MeAC – Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe

Legislation/regulations

Analogue TV

The Media Act of 2006 obliges 95% of public broadcasts and 50% of commercial broadcasts to be subtitled by 2010. The legislation covers all Dutch stations, and the Dutch government is currently investigating the option to oblige RTL (broadcasting from Luxembourg) to comply as well. There are also requirements in relation to sign language, but only for public broadcasts.

‘Komfox’, a device which converts subtitles into a synthetic voice, will make television far more accessible for the blind. The supply of the ‘komfox’ device falls under the new legislation above and the device is offered to people with disabilities through funding.

Digital TV

The Netherlands switched over to digital terrestrial TV in December 2006 and the Dutch Media Act applies to digital as well as analogue TV. In advance of switch-off, the ‘Report of the Switch-off Committee’ recommended that “specific measures should be taken to improve access by people with hearing and sight disabilities to digital broadcasting services and related content” and that “EPGs and digital decoders should be designed so as to avoid exclusion due to disabilities or lack of knowledge of foreign languages.” Stichting Bartiméus accessibility foundation is currently involved in the development of accessible digital television, together with an anonymous market player / broadcasting company .

Other initiatives

The public service broadcaster provides signing on a voluntary basis for various programmes, including news and children’s programmes. Some audio description is also provided by the public service broadcaster, on a voluntary basis. The necessary reception equipment is available in the retail trade and the signal is automatically sent along with the programmes.

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