Speaking TV programme guides - Would they help
Contents
1. make recordings recordings recordings allows recordings Can be used Can be used recordings as aremote as remote can be used control with control with as remote some Sky HD Tivo boxes control boxes No Yes reads out Content is Most on In most views programme most arranged in screen programme grid not information in columns so buttons do not start time and supported most views not intuitive include labels finish channel Reads out But cannot that can be title but not abbreviations prompt users read by TTS number as words and to insert PIN so app is times as when required largely numbers inaccessible In most views In most views All info in In grid and No viewers except grid programme single channel single channel must dive and prog title and view inand _ view channel down to synopsis channel programme number and programme number synopsis programme synopsis to number and Mostin Top _ jtitle start and find out programme Picks none in finish time whether AD is title Favourites available No access to On Demand content Only in prog Only in prog synopsis synopsis 3 25 It appears that none of the apps are fully optimised for use with text to speech For example most potential users of the Freesat app would be thwarted by the absence of TTS readable labels for the buttons on the home screen of the app These button2. Indeed not all Android devices are compatible Given the wide and continually changing range of mobile devices ensuring that TTS enabled apps work with all of these is in practice almost impossible For example Virgin Media s app only works on selected devices though the company says that it is continuing to work on making it compatible with a wider range 3 36 One of the reasons why this is a time consuming process is that manufacturers of Android devices often choose to customise the Android software Customisation can interfere with the ability to load Android apps from Google s Play store and also with accessibility features built into Android For example says the RNIB a number of e readers are so heavily customised that Android s accessibility is effectively neutered 3 Extracted from table 4 23 Communications Market Review 2013 Ofcom August 2013 http stakeholders ofcom org uk market data research market data communications market reports cmr13 uk UK Mobile Insights Report 2013 Q4 An overview of recent research and data on smartphone and tablet ownership in the UK November 2013 htto weareapps com MobilelnsightsReport pdf 37 Virgin TV Anywhere on Android devices htt store virginmedia com content dam eSales Downloads tva android devices pdf TV Anywhere Android Device Support Requests Virgin Media http community virginmedia com t5 T V Anywhere T V Anywhere Android Device Support Requests td p 20973
3. and are intended to allow users to a find out what programmes are available to watch in all cases b set recordings in several cases and c act as a remote control when paired with the TV or set top box in a few cases The apps are compatible to a greater or lesser extent with the TTS facility made available by the mobile device manufacturer Voiceover for Apple devices using iOS Talkback for devices using the Android operating system The precise capabilities of the apps and the extent to which they have been adapted for use by people with visual impairments vary from one app to another and over time The summary in Figure 5 below explains the capabilities offered by the main apps in April 2014 since when some may have changed Al televisions available with talking menu guide Access India http accessindia org in pipermail accessindia_accessindia org in 2014q1 088342 html 19 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Figure 5 Text to speech capabilities in mobile device apps Sky HD no Virgin TV Freeview TV Freesat only YouView Talk app for older Anywhere Guide works with HD Talk BT TV boxes TiVo boxes and Freetime Youview retail Virgin TV boxes boxes Guide iOS only iOS some Android iOS some Android Read listings Read listings Read listings Read listings Read listings make make make With Freetime
4. an estimated 1 8 million blind or visually impaired people in the UK can find it difficult or impossible to use EPGs even though they watch just as much TV as everyone else The number of people with sight problems is projected to increase as the UK population ages Those who find it difficult or impossible to use EPGs are unlikely to benefit fully from the wide range of broadcast programming now available even though much of it is audio described As EPGs become an important gateway to online content such as live streamed TV channels and on demand films the gap between the benefits available to those with and without visual impairments is likely to widen significantly Ofcom has a duty to require EPG providers to make their EPGs accessible 1 5 1 6 Recognising the importance of EPGs to consumers Parliament gave Ofcom a duty explained in section 2 to provide guidance on the practices to be followed in the provision of EPGs These practices must include the incorporation of such features as Ofcom considers appropriate for ensuring that people with disabilities affecting their sight or hearing or both may use EPGs for the same purposes as other people so far as practicable To this end Ofcom s Code of practice on electronic programme guides requires EPG providers amongst other things to make such adjustments to their EPGs as are practicable to secure that they can be used by people with disabilities affecting their sight or
5. and particular types of disability vary widely among those who experience them Key factors affecting this include the availability or otherwise of family support the socio economic background of the people concerned and attitudes towards technology Consumer research with older old consumers and those living with cognitive physical and sensory disabilities Toynbee Hall September 2012 http www paymentscouncil org uk files oayments council payments council policis and toynbee hall older old and disability report 24 10 12 final padf Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible perception attention span memory motor functions and touch and speech production 2 31 There are other less obvious barriers For example it is not unusual for people of all generations to take time to confront the reality of permanent sight impairment and to adopt coping strategies One younger participant in Ofcom s roundtable explained that it took a long time to come to terms with sight loss Older people may lack confidence in their ability to master unfamiliar technology and may even be unwilling to try it out either because they fear wasted expenditure or because they do not want to risk failure 15 Schaie K W 1990 Intellectual development in adulthood In J E Birren amp K W Schaie Eds Handbook of the psychology of aging 3rd ed pp 291 309 New York Academic Press h
6. generally available Industry representatives at the roundtable explained some of the measures that had been taken to help people with some sight to use EPGs and the work that was planned to make EPG apps for mobile devices easier to use However it was recognised that these would not be suitable for everybody and that many would find speaking EPGs helpful Technology did not pose a particular constraint to the introduction of speaking EPGs although some existing platforms might be subject to technical constraints at least in the short term However the main barrier was commercial the incentives on manufacturers and service providers to enable speaking EPGs were quite weak as other features would produce a better commercial return It is clear that the difficulties encountered by some people with partial sight are enough to discourage some people from attempting to use conventional EPGs A study in 2002 on how blind and partially sighted viewers used EPGs found that most participants relied on family or friends to tell them what was on TV or on their 11 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible memory of when certain programmes e g soaps were on TV Alternatively they might browse through different channels 2 27 However some blind or visually impaired people must cope by themselves research suggests that there are some 123 000 households in the UK including people with
