The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has called on broadcasters to ensure that audio descriptions are part of their content production process after finding strong interest from the general public.
More than one in four (42% of) UK adults aged 18–65 were interested in listening to television drama without the screen after listening to samples, the RNIB found.
Study participants listened to ‘described drama,’ which includes a television programme’s original soundtrack, including dialogue, music and sound effects mixed with audio description. The audio description provides detail and context, and can describe key elements of the drama such as body language and scenery.
The method is an established way for those with sight loss to ‘watch’ content, and is regularly used in films, television, theatre, and exhibitions to increase accessibility.
The study was carried out by Ipsos on behalf of the RNIB and featured an online survey of 1202 UK adults. Participants listened to between 60 and 90 seconds of audio content.
The programmes tested were Miss Marple, Poirot, Inspector Morse, Bosch Legacy, Stranger Things, and The Man in the High Castle.
More than half (58%) said that audio descriptions improved understanding beyond dialogue and sound effects, whilst 60% agreed that it reflected what was happening in a scene and 71% found it clear enough to follow.
Participants noted that described drama could be useful when travelling or commuting, and that it could offer a welcome break from screens.
Interest was highest amongst those who listen to podcasts and audiobooks, commuters, parents, and gamers.
Keeping blind and partially sighted people at the centre
The RNIB emphasised that the value of audio descriptions does not depend on whether a wider audience chooses to use them.
Sonali Rai, senior manager in the media, culture and immersive technologies team at the RNIB, said: “Audio description has always enabled blind and partially sighted people to follow stories that would otherwise be inaccessible.”
Rai added: “This research, however, asks whether the same creative work could also allow more people to stay with a programme when looking at a screen is not practical or desirable. The 42% finding gives us a compelling reason to test the idea over full episodes and see whether initial interest translates into sustained listening.”
Rai emphasised that, whilst wider interest in audio descriptions could lead to greater awareness and investment, “blind and partially sighted people must remain at the heart of how any future experience is developed and evaluated.”
The RNIB is now seeking partners to test described drama using full episodes, to determine how people choose the content, how long they listen to an episode for, and whether they return.
The findings were presented during RNIB’s Audio is King event, which was held at the Grimaldi Building in London last Thursday (10 September).
Lead image, left to right: John Paton and Sonali Rai from RNIB, Richard Kurzik from the BBC, Jonathan Penny from Channel 4, and Simon Elder from Sky, during the Audio is King panel
