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ESPN UK fined £120,000 by Ofcom over audio description breaches

By Angela Haggerty, Reporter

May 24, 2014 | 2 min read

Ofcom has fined ESPN £120,000 for failing to provide adequate audio description on its programmes after it failed to hit targets.

Fine: ESPN has been ordered to pay £120,000

The sports broadcaster was expected to provide the service on five per cent of its programmes in 2012 but only managed to cover 2.3 per cent, and because ESPN had already failed to meet a 2011 target, Ofcom described the breach as “both serious and repeated”.

ESPN argued that live sport was “not generally suitable for audio description on television”, but Ofcom said the broadcaster’s failure to meet targets meant “people with visual impairments have been excluded from access to its programmes”.

Ofcom acknowledged ESPN’s claim that TV sports commentary by nature provided a level of audio description, but the regulator said: “Television commentary of live sport presumes the viewer can see the action. It is unlike radio commentary in this respect, and is not provided with the needs of the visually impaired in mind.”

A spokesman for ESPN said the broadcaster would work with Ofcom to “ensure that the payment is made”.

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