7. inputs The issues A1 1 Ofcom invites written views and comments on the issues raised in this document to be made by 5pm on 8 September 2014 It would be helpful if your response could include direct answers to the questions asked in this document which are reproduced below It would also help if you can explain why you hold your views and how Ofcom s proposals would impact on you A1 2 Ofcom would welcome views from respondents on any of the issues raised in this paper or pertinent to the issue of accessibility to EPGs for people with visual impairments For ease of reference we have divided the specific questions we are posing in this document into two lists those on which Ofcom would particularly welcome the views respectively of people with visual impairments and of Questions on which Ofcom would particularly welcome the views of people with visual impairments Q1 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that apps for mobile devices have the potential to be useful for those people with visual impairments who feel confident using touch screen technology and can afford a suitable mobile device If not why not Q2 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that apps for mobile devices are less likely to meet the needs of the majority of visually impaired people who are 65 or older both because they are less likely either to own a suitable mobile phone and because touch screen apps present a number of actua
8. loss amongst those who are visually impaired varies considerably Those with profound sight loss cannot tell by the light where the windows are Those with severe sight loss 12 cannot see well enough to recognise a friend close to his or her face Those with moderate visual impairments 25 cannot see well 5 An introduction to Voice Guidance on Panasonic talking TVs YouTube http www youtube com watch v FCMg5XQhxGc At a time when on average UK residents were watching around 3 46 hours a day those with visual impairments were watching 3 8 hours of television a day Provision of access services research study conducted for Ofcom Ofcom March 2006 http stakeholders ofcom org uk binaries consultations accessservs annexes provision pdf Eurostat The social situation in the European Union 2005 2006 Edition April 2006 http ec europa eu employment social social_ situation docs ssr2005 2006 en pdf Young Harriet and Grundy Emily 2008 Longitudinal perspectives on caregiving employment history and marital status in midlife in England and Wales Health and Social Care in the Community 16 4 pp 388 399 ISSN 1365 2524 htip eprints lse ac uk 53809 Office for National Statistics Social Trends Full Report Edition No 37 2007 http www ons gov uk ons rel social trends rd social trends no 37 2007 edition social trends full report pdf Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairmen
9. offer to subscribers If so what are these obstacles Absent regulation would these obstacles make it impossible on commercial grounds to commit to the necessary investment Q7 If the cost of providing speech enabled receivers to all those who subscribe to particular pay TV services would entail a substantial delay to the roll out of such receivers to all subscribers would it be feasible quicker and more cost effective to offer suitable equipment first to viewers with visual impairments Q8 Do respondents consider that would it be reasonable to expect visually impaired viewers to pay extra for equipment that allows them to use EPGs or substitutes for the same purposes as sighted viewers If so why Q9 Do licensors such as Freesat and Freeview see obstacles to using their leverage to require manufacturers to incorporate speaking EPGs in future versions of their branded products such as Freetime and Freeview Connect Q10 What are the main types of cost that pay TV service providers would face in incorporating speaking EPG features into the next generation of their set top boxes Q11 What is the scope for connected platforms to avoid the need for specific TTS provision within consumer equipment by using cloud based resources e g speech files on a central server delivered to the device as required 27 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Annex 1 Responding to this call for
10. the talking programme guides 62 particularly amongst people with a sight impairment and even more so amongst those participants in the research that were blind and c two thirds of visually impaired blind or seeing respondents 67 said that their enjoyment of watching TV had increased a lot or a bit as a result of receiving the talking STB amongst visually impaired viewers the figure was 63 blind viewers 75 and seeing viewers 71 Although this research was conducted in Australia we see no reason why the findings should not be equally applicable in the UK Get the Picture making television easier for people with sight loss RNIB htt live rnib precedenthost co uk sites default files video transcript accessible tv doc Panasonic Television with Voice Guidance Steph Cutler September 2012 http Awww rnib org uk livinqwithsightloss tvradiofilm productreviews Pages panasonic_tv_userreview aspx 17 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Initial assessment of speaking EPGs 3 13 In the light of feedback from users and lobby groups Ofcom has identified a number of potential advantages and disadvantages of speaking EPGs incorporated into televisions or set top boxes Potential advantages 3 14 3 15 3 16 3 17 Setting up a TTS enabled EPG may be easier when it is integrated into the TV receiver whether a set top box or digital te
11. 28 23 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible 3 37 Of the visually impaired who may have a suitable mobile device many may not be aware that relevant TTS enabled apps are available Research suggests that amongst older people there is very little understanding of the range of applications available Many have virtually no experience of mobile applications and many were not comfortable even with texting I don t understand apps and things like this on phones I m afraid think the more technology they introduce the more complicated it becomes rather than easier Again you know using these apps as an example mean they re beyond me 3 38 Most EPGs with integrated text to speech can be operated using a limited number of buttons on a remote control in some cases this can be done by voice commands By contrast most secondary devices smartphones and tablets use touch screens Ofcom s understanding is that they can be particularly difficult for older people who constitute the majority of people with visual impairments 3 39 Some research suggests that older adults face obstacles to using information technology appliances for two main reasons firstly declining memory and or cognitive control functions which make learning difficult secondly prejudicial attitudes towards information technology systems that may make them feel they cannot learn how to use the
12. Eor example the Goodman s Smart Talk set top box 19 Source Humax Foxsat HDR User Manual http www humaxfoxsathdr co uk leaflets Humax Foxsat HDR User Manual pdf Does Freeview provide audio description for the visually impaired Freeview http www freeview co uk articles faq more about freeview accessibility does freeview provide audio description for the visually impaired html Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible activation from information bar Help button on remote signal beep on AD content from information bar TiVo Audio Cues Sounds that show actions Yes Accessibility Settings information bar AD button on remote control Yes Accessibility Settings Zoom button on remote control to make menus and guides bigger and reactions to button presses on the remote control TiVo Speaking EPGs 3 3 Both Panasonic and Samsung now offer televisions equipped with speaking EPGs These allow viewers to use the up and down and ok buttons on their remote controls to navigate EPG menus When an item is selected See example in Figure 3 below the text is read out The same applies to menus including channel listings programme details and accessibility settings Accessibility Freesat http www freesat co uk get freesat accessibility Access Services for Digital Television Frans De
13. Jong October 2004 https tech ebu ch docs techreview trev_300 de_jong pdf 15 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Figure 3 Screen shot of a Panasonic television showing an on screen menu of text to speech options 3 4 3 5 3 6 5 Accessibility Settings Subtitle English Hard of Hearing Audio Description English Audio Description Volume Medium Beginner Text To Speech Speed Normal Text To Speech Volume Normal Text To Speech Audio Mix Quiet background audio Speaking EPGs are also available in set top boxes manufactured under the TVOnics and Goodman brands in the UK and the Bush and Hills brands in Australia which were made available to eligible households at the time of digital switchover in Australia Each of the set top boxes has similar features The TVOnics box for example offers a fully accessible EPG enabling visually impaired viewers to find out what s on and to record and playback programmes It also enables access to settings menus e g to set parental controls and re tune the receiver The box uses natural sounding synthesised speech which can be adjusted to five different speeds and can also be set to cut down the amount of information read out once users are familiar with it None of the set top boxes currently available with pay TV services in the UK are equipped with speaking EPGs User feedback 3 7 3 8 A blin
14. Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Ofcom Speaking TV programme guides Would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Call for inputs Publication date 10 July 2014 Closing Date for Responses 8 September 2014 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible About this document This document is a call for inputs on speaking TV guides Ofcom is seeking views on whether these guides could help blind or visually impaired people and if it would be feasible to introduce them across the UK s most popular TV services Around two million people have visual impairments that make it difficult or impossible for them to use on screen TV programme guides though watching TV remains important to them We are seeking views from interested parties particularly visually impaired viewers and TV service providers In particular we would like to know whether TVs and set top boxes that allow people to hear information in on screen TV programme guides could make it easier for blind or visually impaired viewers to choose what they want to watch Ofcom would also like to hear whether other forms of assistance such as mobile apps currently offered by TV providers could be a suitable alternative to speaking EPGs We will consider carefully what respondents say before deciding whether or not changes to our guidance
15. Streaming Media 2011 in October 2011 http www streamingmediaglobal com Articles Editorial Featured Articles Viewers Moving Beyond EPG Says Virgin Streaming Media Europe 78349 aspx For example Youview notes that the Youview app for Android has been optimised for the following smartphones Samsung Galaxy S3 Samsung Galaxy S2 LG Nexus 4 HTC One S and Samsung Galaxy Ace Contract free prices for these smartphones vary from 200 to more than 400 https play google com store apps details id com youview Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Figure 6 take up of mobile devices by socio economic group 2012 Take up BAB mCi mC2 mDE 80 60 58 60 40 Smart phone Tablet Smart TV 3 34 Possibly for similar reasons older people are much less likely to own a smartphone a recent survey found that while only 11 of those aged 65 74 and 2 of those aged 75 owned smartphones compared to over three quarters of 16 24 year olds A report published late last year cited similar findings indicating that 13 of those aged 65 or more owned smart phones and 5 owned tablets This suggests that those most likely to have visual impairments are least likely to own a mobile phone or tablet 3 35 Even those with a smartphone may not have one compatible with relevant apps At the time of writing none worked with Blackberry Windows or Nokia mobile devices
16. asible Section 2 Legal framework and background Introduction 2 1 In this section we set out some context for the call for inputs including a the duties placed upon Ofcom and requirements imposed on EPG providers in relation to the accessibility and usability of EPGs b the estimated number and circumstances of people with visual impairments and the range of conditions leading to sight loss and c the particular circumstances of older people who account for the majority of those with visual impairments Duties of Ofcom and requirements imposed on EPG providers Statutory provisions 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 Ofcom has specific duties in relation to the accessibility of EPGs set out in section 310 of the Communications Act 2003 the Act In particular these are to draw up and from time to time review and revise a code giving guidance as to the practices to be followed in the provision of electronic programme guides section 310 1 Section 310 3 provides that the practices to be required by the code must include the incorporation of such features in electronic programme guides as Ofcom consider appropriate for securing that persons with disabilities affecting their sight or hearing or both a are able so far as practicable to make use of such guides for all the same purposes as persons without such disabilities and b are informed about and are able to make use of whatever assistance for disable
17. by the usual remote control As viewers move through channels the Sky Talker will announce the channel number channel name and programme name automatically The Sky Talker also provides verbal feedback when the Sky Pause Play and Rewind buttons on the remote control are used However the remote control does not vocalise the EPG so it does not enable users to hear information about programmes in the future 8 This may change over time if more manufacturers make use of the same chipsets securing economies of scale as happened when manufacturers of TV receivers and set top boxes adopted chipsets that enabled audio description now standard in most TV equipment Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Figure 4 Sky Talker with connection cables 3 21 5o Ri 3 a x Nonetheless some visually impaired viewers clearly value the Sky Talker device It allows me to mooch around and find something want to watch That s a simple pleasure haven t been able to experience since I lost my sight more than a decade ago It feels good Mobile devices 3 22 3 23 3 24 Freesat Freeview Sky Virgin YouView have developed apps for installation on devices on certain but not all mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets Most work with iOS or Android operating systems but not with other systems The apps are aimed primarily at people without visual impairments
18. charge of making sure we follow our own guidelines and reach out to the largest number of people and organisations interested in the outcome of our decisions Ofcom s Consultation Champion will also be the main person to contact with views on the way we run these processes see paragraph A1 23 below A1 20 If we are not able to follow one of these principles we will explain why After the call for inputs A1 21 We think it is important for everyone interested in an issue to see the responses of others to the call for inputs We would usually publish all the responses we have received on our website In our statement we will give reasons for our decisions and will give an account of how the views of those concerned helped shape those decisions A1 22 Ofcom seeks to ensure that responding to a call for inputs is easy as possible If you have any comments or suggestions on how Ofcom conducts the process please call our helpdesk on 020 7981 3003 or e mail us at consult ofcom org uk We would particularly welcome thoughts on how Ofcom could more effectively seek the views of those groups or individuals such as small businesses or particular types of residential consumers who are less likely to give their opinions through a formal consultation 31 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible A1 23 If you would like to discuss these issues or Ofcom s consultation processes more generall
19. d by DigitalEurope and taken to the International Electrotechnical Commission IEC This led to the IEC setting up a project group and creating International Standard IEC 62731 2013 Text to speech for television General requirements IEC 62731 2013 specifies the text to speech functionality for digital television receivers such as set top boxes integrated digital TVs recorders and other products whose primary function is to receive TV content b the underlying technology is now widely available and can be licensed as middleware applications from a number of suppliers such as Ocean Blue Nuance and Wizzard or developed from readily available open source software available from the web The technology can be embodied in middleware on a range of chipsets obtainable from a variety of suppliers including STMicroelectronics RC Systems and Toshiba c the technology is not expensive AT amp T researchers have demonstrated the ability to provide an EPG with voice recognition and text to speech using commodity hardware and software to reduce barriers to entry Industry sources have told Ofcom that chipsets incorporating text to speech are available at a modest premium to chipsets without this capability Ofcom notes that text to speech technology has been incorporated in a wide range of modestly priced consumer devices often as an ancillary rather than mainstream feature and d text to speech is a relatively mature technology that has bee
