Revealed: UK broadcasters and streamers call for change from UK studies on “clear and disturbing” disability access issues as they launch TV access project

exclusiveUK broadcasters and streamers are taking a stand on “clear and troubling” access issues affecting the disabled population in the industry, calling for a change of studio and post-production facilities.

Deadline may exclusively reveal that the industry’s flagship initiative to launch at this week’s Edinburgh Television Festival will be the Television Access Project (TAP), a plan to rid the industry of its terrible access, led by the BBC’s director of content. , Charlotte Moore.

BBC, Channel 4, Britbox International, Disney + UK, ITV, Paramount, Prime Video, Sky and UKTV are all registered on TAP and the project is supported by the influential producer trade organization Pact and the Creative Diversity Network (CDN).

TAP started quietly in April when Moore, one of the most powerful people in British broadcasting, helped convene an industry-wide roundtable between disabled creatives, UK industry leaders and groups like Pact, CDN, Triple C DANC (Disabled Artists Networking Community) and DDPTV (Television for the Deaf and Disabled) to discuss accessibility and conditions of the facilities.

These structures were criticized in a report titled Everyone has forgotten the bathrooms. From Underlying Health Condition (UHC), a lobbying group presented by last year’s MacTaggart professor Jack Thorne, in his ferocious tirade, criticized the industry for “the totally and totally incapable of disabled”. A devastating report revealed a “noticeable and worrying” shortage of carriages, trailers and honey baths in the UK at a time when the industry is desperate for disabled talent and production is booming.

Since then, a series of panel discussions have focused on accessibility and accessibility to production in studios and facilities, and TAP has published production guidelines for the inclusion of disability, with the five A’s (“Anticipate, Ask, Assess, Adjust, Advocate “), clarifying commitment a. Review other topics in the coming year, such as access coordinator roles and retention of talent with disabilities, and post an open letter to studios and facilities, see the deadline and full below.

“The UK film and television industry has no standard that defines our expectations for inclusive workspaces. We believe that now is the time to create it, “the letter reads.

Crucially, TAP said that studios, post-production houses and facilities that prove to be able to meet the guidelines will be prioritized when its nine-member members consider new commissions in the UK.

The letter proposes the creation of an “accessibility standards document”, along with a three-step process: a fall roundtable with studies to understand the path to greater accessibility, work in an industry-wide accessibility group, and a facility audits to “create. Objective deadlines to meet entry requirements.”

Collectively, we have worked hard to increase the representation of people with disabilities on and off the screen, but over the past year we have realized that our progress has been hampered by a significant but solvable problem: physical accessibility. The letter, signed by Moore, Channel 4 Chief Content Officer Ian Katz, Amazon Studios UK Head of Originals Dan Grabiner, BritBox International CEO Rema Sakan, ITV Media & Entertainment Managing Director Kevin Lygo, Paramount UK Chief Content Officer Ben Frow, Sky UK Content CEO Zay Bennett and UKTV CEO Marcus Arthur.

“We believe there is no other way to address the historical imbalance of people with disabilities other than rapid and significant change.”

As he prepares to appear at the Edinburgh Television Festival this week, Moore said today was a “watershed moment for disabled talent and inclusion in our industry.”

“It is exciting to be in a position where we can agree on reasonable steps and take collective action for change,” he added.

Its dark materials Y Help Writer Thorne made accessibility one of the milestones of his MacTaggart 2021 and spoke of heartbreaking incidents, such as a disabled television worker who had to “climb stairs and cross the floor to reach his desk when his wheelchair it wasn’t electric. Soaked in rain. “

TAP is trying to make these incidents a thing of the past.

full letter

To our friends, colleagues and industry partners,

We are writing to ask for your help.

Collectively, we have worked hard to increase the representation of people with disabilities on and off the screen, but over the past year we have realized that our progress has been hampered by a significant but solvable problem: physical accessibility. How do you expect 1 in 5 people with disabilities to work on our products if the space in which they are made is inaccessible to them?

The UK Equality Act 2010 makes discrimination illegal and the Building Regulations make disabled access a legal requirement, but compliance with both can still result in spaces that are inaccessible to all those who have the talent and motivation to be there.

Last year, the Underlying Health Condition lobby group conducted a survey on the availability of facilities and study spaces. Based on the responses they have received, the problems are clear and troubling. He revealed that a British television industry is largely inaccessible and refuses to allow disabled people to participate. Of particular concern were the lack of accessible toilets, free access to stairs and very accessible fire regulations.

The UK film and television industry does not have a standard that defines our expectations for inclusive workspaces. We think it’s time to create one.

Earlier this year, an industry-wide roundtable was held between creatives with disabilities and heads of industry content creators in the UK, with leaders from PACT, CDN (Creative Diversity Network), Triple C DANC (Disabled Artists Network Community) and DDPTV (Deaf and Disabled). on television), consider the availability and state of the facilities in which we operate.

Creativity can flourish in any space. Not all studios are purpose built, some post houses are located in older buildings, facilities vehicles need to be flexible and able to work in any environment. But our industry is good at solving problems. We know that some changes will take longer than others and that they involve costs.

So our vision is to unite as an industry and create an accessibility standards document for our studios and facilities. A commitment that together we can create better and more flexible workplaces that are inclusive of all those who want to work in this sector.

To do this, we offer a three-step process:

1. Join us for a round table in the fall to agree together on our way forward, with the support of industry bodies.
2. Continue to work with us in the Pan-Industry group on accessibility standards
3. Collaborate to control your facilities and create target schedules to meet access requirements

After defining our path and timeline, we expect studios, post-production houses and facilities companies to adhere to the industry standards we have developed together.

We know that this change will take a lot and we share responsibility for it, but we believe that there is no other way to overcome the historical imbalance of people with disabilities than by making rapid and significant changes. Otherwise, another generation of talent will be excluded again. Join us for a better future for all

Is written:

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer, BBC

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer of Canale 4

Dan Grabiner, Head of UK Originals, Amazon Studios and Prime Video UK

Reemah Sakaan, CEO, Britbox International

Kevin Ligo, Director of Television, ITV

Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, United Kingdom, Paramount

Zay Bennett, managing director of content, Sky UK and Ireland

Marcus Arthur, CEO of UKTV

Supported by:

UHC, DANC, DDPTV, CDN, PACT