Subtitling

One of our top priorities is subtitling on TV – and on films and DVD.

We are working hard to get television broadcasts in Europe subtitled, so that hard of hearing people can get the same information as hearing; have the same possibility to watch entertainment, films etc.

This of course applies to all other media like DVDs, video clips or broadcasting on the web.

Since several years we work together with contacts in the EP, and other ways to influence the decisions made in the field of telecommunications.

To help our members and others in this work, EFHOH regularly publish surveys and comparison documents, showing the rates of subtitling in the member countries. 

Audiovisual Media – accessible for all?

A new report called  “State of subtitling access in EU 2011” released during European Federation of Hard of Hearing People  Annual General Meeting in Vienna  on 8th of April 2011 reveals huge inequality for 51 million of deaf and hard of hearing people in EU.The report calls on the EU Member States to respect the rights of deaf and hard of hearing citizens to have full access to media via subtitling by 2020.

Easier done than said.....

Articles 11 and 14 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights confirm access to information and education as basic human rights.  The EU has recently adhered to UN Convention or Right of People with Disabilities. Still over 50 million of deaf or hard of hearing  European are deprived of basic human rights simply because they cannot hear programmes broadcasted on TV, they do not understand films in the cinema or plays in the theatre.

These reasons have pushed The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) to launch a pan European campaign in order promote subtitling in audiovisual media in all member states as the easiest solution to grant deaf and hard of hearing people full access to information society. During almost 10 years of our campaign we have gained valuable expertise on this issue which we would like to share with you by/thanks to this information leaflet. 

Our vision is the full inclusion of people with hearing loss in the society which will only be achieved by giving them full access to media and information. In our opinion 100% of programmes in public TV channels should be subtitled by 2020. 

To see the full report, clik the link below:

To see spanish translation:

Traducción al Español www.EDbN.org / 2011

EFHOH Survey on accessible E-communications

EFHOH Subtitling chart dec. -10 

Updated 2011-05-30