20. d people is provided in relation to the programmes listed or promoted Ofcom s duties under section 310 do not extend to improving the usability of EPGs in relation to non broadcast content However section 10 of the Act gives Ofcom a duty to take such steps and to enter into such arrangements as appears to it calculated to encourage others to secure a that domestic electronic communications apparatus is developed which is capable of being used with ease and without modification by the widest possible range of individuals including those with disabilities and b that domestic electronic communications apparatus which is capable of being so used is as widely available as possible for acquisition by those wishing to use it Section 10 also says that Ofcom has a duty from time to time to review whether further steps are needed or further arrangements should be entered into for the purpose of performing the duty summarised above Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible 2 6 In carrying out its duties Ofcom must have regard to a range of factors set out in section 3 of the Act including the needs of persons with disabilities of the elderly and of those on low incomes section 3 4 i Further under section 3 5 in furthering the interests of consumers Ofcom must have regard in particular to the interests of those consumers in respect of choice price quality of service and value
21. d television viewer demonstrated at Ofcom s roundtable how he was able to use TTS to navigate different levels of the EPG on his Panasonic television He had been unable to use conventional EPGs but was now able to use the TTS enabled EPG to find out what was on and to turn on audio description He particularly valued the independence that a speaking EPG provided Similar sentiments were expressed by a blind TV viewer reviewing the Panasonic for RNIB s website 23 Goodmans Smart Talk Freeview box Which November 2010 http www which co uk technology tv and dvd reviews ns goodmans smart talk freeview box Source Bush BHAS0O3 set top box http www bushaustralia com au details aspx pid 229 amp stid 9 Source Hills Talking set top box http www hillsantenna com au talkingstb 3 9 3 10 3 11 3 12 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible The text to speech is really important because again don t have enough sight to be able to see the text on screen so if don t have speech in the television to tell me what channel I m watching or what s coming up next on the electronic programme guide l m really kind of fumbling around in the dark Male TV viewer A viewer with partial vision also found this feature useful have central vision loss and am reviewing my new Panasonic TV with Voice Guidance am by no means a techy type but did find
22. e UK s ageing population leading to an increase in the number of people with age related macular degeneration and cataracts Visual impairment has many causes 2 14 2 15 The five main causes of visual impairment are age related macular degeneration cataracts diabetic retinopathy glaucoma and refractive errors a age related macular degeneration AMD is an incurable eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in older people AMD occurs with degeneration of the macula which is the part of the retina that enables central vision and seeing fine detail Damage to the macula results in central vision loss According to the Access Economics research people with AMD accounted for 16 7 of all those who are blind or partially sighted and a higher proportion of those who are blind rather than partially sighted b cataracts formed from clumps of protein on the surface of the eye s lens that have the effect of scattering light can result in clouding of a small area of the lens Over time the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens making it hard to see They often occur in older people People with cataracts comprise 13 7 of the blind and partially sighted c glaucoma is a group of diseases that can lead to damage to the eye s optic nerve and result in blindness Glaucoma accounts for 5 3 of those who are blind or partially sighted d diabetes retinopathy DR is a complication that can arise from diabetes a gro
23. e end of the response period Ofcom intends to consider the responses with a view to deciding whether or not to consult on specific proposals You can register to receive free mail Updates alerting you to the publications of relevant Ofcom documents For more details please see http www ofcom org uk static subscribe select_list htm Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Ofcom s consultation processes A1 15 Ofcom has published the following seven principles that it will follow for each public written consultation Before the call for inputs A1 16 Where possible we will hold informal talks with people and organisations before announcing a big consultation to find out whether we are thinking in the right direction If we do not have enough time to do this we will hold an open meeting to explain our proposals shortly after announcing the consultation During the call for inputs A1 17 We will be clear about who we are seeking views from why on what questions and for how long A1 18 Wewill make the document as short and simple as possible with a summary of no more than two pages We will try to make it as easy as possible to give us a written response If the consultation is complicated we may provide a shortened Plain English Guide for smaller organisations or individuals who would otherwise not be able to spare the time to share their views A1 19 A person within Ofcom will be in
24. ed people watched more television than those without sight impairments For a number of reasons this is hardly surprising a many will have watched television regularly before their sight became impaired and will not want to give up a familiar and enjoyable pastime b many will live in a household with sighted people and will want to share in the same activities c many television programmes have a significant audio component e g news and can be followed without vision some are accompanied by audio description a narrative fitted in within the dialogue explaining what is happening on screen d people with visual impairments are likely to have more leisure time than those without Many are of retirement age others may be unemployed Older people in particular are likely to have more leisure time than people of working age but have less money to spend on leisure activities and be less able to engage in physically demanding activities and e television helps people to cope with social isolation to which older people are prone Between 30 to 40 of older people in the UK live alone 14 of them have no living children rising to 23 among the very old Some older people are effectively housebound for much of the day Despite this most people who are blind or visually impaired are likely to find using a conventional EPG difficult or impossible How different levels of sight loss affect vision 2 17 The extent of sight
25. es easy for older adults usability studies of electronic program guide s Any time you start talking about the android OS as it relates to the visually impaired community the same thing always comes up The complexity of it all This phone works really well this phone doesn t this one doesn t at first but if you add this and take this away Install this You re going to have to uninstall this preloaded software honestly It s all quite ridiculous Blogger 12 AnonyMouse I have to agree completely source My experience with an Android product and my return to the iPhone applevis com 24 October 2013 http applevis com forum ios ios app discussion my experience android product and my return Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible impairments Ofcom would particularly welcome the views of people with visual impairments and groups representing their interests on the issues raised below Q1 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that apps for mobile devices have the potential to be useful for those people with visual impairments who feel confident using touch screen technology and can afford a suitable mobile device If not why not Q2 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that apps for mobile devices are less likely to meet the needs of the majority of visually impaired people who are 65 or older both because they are l
