ITV Commits to Adding BSL Versions of Election Debates After Deaf Campaigner’s Pressure

ITV has made a pledge to introduce British Sign Language versions of its election debate programmes on its on-demand platform, following advocacy from a deaf campaigner.

The debate, featuring Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, aired with subtitles but lacked a live translation for viewers like Katherine Rowley.

Katherine Rowley expressed her disappointment at not being able to follow the debate live, highlighting the importance of access for individuals who use British Sign Language.

According to Katherine Rowley’s lawyer, Chris Fry, there is a necessity to update equality laws to close the existing 5% target loophole, ensuring vital content is available in accessible formats.

Chris Fry emphasized the significance of making key content available in sign language, pointing out examples like ‘Horrible Histories‘ which already includes BSL for children’s broadcasts.

In response to a legal letter sent by Chris Fry on behalf of Katherine Rowley, ITV acknowledged the need for greater accessibility and committed to adding BSL versions of its election debates on the on-demand platform.

ITV stated that while they couldn’t provide live signing for the initial broadcast, they would ensure that future election content, including debates, would have subtitles and a BSL version available within 24 hours.

Katherine Rowley stressed the importance of equality not being an afterthought, especially during significant events like elections.

Previously in 2021, Katherine Rowley raised similar concerns when Labour Party televised Covid briefings excluded sign language interpretation.

Katherine Rowley is part of the legal firm, Inspire Legal, which is advocating for political parties to provide BSL translations for their broadcasts and manifestos throughout the election campaign.

As the election season progresses, both ITV and the BBC are working to enhance accessibility, with the BBC confirming BSL and subtitles for their upcoming leader debates, aiming for a more inclusive election process.