Channel 4 to Subtitled All Advertising During Paris 2024 Paralympic Games for Enhanced Accessibility

Image: Ch 4 Press

By Jon Donnis

In an unprecedented move towards enhancing accessibility, Channel 4 has announced that all advertising during its coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will feature subtitles. This commitment, revealed today, marks a significant step in Channel 4's ongoing efforts to make its programming more inclusive for viewers.

Building on a promise made just a week ago, where Channel 4 pledged that all live sports coverage from the Paralympic Games would be subtitled, this new initiative takes accessibility to the next level. For the first time ever, all advertisements broadcast on Channel 4's main channels—Channel 4, More 4, and 4Seven—during the Paralympic Games will include subtitles. This commitment will also extend to live coverage available on Channel 4's streaming platforms.

Verica Djurdjevic, Channel 4's Chief Revenue Officer, expressed her excitement about the groundbreaking initiative. "We would like all of our brilliant advertising partners to deliver their TV advertising with subtitles embedded to make this the most accessible Paralympic Games ever," Djurdjevic said. "Our partners at Peach, Extreme Reach, and Clearcast are on hand to help and we will support brands to make their ads accessible. Improving the accessibility of TV advertising is going to be a journey for the industry, and we are committed to helping to drive the process."

Channel 4 is set to collaborate closely with brands, advertising agencies, and technology firms to ensure that the subtitles are seamlessly integrated into the ads. This collaborative effort aims to make the process as smooth and effective as possible for all stakeholders involved.

The move addresses a significant need, given that 18 million people in the UK experience varying levels of hearing loss or deafness, according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). Despite this large demographic, only 25% of the advertising received by Channel 4 is currently enabled for subtitles. By setting this new precedent for the Paralympic Games, Channel 4 is taking a meaningful step towards closing this accessibility gap.

This initiative is also part of Channel 4 Sales' broader mission to improve disability representation in media. Over the past eight years, the Diversity In Advertising Award has provided £3 million in TV airtime to campaigns by brands such as Maltesers, Lloyds Bank, and Vanish, all of which have focused on enhancing the portrayal of disability in advertising.

As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games draw nearer, Channel 4's commitment to accessibility promises to not only enrich the viewing experience for individuals with hearing loss but also set a new benchmark for how sports broadcasting can be more inclusive. The broadcaster's efforts reflect a larger commitment to improving the representation and accessibility of disability in media, offering a glimpse into a future where all viewers can enjoy equal access to sports and entertainment.

For more details about the Paralympic Games coverage and how to get involved in making advertising more accessible, you can visit Channel 4's official website.

Channel 4, known for its innovative approach to programming and dedication to diversity and inclusion, continues to lead the way in creating a more inclusive media landscape with this latest initiative.

This landmark decision by Channel 4 underscores a pivotal moment in the evolution of media accessibility, setting the stage for future advancements in how sports and other forms of entertainment are presented to diverse audiences.