26. ess likely either to own a suitable mobile phone and because touch screen apps present a number of actual and perceived barriers to use If not why not Q4 Do respondents consider that would it be reasonable for visually impaired viewers to pay more than sighted viewers for the ability to use EPGs or substitutes for the same purposes as sighted viewers If so why Q5 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that the speaking EPGs integrated into TVs and set top boxes may be easier for people with visual impairments to use than touch screen apps If not why not 25 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Section 4 What are the barriers to speaking EPGs Introduction 4 1 In this section we consider the progress that has been made towards overcoming the barriers to adopting text to speech for EPGs We also invite views on remaining barriers to implementation and how these might be overcome Progress towards facilitating text to speech capability in EPGs 4 2 Ofcom s understanding is that many of the barriers to the adoption of text to speech for EPGs have now been surmounted In particular Ofcom notes that a there are now widely accepted technical standards The Digital TV Group which comprises manufacturers broadcasters and organisations representing sensory impaired viewers has completed a technical specification for Text to Speech which was later adopte
27. fcom can disregard any standard e mail text about not disclosing email contents and attachments non confidential in whole or in part and you would prefer us to Ofcom seeks to publish responses on receipt If your response is C publish your response only once the consultation has ended please tick here Name Signed if hard copy 33
28. for money Ofcom s Code on Electronic Programme Guides 2 7 Paragraph 6 of Ofcom s Code on Electronic Programme Guides the Code sets out general principles with which EPG providers must comply Amongst these is a requirement in particular to make such adjustments to their EPGs as are practicable to secure that they can be used by people with disabilities affecting their sight or hearing for all the same purposes as they are used by other people 2 8 Paragraph 7 of the Code says that Ofcom expects EPG providers to consult disability groups about the way they meet their obligations under the code 2 9 Paragraph 8 of the Code notes that much of the functionality of EPGs is dependent upon set top box hardware and software as well as the data made available by broadcasters but makes clear that Ofcom expects the needs of people with disabilities affecting their sight or hearing to be an integral part of planning for the future development of EPGs 2 10 In section 4 we discuss the accessibility features that are already incorporated in EPGs including some with text to speech People with visual impairments The number of people with visual impairments is significant and expected to grow 2 11 Research undertaken by Access Economics estimated the prevalence of visual impairment in the UK population by age gender and ethnicity in 2008 On this basis it was estimated that 1 8 million people had partial sight
29. hearing for all the same purposes as they are used by other people 1 The Communications Market Report United Kingdom Ofcom August 2013 http stakeholders ofcom org uk market data research market data communications market reports cmr13 uk Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible 1 7 The practices we can require extend only to the use of EPGs in relation to the listing or promotion of programmes included in programmes services TV channels not to programmes included in catch up or other on demand services However given our other duties also summarised in section 2 we want to encourage relevant parties to ensure that those parts of EPGs that provide a gateway to catch up and other on demand services are also accessible to people with visual impairments We think speaking EPGs could be the best way of helping people with visual impairments to make better of use programme guides 1 8 1 9 1 10 1 11 EPG providers have already incorporated a variety of accessibility features in their EPGs including features that allow high contrast displays a choice of colours for backgrounds and text the ability to magnify text and audible cues for programmes with audio description Some have also developed apps that can be used with mobile devices such as phones or tablets to voice information about TV programmes and control some aspects of the TV We summarise these in sectio
30. help people with visual impairments and are they feasible 3 31 3 32 than would incorporating text to speech in a set top box which could take three years 33 or SO As Sky Talker is supplied by Sky it is more likely that Sky will ensure that it remains compatible with its set top boxes Although the Sky Talker is reported to be easily installed with the help of a sighted person Sky will make an engineer available to install and demonstrate the unit if necessary EPG providers can externalise some of the costs of providing TTS by using apps for mobile devices as TTS functionality is provided by the device manufacturer and the consumer is responsible for purchasing the device Incorporating TTS in future set top boxes would require EPG providers to undertake additional development work with little or no prospect of commercial payback Potential disadvantages 3 33 Visually impaired people must pay for any secondary devices they want but these may not be affordable to all Many are likely to be of pensionable age see section 3 on modest incomes People of working age may have relatively small incomes because their visual impairments make it difficult to find well paid employment or indeed any job Compatible mobile devices may not be cheap Unsurprisingly fewer people in lower socio economic groups own smart phones and tablets than those in higher groups see Figure 6 below 33 lan Mecklenburgh Virgin Media speaking at
31. iews and any evidence you can provide 1 12 Ofcom would welcome responses from any people or organisations with an interest in this issue in particular from visually impaired TV viewers and EPG providers We have asked some specific questions in this document but would also welcome any other comments in relation to the issues considered in this document Annex 1 explains how you can respond to this document including by phone if you would find that more convenient This document is available on Ofcom s website in a PDF version which is compatible with most screen readers We have also prepared an audio version of this document Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible which can be found on Ofcom s website at http Awww ofcom org uk static consultations 7940 speaking tv speaking tv mp3 Please note that the audio version may take some time to load If you would like this document in an alternative format or another languages you can call our Advisory Team from Monday to Friday between 09 00 and 17 00 on 020 7981 3040 or 0300 123 3333 If you are deaf or soeech impaired you can use our textphone numbers which are 020 7981 3043 or 0300 123 2024 We will consider all reasonable requests We explain in Annex 1 how you can respond to this document including by phone if you would find that more convenient Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they fe
32. il post or fax you can download a copy of the coversheet in Word or RTF format from the Consultations section of our website at www ofcom org uk consult For larger responses particularly those with supporting charts tables or other data please email jacopo genovese ofcom org uk attaching your response in Microsoft Word format together with the coversheet If you would like to phone in your response you can call 020 7981 3725 Please put any parts of your response you consider should be kept confidential in a separate annex to your response and include your reasons why this part of your response should not be published This can include information such as your personal background and experience If you want your name address other contact details or job title to remain confidential please provide them in your cover sheet only so that we don t have to edit your response 29 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Ai 8 Ai 9 A1 10 Responses may alternatively be posted or faxed to the address below marked with the title of the consultation Jacopo Genovese 5 Floor Riverside House 2A Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HA Fax 020 7981 3806 If we are able to publish responses before the consultation period closes this can help those individuals and organisations with limited resources or familiarity with the issues to respond in a more informed way For
