Charity urges television viewers to take part in major subtitling survey

Action on Hearing Loss is calling on television viewers who rely on subtitles to take part in a major survey which aims to identify problems within the television network that may affect the quality of subtitling.

Roger Wicks, Director of Policy at Action on Hearing Loss, says: “The quality of subtitling is the issue our members feel most strongly about, so we are delighted that Ofcom recognises quality is an important factor when it comes to the effectiveness of subtitling.

“Poor quality subtitling is not always about miss-spelt words or time lags. Radio frequencies, aerial configurations or geographical locations can also affect the availability and quality of subtitles.

"This survey aims to identify common themes and potential problem areas with a view to improving quality for viewers with hearing loss.”

The survey asks television viewers to share views about a particular programme or programmes where subtitling was of poor quality, the reason why it was poor, and what equipment the viewer was using, such as the make of the television or box set.

The survey can be taken at http://svy.mk/subtitlesurvey and Action on Hearing Loss will be passing the results to Ofcom, which is currently addressing the problems that contribute to poor quality subtitling.