BBC and the hard of hearing

I agree with all of the above comments. The only thing I can add is that the subtitles for the news follow about half a minute after the presenter has spoken. I tend to switch them off here, which is less of a problem than with dramas as the diction is usually better.

And as for dramas shot in the dark with or with shaky hand held cameras rushing here there and everywhere ... please spare us those as well.

Rosina such a sensible solution in your OP.

Drama has become so much more than drama. The music and dialogue have both become problematic. I know regional accents are the thing now, and that's fine, but all I want is the producer (of any show) telling the actors to flippin' enunciate and not mumble!

And I dislike the way this issue (on FB) seems to be about the hard of hearing, or 'oldies' like us. It's not!

There is nothing wrong with my hearing but there's a lot wrong with the speech delivery of actors right now and the way mumbling or throwaway lines seem to be the norm in many TV dramas.

Agree with all the posts above. Things we are saying all the time. My husband is profoundly deaf without his hearing aids and is tormented by unnecessary and strident often single pitch background music. I too have hearing aids but can hear to a great extent without them but the background sounds are so bad that I have to remove mine.
What we have noticed in documentaries is that the really good,ones for example, those presented by AndrewGraham Dixon or Simon Schama don’t have to resort to this upping of the drama.

I put the subtitles on as well. I'm not deaf, but sometimes you need them if they keep mumbling!

At the time that Jamaica Inn was being heavily criticised because of inaudible dialogue a newspaper had a report from an individual involved in drama production. He said that the BBC didn't bother to provide crystal clear dialogue as 'nobody complains' and they could get away with sloppy sound production. Perhaps the torrent of moans about this programme started the ball rolling for the current exciting offer.

I agree about subtitles. Some of them are quite ridiculous.
Methinks either the subtitler is hard of hearing or the actor mumbles

I remember having my enjoyment of the BBC production 'Jamaica Inn' completely ruined by inaudible dialogue, I use subtitles also but why should we have to? Is it too much to expect the BBC to make sure their drama productions have no sound problems before being presented to the viewing audience?

Sounds like a step in the right direction!

I agree that it is very difficult to hear dialogue, especially in American dramas. I am slightly hard of hearing and usually use the subtitles.

On a slightly connected note, when I was working I stayed in business hotels a lot. It really frustrated me how many TVs were not equipped with subtitles. I didn't want to turn the volume up for fear of disturbing other guests. I would usually arrive at my room via a lift and along corridors that had braille markings on them. Whilst I have no problem with this, there must be many more hard of hearing guests than blind guests who need braille?

I too use subtitles. Why not just have them available for all programmes.

Gaunt 47. I am also using subtitles more and more to hear what actors are saying,especially in dramas and the one soap I admit to still watch. I am not hard of hearing yet,thankfully, but still seem to need help when watching TV.

Maybe actors used to cut their teeth in rep, different play every week and little or no sound amplification. They had to articulate clearly. I wear hearing aids and in January left the family outing to the pantomime at the interval because I could hear only a couple of the actors. I've given up on several TV programmes because of mumbling and background noise. Funny - no problems listening to Radio 4.

Both my husband and I wear hearing aids and have to read the subtitles to be able to make sense of most dramas these days. It's not just the background music and other sound effects that cause us problems. Strong accents and the trend for actors to speak too fast are another issue. Trying to read the subtitles at breakneck speed whilst following what's being acted requires a lot of concentration. We often just give up! Come on BBC, sort this out....?

I can't understand why there has to be mumbling at all. I switch off.

Totally agree. I use subtitles and I'm not deaf.
It's all so noisy. My pet hates......announcing the next programme before the end of the one you're watching so it drowns out the music. The awful blast of music to announce the BBC news. The shrieking of CBBC presenters as if kids are deaf. The thumping sound in the background while we're watching The Chase. Mumbling actors, too much background "music" - etc. etc.

When we were children, you could not take part in a radio broadcast without doing a voice test at the BBC studios first.

Anyone who mumbled, had adenoids or other problems with their speech were automatically discounted.

A bit harsh when dealing with the general public perhaps, but not when employing professional actors. They are, or should be, trained to speak clearly.

If the BBC refused to employ actors who could not speak to be heard, I imagine the standard would rapidly improve.

I agree with you Rosina about the sound and I am another person who finds low lighting a problem, especially in dramas.

What surprises me most about all this is that the BBC employ trained sound engineers, lighting specialists and production staff whose job is to make sure things are mixed or pitched for maximum viewer appreciation. It would be different if they were working in a niche market for dark subjects or moody films.

A bit of quality control wouldn't go amiss!

I appreciate the "slider" is a great new tool for people with hearing problems, but all channels are capable of producing clear sound and vision - as mentioned here regarding soaps - so they need to start looking at a minimum standard or, at least, listening to the complaints.

Absolutely delighted to read about the possibility of this! Traffic news on Radio 2 is backed with a pointless drumming and, and as others have said, some programmes are unwatchable due to the intrusive, anything but, "background" music. Hooray and fingers crossed!

I am partially sight impaired so I could scream when I see a text on a phone and I cannot read it. I can read most but not all subtitles but the background noise drives me crazy.

I think programmes like BBC Breakfast are becoming less professional and they are frequently laughing over in-jokes on TV.

I watch Coronation Street and I find that the youngsters in that programme mumble.

I watch with the subtitles on so I can follow the dialogue and I have extremely sharp hearing.
But cannot hear the speech above the background sounds.
I also can watch old films without subtitles.
I began to use subtitles some years ago when watching American films and programs because their actors mumbled so much....

I would prefer it if there was never any muzak at all when there is any speaking. What is the point of it? If some people need muzac all the time they can supply their own at their end.

Rosina It could have been me posting there I feel exactly the same but would include all political and similar people talking at once including the presenters nowadays. Have complained but nothing done,

I've given up watching American made programmes. The mumbling s so difficult to understand it's not relaxing when you have to struggle to hear the words properly. I suffer from Tinnitus which doesn't help but I have to say I don't notice loud background music so much. Why do adverts have to be so loud. I've taken to downloading some programmes as you don't get adds on downloads.

My husband and I find that dramas are the hardest to understand. We turn them up louder and louder. Yet the soaps are as clear as a bell. I would welcome anything that fades out background sounds.

I don’t believe this is the fault of the actors at all. Most British actors begin in the theatre where they have to project their voices. Remember they deliver the line as required by the director. There speech might actually be fine without the ridiculous background music. We don’t need it at all, but if they must have it, it should be faint!