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Accessibility of programmes

Accessibility of programmes

ALIA’s mission is to encourage providers of television, radio and video-on-demand services under the jurisdiction of Luxembourg to improve the accessibility of their programmes continuously and progressively for people with visual or hearing impairments.

With this aim:

  • providers of television and video-on-demand services are developing action plans for the continuous and progressive improvement of the accessibility of their services
  • every three years, they are obliged to send a report to ALIA on the implementation of their action plans
  • ALIA reports every 3 years to the European Commission on the measures taken in Luxembourg to make media services more accessible to people with disabilities

Accessibility of electoral campaigns

ALIA is in charge of developing guiding principles on the conditions for the production, programming and dissemination of electoral messages for political information programmes that audio-visual media services or radio providers entrusted with a public service mission are required to broadcast during the media election campaign.

With the aim to include all citizens in the democratic process, ALIA encourages audio-visual media services and radio services to make their programmes on electoral news accessible to all, including people with disabilities. Moreover, the aforementioned guiding principles contain, in the same line of thought, specific recommendations relating to the accessibility of programmes.

What is meant by accessibility of audio-visual media services?

In general, accessibility allows the autonomy and participation of people with disabilities, by adapting the environment, in this case the services offered by the audio-visual media providers, to their capacities and needs. The issue of accessibility of audio-visual media services relates more particularly to the fundamental right of access to information.  Despite recent technological advances, people with disabilities are still too often victims of indirect discrimination with regard to the right to access to information since many media outlets are still not accessible to people with various types of disabilities. The reason for this is often a lack of information and awareness of the general public about the rights and special needs of people with disabilities. It is therefore essential that providers implement all the necessary measures to ensure that their services are accessible to everyone.

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