33. l and perceived barriers to use If not why not Q4 Do respondents consider that would it be reasonable for visually impaired viewers to pay more than sighted viewers for the ability to use EPGs or substitutes for the same purposes as sighted viewers If so why Q5 Do respondents agree with Ofcom s initial assessment that the speaking EPGs integrated into TVs and set top boxes may be easier for people with visual impairments to use than touch screen apps If not why not Questions on which Ofcom would particularly welcome the views of TV service providers both subscription and free to air manufacturers technology providers and others with relevant expertise Q6 Do pay TV service providers such as Sky Virgin Talk Talk and BT TV see additional obstacles that would prevent them from committing to including text to speech capabilities in the next planned upgrades to the receivers they offer to subscribers If so what are these obstacles Absent regulation would these Ai 3 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible obstacles make it impossible on commercial grounds to commit to the necessary investment Q7 If the cost of providing speech enabled receivers to all those who subscribe to particular pay TV services would entail a substantial delay to the roll out of such receivers to all subscribers would it be feasible quicker and more cost effective to offer suitable equipment first
34. levision than if it requires the user or someone on their behalf to pair a third party device using wi fi A broader range of visually impaired people may find it easier to use integrated TTS as it can be activated by the remote control which many will find simpler to use than say a touch screen device such as a smart phone or tablet In any case some alternatives e g Sky Talker YouView app still require the user to operate the remote control Speaking EPGs integrated into televisions and set top boxes may be less susceptible to unplanned software changes that may conflict with the speaking EPG particularly where the EPG provider controls software changes Within the last two years TV manufacturers have begun to make integrated speaking EPGs on their mid range TVs as well as those at the higher end and one now makes integrated speaking EPGs in all new TVs Potential disadvantages 3 18 3 19 TV receivers with integrated TTS enabled EPGs remain relatively expensive Although some TVOnics and Goodmans branded set top boxes equipped with speaking EPGs remain Ofcom understands that they are no longer being manufactured Most speaking EPGs do not have easily accessible instructions and require help from a sighted person to set up Secondary devices Sky Talker 3 20 In 2011 Sky launched the Sky Talker which was developed in association with the RNIB When connected to a Sky box the Sky Talker can be controlled
35. m Indeed it is clear from some blogs used by technically literate blind users that even they find some ancillary devices too complex to use easily 3 40 Secondary devices often have more limited functionality than conventional EPGs and do not provide access to all the information that would be provided in an EPG see Figure 5 above The Sky Talker for example does not read out text from most of the EPG nor does it replace the need to use a remote control to operate the EPG Input sought 3 41 Ofcom would welcome views from respondents on any of the issues raised in this paper or pertinent to the issue of accessibility to EPGs for people with visual Consumer research with older old consumers and those living with cognitive physical and sensory disabilities September 2012 Payments Council p 25 http Awww paymentscouncil org uk files oayments council payments council olicis and toynbee hall older old and disability report 24 10 12 final pdf Ibid 4 Hedden Trey amp Gabrieli John D E Insights into the ageing mind a view from cognitive neuroscience Nature Reviews Neuroscience 5 87 96 February 2004 http www nature com nrn journal v5 n2 abs nrn 1 323 html How Can We Make IT Appliances Easy for Older Adults Usability Studies of Electronic Program Guide System Noriyo Hara Toshiya Naka and Etsuko T Harada December 2009 http www intechopen com books human computer interaction now can we make it applianc
36. n 3 Ofcom s understanding is that these features are helpful to some people with visual impairments but do not meet the needs of all particularly those with no useful vision and those with restricted vision who may struggle to afford or use unfamiliar devices Ofcom has considered whether there may be scope for EPG providers to do more to improve the usability of their EPGs In particular we have sought to assess the potential for speaking EPGs having regard to commercial and technological developments and to the discussions we have had with several of the leading EPG providers We have also considered representations from the Royal National Institute of Blind People RNIB On the basis of information gathered so far Ofcom considers that a including features in EPGs that allow text to be voiced so called text to speech or TTS may make it much easier for people with visual impairments to use EPGs for more of the same purposes as sighted people b it may now be practicable for providers to incorporate such features in future versions of their EPGs and c ancillary devices and applications that some EPG providers are offering as an alternative are likely to be helpful to some visually impaired TV viewers but may be difficult to use and expensive to afford for many visually impaired viewers so may not be adequate substitutes We now wish to seek evidence and comments in relation to these propositions We would welcome your v
37. n successfully deployed in a growing range of specialist and consumer devices including screen readers used by people with visual impairments to read computer screens both as separate products and bundled with popular computer operating systems as well as TVs set top boxes smart phones tablets and e Books i Text to speech for television General requirement International Electrotechnical Commission http Avebstore iec ch Webstore webstore nsf Artnum PK 47506 EPG Speech Access to Program Guides for People with Disabilities Michael Johnston amp Amanda Stent October 2010 http www research att com export sites att_labs people Johnston Michael J library publications ass ets paper 2010 pdf Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Early versions that produced robotic synthesised outputs have been succeeded by those using more natural sounding speech What are the remaining barriers to implementation 4 3 Ofcom would welcome input from TV service providers both subscription and free to air manufacturers technology providers and others with relevant expertise on any remaining barriers to implementation and how these might be overcome In particular Q6 Do pay TV service providers such as Sky Virgin Talk Talk and BT TV see additional obstacles that would prevent them from committing to including text to speech capabilities in the next planned upgrades to the receivers they
38. or blindness in 2008 of whom 1 13 million 63 were female and 664 000 37 were male About 218 000 people were estimated to have no sight of whom 140 000 64 3 were female and 78 000 35 7 were male 2 12 The research found that there are people of all ages with visual impairments but that the group is skewed heavily towards older people The research suggested that of the estimated 1 8 million blind and partially sighted people in the UK in 2008 just under a quarter 418 810 were under 65 years old and more than three quarters 1 378 178 were 65 or older These numbers excluded the many more people who can see reasonably well with prescription lenses but who may struggle when reading an EPG Code on Electronic Programme Guides Ofcom htt stakeholders ofcom org uk broadcasting broadcast codes epg code The economic impact of partial sight and blindness in the UK adult population July 2009 Access Economics http www rnib org uk aboutus Research reports otherresearch Pages fsluk1 aspx Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible 2 13 Applying these prevalence rates to future population projections the research also estimated how the numbers of people might change over the next few decades On this basis the total of those with partial sight and blindness in the UK was projected to grow to 2 262 124 by 2020 and to over 4 million by 20504 Much of this would be driven by th
