REPORT TO SET TEN YEAR DTT TARGET

THE ITC will issue a revised code on the week beginning July 9 setting out the interim subtitling targets which digital terrestrial television (DTT) services must achieve over the next ten years to ensure they meet Government's new increased requirement for subtitling of 80 per cent of programming, announced yesterday.
The interim targets will ensure a smooth progression towards the new ten-year requirement, ensuring that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have even greater access to a wider choice of programmes whilst recognising that broadcasters using DTT should increase provision as their services become more widely available.
The revised requirement of 80 per cent represents an increase from the original figure of 50 per cent and now matches the requirements placed by the ITC on analogue ITV and Channel 4 (to be reached by 2004).
The digital versions of ITV and Channel 4 are already covered by this tighter requirement. The services covered by these new targets are those other channels carried on DTT, for example the Sky services carried by ONdigital, UK Gold, and Cartoon Network. The Government has announced that it intends to extend subtitling requirements to digital satellite and cable through its new Communications legislation planned for next year.
The revised code will be published on the ITC website at www.itc.org.uk. Copies will also be available from the ITC's Viewer Relations Unit on 0845 601 3608 or Minicom 020 7306 7753. (CD)