SRG: More services for the hearing and visually impaired
Nearly half of the total airtime across all SRG television channels—a total of 28,371 hours—was subtitled last year. For people with visual impairments, 112 programs were provided with audio descriptions—11 more than the previous year.
This was made possible thanks to an increased exchange with broadcasters from neighboring German-speaking countries, as SRG announced on Friday. In French-speaking Switzerland, the number of programs with commentary for the blind increased from 45 to 52, while in Ticino, as in the previous year, 77 programs were commented. For hearing-impaired people, 49.1 percent of broadcast time was subtitled - 5.8 percent more than in 2013. Subtitles are now also available on the Internet. In German-speaking Switzerland, SRF translates the main edition of the Tagesschau daily for the deaf in parallel into sign language on SRF info. The speeches of the Federal Councillors and the Kassensturz are also broadcast in sign language.
In French-speaking Switzerland, RTS broadcasts the main Tagesschau edition in parallel in sign language on RTS Deux. This program was also shown with sign language in the repeats during the night. In Ticino, RSI provides the daily Telegiornale flash at 6 pm with sign language. In Switzerland, only SRG offers this service for people with sensory disabilities. "These services are only possible thanks to funding from radio and television license fees," SRG further announced. With its offer, SRG is implementing an agreement it reached with the associations of the sensory impaired in 2012. (SDA)
| Hours | Quote % | Increase % | |
| SRF1 | 4'131 | 51,8 | 2,1 |
| SRF two | 4'034 | 49,0 | 0,1 |
| SRF info | 4'095 | 50,2 | 3,7 |
| German-speaking Switzerland | 12'260 | 50,1 | 2,0 |
| RTS Un | 4'331 | 53,2 | 2,6 |
| RTS Deux | 3'688 | 44,1 | 7,0 |
| Suisse romande | 8'019 | 48,4 | 4,6 |
| RSI LA 1 | 4'684 | 55,9 | 15,3 |
| RSI LA 2 | 3'408 | 39,9 | 10,9 |
| Svizzera italiana | 8'092 | 48,1 | 13,4 |