39. ortant in particular for less confident VoiceOver users If had not double tapped the programme wouldn t have known that this was the way in which programmes can be set to record Initial assessment of secondary devices 3 28 Inthe light of feedback from users and lobby groups Ofcom has identified a number of potential advantages and disadvantages of TTS enabled secondary devices Potential advantages 3 29 Youview points out that enabling the EPG to be controlled by a broad range of mobile devices e g smartphones and tablets and assistive equipment e g sip and puff devices for people with people with disabilities affecting the use of their upper limbs means that it has the potential to benefit a wide range of people with disabilities than an EPG that simply incorporated TTS 3 30 Virgin suggested in 2011 that the development of apps that can be used with text to speech features on mobile devices Such as VoiceOver on an Apple device or TalkBack on an Android device would allow for speedier provision of accessibility 31 Andre Louis an i Phone 4S user whose views were sought by Virgin Media https www actionforblindpeople org uk your community blogs andre louis virgin media tv anywhere app for ios podcast review Sonali Rai visually impaired staff member of RNIB http www rnib org uk livinqwithsightloss computersphones updates techknowmore Lists Posts Post a spx id 167 21 Speaking TV guides would they
40. s allow users to switch to different features of the app When a button with TTS readable labelling is selected the TTS facility will explain what As of April 2014 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible features the button provides access to Without these labels users would not know what the buttons were for so would be unable to make progress Similarly the Virgin Media apps do not prompt users to insert a PIN when this is required which would bring the process to a halt 3 26 It should be noted that performance and capabilities are subject to change as new versions of the apps are developed and as new devices come on to the market User feedback 3 27 Virgin Media s app regarded by RNIB was one of the more accessible received some positive feedback from blind users For a blind person this app is priceless For a long time some of us have had Tivo boxes but no way to use them Now that s all changed give a thumbs up to VirginMedia for their efforts can now access the features of a box I ve been paying for that until recently only my sighted wife was able to benefit from properly The TV guide was quite accessible I really liked the simplicity of the layout was able to find my way around the TV guide with no difficulty However one thing did note was the inconsistency in button labelling The absence of button labelling is very imp
41. severe mild or moderate sight loss that do not include a sighted adult 2 28 The net result is likely to be that many viewers with visual impairments face a restricted choice of viewing Indeed a survey carried out in 2008 found that people with visual impairments who could not see the EPG tended to watch a more limited repertoire of channels than others They relied heavily on memorising channel numbers and had to relearn them when channels were re ordered This was echoed in the discussion at Ofcom s roundtable Some people can find other ways of substituting for conventional EPGs but older viewers face additional barriers to coping with sight loss 2 29 The impact of visual impairment will also vary according to the personal circumstances of each person Some people who were born with visual impairments or acquire them early on in life have grown up with the use of assistive devices As a result they may be adept at making use of the text to speech facilities offered by computers equipped with screen reading software and a variety of other devices including some smartphones At Ofcom s roundtable a blind person demonstrated how a smartphone app could be used to find out information about TV programmes but also how complex and non intuitive this process might be for most people 2 30 Older people who comprise the large majority of those with visual impairments can face additional barriers to coping with sight loss a those
42. the setting up straightforward Once the voice guidance is set up you use your TV like any other The difference is you have far more control information and choice It is absolutely brilliant to be able to surf the channels and hear what channel you are on what programme is showing and what programmes are coming up 7 Female TV viewer with central vision loss The same viewer welcomed the fact that the software is built into the mainstream product and is no additional expense or hassle Participants in Ofcom s roundtable hoped that speaking EPGs would be incorporated in consumer receivers and a pay TV operator told the roundtable that this view had been echoed by a focus group of visually impaired viewers that it had convened They preferred the EPG to be accessible through the TV rather than through secondary devices The Australian Government commissioned a trial involving customers who were blind or had a vision impairment living in the Regional Victoria switchover area as well as a small control group of sighted scheme customers Among other things the research found that a the survey showed nine out of ten respondents 88 had adopted the talking remote control as their main remote control and nearly three quarters of trialists 71 rated it as excellent or very good b the two most useful functions of the talking set top boxes were the talking menus 70 rate these as very or quite useful and
43. this reasons Ofcom encourages respondents to indicate on the coversheet that Ofcom may publish their responses upon receipt rather than waiting until the period for responses has ended If you submit your response via the online webform or by e mail we do not need a hard copy as well Ofcom will acknowledge receipt of responses if they are submitted using the online web form but not otherwise Publication of responses A1 11 A1 12 A1 13 We believe it is important for everyone interested in an issue to see the views expressed by consultation respondents We will therefore usually publish all responses on our website www ofcom org uk ideally on receipt If you think your response should be kept confidential can you please specify what part or whether all of your response should be kept confidential and specify why Please also place such parts in a separate annex If someone asks us to keep part or all of a response confidential we will treat this request seriously and will try to respect this But sometimes we will need to publish all responses including those that are marked as confidential in order to meet legal obligations Please also note that copyright and all other intellectual property in responses will be assumed to be licensed to Ofcom to use Ofcom s approach on intellectual property rights is explained further on its website at http www ofcom org uk about accoun disclaimer Next steps A1 14 Following th
44. to EPG providers may be appropriate Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Contents Section 1 Summary 2 Legal framework and background 3 EPG accessibility features 4 What are the barriers to speaking EPGs Annex 1 Responding to this call for inputs Page 14 26 Page 28 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Section 1 Summary Call for inputs 1 1 In this call for inputs Ofcom is seeking the views of interested parties in particular of visually impaired viewers and TV service providers on the benefits of and scope for on screen programme guides often known as Electronic Programme Guides or EPGs that can read out programme information Please send us your response by 8 September Annex 1 explains how this can be done Many people who are blind or visually impaired can find EPGs on television difficult or impossible to use 1 2 1 3 1 4 Most TV viewers are familiar with the on screen programme guides or EPGs that come with our digital TV services whether provided by Freeview Freesat Sky Virgin BT or TalkTalk On average people watch just over 4 hours of TV a day and these guides play an important part in helping viewers choose live programmes make recordings and select catch up or other on demand content to view Most of us take these EPGs for granted However as we explain in section 2
45. to viewers with visual impairments Q8 Do respondents consider that would it be reasonable to expect visually impaired viewers to pay extra for equipment that allows them to use EPGs or substitutes for the same purposes as sighted viewers If so why Q9 Do licensors such as Freesat and Freeview see obstacles to using their leverage to require manufacturers to incorporate speaking EPGs in future versions of products authorised to use their brands such as Freetime and Freeview Connect Q10 What are the main types of cost that pay TV service providers would face in incorporating speaking EPG features into the next generation of their set top boxes Q11 What is the scope for connected platforms to avoid the need for specific TTS provision within consumer equipment by using cloud based resources e g speech files on a central server delivered to the device as required If you want to discuss the issues and questions raised in this call for inputs or need advice on the appropriate form of response please contact Jack Genovese at jacopo genovese ofcom org uk or on 020 7981 3725 How to respond Ai 4 A1 5 A1 6 A1 7 If you are able to respond via the online web form please do so This incorporates the coversheet shown at the end of this Annex Completing the coversheet helps us to speed up our processing of responses and to ascertain whether you would like any of your response kept confidential If you are responding by ema
