For several months, hearing impaired individuals have been unable to access subtitles on their favorite RTÉ programs. Eamonn (78) and Theresa (83) Collins, an elderly couple with serious hearing issues, feel isolated since the subtitles suddenly disappeared from their favorite programs just before Christmas.
Their son Jason only noticed this problem last week and decided to take action. He realized that hundreds of hearing impaired individuals across the country were facing the same issue.
“My parents are deaf, and my sisters and I have full hearing, so we grew up using sign language and watching programs with subtitles, understanding how lonely this quiet world can be,” said Jason, who works as a radio presenter at East Coast FM.
Subtitles are crucial for individuals with hearing difficulties to be able to enjoy a program, as not everyone can read lip movements. Therefore, the absence of this service for the past few months must be incredibly isolating for thousands of people.
“I only found out about this when I was at my parents’ house in Lucan, County Dublin, and saw my mom watching the news without subtitles. She said they had been missing from live programs, such as news and the Late Late Show, for several months, but still appeared on recorded programs, like soap operas.
“Using our service, Virgin Media, I tried different TVs in the house, but I still couldn’t get subtitles.
“RTÉ recently discontinued teletext, which my mom used because she’s not great with smartphones and technology, but my dad is. Now there are no subtitles anymore. BBC has a fantastic subtitles service, so why do Irish stations seem to ignore people with hearing difficulties? They should be able to enjoy television just like everyone else, as they pay the license fee, like others.
“If this is a technical issue, why has it been going on for two months? In this day and age, when everything can be easily captioned, it should be simple to add subtitles.
“My parents are sorry, they feel more isolated, but they didn’t complain about it and didn’t tell me about the problem until I asked. How many other individuals with hearing difficulties are unable to watch basic RTÉ programs, such as news or the Late Late Show?
“They rely on subtitles, just like we rely on sound to understand the full picture of a program.
“According to statistics on the Irish Deaf Society’s website, there are over 103,000 people in Ireland with hearing difficulties, but many of them may not consider themselves part of the deaf community.
“I filed a complaint with RTÉ, so I hope the situation will be resolved as quickly as possible and that individuals with hearing impairments will regain their voices while watching television.”
RTÉ’s statement says, “In late November, RTÉ became aware that some viewers of RTÉ programs on Virgin Media were experiencing difficulties in watching live subtitles. The issue does not affect the transmission of the programs themselves, but only pertains to live subtitles, those that are being captioned during the broadcast.
“It took some time to diagnose the exact problem, but we are working with Virgin Media Ireland and our suppliers to resolve it, and we hope to find a solution soon. RTÉ is proud to provide accessibility services and is committed to addressing these issues.”
Frequently Asked Questions About the Lack of Subtitles for Hearing Impaired Individuals on RTÉ Programs:
1. Why are hearing impaired individuals having trouble accessing subtitles on RTÉ programs?
The issue of missing subtitles on RTÉ programs has affected hearing impaired individuals for several months. Subtitles are essential for individuals with hearing difficulties to be able to enjoy a program. The absence of this service isolates hearing impaired individuals and prevents them from accessing their favorite television programs.
2. Why is the lack of subtitles particularly difficult for individuals with hearing difficulties?
Not everyone can read lip movements, so subtitles are extremely important for individuals with hearing difficulties. Subtitles allow them to understand the full picture of a program and enjoy it just like any other viewer.
3. Why are hearing impaired individuals dissatisfied with the situation?
Hearing impaired individuals, such as Eamonn and Theresa Collins, feel isolated and excluded from the media community. The lack of subtitles on their favorite programs prevents them from fully enjoying television, even though they pay the license fee.
4. What actions have been taken to address the problem?
Eamonn and Theresa’s son, Jason, noticed the problem and filed a complaint with RTÉ. RTÉ has acknowledged the issue and is working with Virgin Media Ireland and their suppliers to resolve the situation.
5. How many people are affected by this problem?
According to the Irish Deaf Society, there are over 103,000 individuals in Ireland with hearing difficulties. Many of them may be affected by the lack of subtitles on RTÉ programs.
Definitions of Key Terms Used in the Article:
– Subtitles: Textual description of spoken dialogue and sounds in television programs displayed on the screen for individuals with hearing difficulties to understand the program’s content.
– Isolation: A state in which a person feels detached or socially excluded.
– Deaf: Individuals who are unable to hear and cannot rely on natural hearing.
– License fee: The payment required for using a specific service, such as television.
Related Links Suggestions:
1. Irish Deaf Society
2. RTÉ Homepage
The source of the article is from the blog shakirabrasil.info