permanent audio description service on Australian television, and we were pleased to be able to provide funding for it in very tight economic circumstances,” said Conroy.