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CSI Services - Access to Media

Subtitles have opened up the world of television, cinema, DVD and theatre for the deaf and hard of hearing. Without subtitles, millions of viewers would not have access to the window on the world these media formats can offer. They would be excluded from news, sport, education and entertainment.

The RNID estimates that there are around 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK alone - that's one in seven of the population. And the number is rising as the number of people over 60 increases. Approximately one million people find it impossible to gain access to TV without subtitles, and a further four million use subtitles regularly.

Subtitles were designed and developed for the deaf and hard of hearing. Ensuring ongoing equal access for these groups of people was the sole reason for introducing the new subtitling components of the Communications Act 2003, which extended legislative requirements to provide access to many cable and satellite channels.

In addition, subtitling also opens up media access to a wider audience, including those with English as their second language or those trying to improve their literacy skills; people in gyms and bars, where it's difficult to hear and situations where the volume cannot be turned up.