46. ts and are they feasible enough to recognise a friend across the room or to read a large print book Most people who are blind or visually impaired are categorised as having mild sight loss 63 but as this cannot be corrected by lenses even they may not recognise a friend across the road and will face difficulty seeing buttons on a remote control or seeing the picture on a TV screen 2 18 Thus even those with mild visual impairments would face considerable difficulties in using a conventional EPG In effect they must work much harder than viewers without sight impairments to decipher and use on screen information Depending on the amount and type of vision they have they may have to a sit very close to the screen and use magnification to be able to read information in an EPG b spend longer scanning the screen because of their limited field of vision and c concentrate much harder to work out what they need to know based on the limited amount of information they can glean Ofcom s roundtable 2 19 Toimprove our understanding of how visual impairment affects people s use of EPGs Ofcom convened a roundtable with visually impaired people in April 2014 The roundtable was also attended by the major EPG providers Sky Virgin YouView Freesat and Digital UK which manages the Freeview EPG and by groups representing the interests of blind and visually impaired people the RNIB the Macular Society and the Ro
47. ttp www uwpsychiatry org sls Intell 20Dev 20in 20Adulthood pdf 13 Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Section 3 EPG accessibility features Introduction 3 1 Many EPGs already incorporate features for people with visual impairments In this section we summarise a the relevant accessibility features in EPGs offered by the most popular TV services both subscription and free to air b EPGs and TV programme guides that use text to speech whether integrated into TV receivers both TVs and set top boxes or made available through secondary devices such as the Sky Talker or apps for smartphones and tablets Accessibility features of EPGs on most popular TV platforms 3 2 The table below identifies the main accessibility features on the most popular TV platforms both subscription and free to air Figure 2 EPG accessibility features in the most popular TV services YouView Freeview Freesat Youview including for BT TV Freetime Yes Some Accessibility including Settings Freetime boxes which allow changes to transparency of dialogue boxes AD setting AD setting in AD settings AD All Freeview All Freesat i menu AD in menu AD activation HD products products activation buttonon from have AD have access 16 As of April 2014 1 Based on Sky Digibox Sky SkyHD Sky HD Thomson box Sky HD BSkyB Pace and Samsung boxes 18
48. up of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar DR can result in micro aneurysms on the tiny blood vessels inside the retina As the disease progresses some blood vessels that nourish the retina are blocked causing vision loss People with DR account for 3 5 of those who are blind or partially sighted and e in their more extreme forms irreversible refractive errors e g short or long sightedness can result in profound sight loss including blindness that cannot be corrected with refractive lenses People with refractive errors account for 53 5 of those who are blind or partially sighted Less common conditions such as neuro ophthalmic disorders main disorders in children retinitis pigmentosa and other retinal conditions account for the remaining prevalence of partial sight and blindness These account for 7 4 of those who are blind or partially sighted 4 The economic impact of partial sight and blindness in the UK adult population July 2009 Access Economics p 45 http www rnib org uk sites default files FSUK_ Report pdf Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible TV is important to blind and visually impaired people Contrary to what people might think blind and partially sighted people do watch a lot of TV and would certainly put myself in that category Male TV viewer 2 16 A survey commissioned by Ofcom in 2006 found that blind and visually impair
49. who have retired and rely upon pensions may be unable to afford devices incorporating assistive technology or reluctant to risk the expenditure because they are unsure how much it will help and b while some remain in full possession of other faculties older people often experience a decline in some of their abilities including visual and auditory 10 Mark David Rice A Study of Television and Visual Impairment Prospects for the Accessibility of Interactive Television 2002 http homepages abdn ac uk j masthoff pages EurolT V03 Posters Poster3 pdf Study on Access to Smart Meter Benefits for Blind and Partially Sighted Consumers SQW in partnership with i2 media research and Astutim March 2013 https www gov uk government uploads system uploads attachment_data file 175653 access to sm art meter benefits for bps consumers pdf People with visual impairments and communications services July 2008 Ofcom http stakeholders ofcom org uk market data research other tv research visual A recent report suggests that the average pension pot is under 37 000 and that this would generate a retirement income of just 1 340 a year resulting in a very modest supplement to the state pension Help to save defusing the pensions timebomb Policy Exchange January 2014 htt www policyexchange org uk images publications help 20to 20save pdf Research suggests that the impact of conditions and impairments associated with very old age
50. y you can contact Graham Howell Secretary to the Corporation who is Ofcom s consultation champion Graham Howell Ofcom Riverside House 2a Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HA Tel 020 7981 3601 Email Graham Howell ofcom org uk Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Cover sheet for response to an Ofcom consultation BASIC DETAILS Consultation title To Ofcom contact Name of respondent Representing self or organisation s Address if not received by email CONFIDENTIALITY Please tick below what part of your response you consider is confidential giving your reasons why Nothing Name contact details job title Whole response E Organisation Part of the response If there is no separate annex which parts If you want part of your response your name or your organisation not to be published can Ofcom still publish a reference to the contents of your response including for any confidential parts a general summary that does not disclose the specific information or enable you to be identified DECLARATION confirm that the correspondence supplied with this cover sheet is a formal consultation response that Ofcom can publish However in supplying this response understand that Ofcom may need to publish all responses including those which are marked as confidential in order to meet legal obligations If have sent my response by email O
51. yal Blind Scottish War Blinded charity 2 20 The visually impaired people at the roundtable talked about their experience of using 2 21 or not using EPGs to find out about TV programmes as well as other means of finding out what was on TV All found using conventional EPGs either difficult or impossible One participant reported that his peripheral vision meant that he had to scan and rescan the EPG in order to decipher the information it provided Figure 1 below gives an impression of what someone with peripheral vision might see Speaking TV guides would they help people with visual impairments and are they feasible Source RNIB 2 22 2 23 2 24 2 25 2 26 Another participant explained that although she was able with difficulty to see portions of the EPG she found the whole process too onerous and instead used her laptop computer to find and view films and TV programmes even though she would have preferred to watch programmes on a larger TV screen The use of speaking mobile phone apps to find out about TV programmes was also demonstrated Those who were tech savvy found them a useful tool However they also felt that the complexity of the layered menus which were not always intuitive would make them difficult for some people to use A few participants had used speaking EPGs explained in more detail in section 3 and those who had not encountered them hoped that they could be become more
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