ITV To Make Subtitling Mandatory Across All Advertising By 2027

ITV is to make closed-caption subtitling mandatory for all advertising across its television channels and ITVX by January 2027.

The move will mean subtitles are available on advertisements from all of ITV's approximately 2,000 advertisers, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

As part of the initiative, ITV is introducing a low-cost subtitling service aimed specifically at new-to-TV SME advertisers. The service is intended to make the new requirement accessible to smaller brands, while supplementing ITV’s existing in-house production offering, which produces around 1,000 advertisements each year at cost.

ITV has also been working with larger advertisers to prepare for the introduction of the mandate.

The broadcaster has previously introduced a number of accessibility initiatives for advertising. These have included making audio description available during the Six Nations rugby through a partnership with Guinness, as well as a silent advertising break supporting the launch of the drama Code of Silence, during which advertisements ran without sound but included signing and/or subtitles.

The subtitling initiative comes as ITV continues efforts to attract more SMEs to television advertising. Its SME strategy has contributed to a 15% year-on-year increase in new-to-TV brands, with two-thirds of new-to-TV advertisers returning for an additional campaign.

ITV said the move to 100% subtitled advertising is intended to improve accessibility across its advertising inventory while ensuring that smaller advertisers can also meet the new requirement.

www.itv.com