Advanced Television

DVB publishes accessibility implementation guidelines for DVB-I

February 17, 2025

DVB has released a new set of guidelines to support the implementation of accessibility measures in DVB-I services. Published as DVB BlueBook A185, these guidelines set out the mechanisms for signalling accessibility services in DVB-I, enabling better support for features such as subtitles, audio description, and sign language interpretation. Future revisions of the document will expand to cover other DVB specifications.

As media consumption becomes increasingly personalised, ensuring accessible options for all users is more important than ever, expains the DVB. DVB-I is set to play a crucial role in this evolution by facilitating the seamless integration of linear broadcast television with internet-based media streaming.

A task force within the technical working group on DVB-I, chaired by Andreas Tai (SWR), has developed an extended accessibility metadata model that covers all types of access currently used in the field. Content providers can use this model to enrich the signalling of their content. With this accessibility metadata, DVB-I enabled TV devices can personalise the user experience with the type of content the user needs, based on their (dis-)abilities.

This initiative is especially timely given the upcoming enforcement of the European Accessibility Act in June 2025, which mandates accessible access to audiovisual media content. With the new implementation guidelines from DVB, broadcasters, platforms, and device manufacturers have a clear framework to follow in meeting these requirements. DVB encourages industry stakeholders to adopt these guidelines and share their experiences to help refine future accessibility solutions.

The first version of the DVB accessibility implementation guidelines is now published in DVB BlueBook A185, available from the DVB specification library.

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