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Action Plan for the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network (BCIDN)
Introduction
Turner Broadcasting System Europe Limited (Turner) is home to the successful news and entertainment brands: CNN, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM, Turner Classic Movies.
Turner is proud to be a member of the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network (BCIDN). While we do not have the public service obligations that apply to the main terrestrial broadcasters, our association with the BCIDN represents our commitment to assist in removing barriers faced by disabled viewers and broadcasting professionals.
Definition of Disability
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as 'someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out day-to-day activities.' This definition includes not just those with mobility or sensory impairments but also a wide range of other impairments including mental health problems such as depression or schizophrenia, learning difficulties including dyslexia, diabetes, heart conditions and severe facial disfigurement.
Turner and Disability
Turner respects and values the contribution that all individuals bring to the Company and sees a diverse employee population as one that embraces and encourages new perspectives and ways of doing business. We want to make diversity a competitive advantage; maximizing the opportunity to attract the best talent and opening up new areas of consumer growth.
The Company is an equal opportunity employer. In order to ensure equal employment opportunity for every employee of and applicant to the Company, all decisions relating to employment and personnel (including recruitment, training, promotion opportunities and terms of employment) will be made without regard to race, religion, creed, sex, marital status, disability, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin, or sexual orientation. Turner Broadcasting pays special regard to the duties laid upon it by the Disability Discrimination Act and our policy on equal opportunities is published on the company's "HR Online" intranet website. Each and every employee of Turner has immediate access to this website on his/her individual personal computer.
Our Action Plan
Turner supports the shared goals of the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network (BCIDN).
Turner aims to increase the number of disabled people in all areas of our workforce
Turner will build on a strong foundation of promoting equal opportunities in our business by taking the following actions:
Training
- A management training programme is currently in place that is required of all staff with responsibility for employing and managing others. As part of our commitment to increase awareness of disability, we will ensure that disability and diversity are built into this mandatory curriculum. The section will focus on our belief in and duties to fair and equal treatment for all employees and applicants as well as positive diversity statements and actions. We will use disability as an example when discussing discriminatory practises, legislation and Turner policy.
- All Facilities staff, security officers and reception staff will be specifically trained on Disability Awareness and welcoming disabled visitors to our facility.
- Turner's Recruitment and Selection training course addresses fair and equitable selection processes. It will be reviewed and revised to fully incorporate a discussion on disability.
Recruitment
- Turner will review our preferred recruitment suppliers to confirm that they approach their business with a respect for equal opportunity. In addition, any new suppliers will also need to confirm their commitment to good practise in this area.
- Turner will ensure that the language in our advertising for job vacancies is not limiting.
- Turner will endeavour to increase our advertising in disability-focused publications and newspapers to try to attract more disabled applicants.
Volunteer Efforts
Turner is very proud of its annual Volunteer Day. Employees have the opportunity to choose from several worthwhile projects at specific charities and/or needy organisations in and around the London area. One fall Saturday is devoted to this effort. The planning team will endeavour to locate an appropriate organisation with a focus on disability for our 2002 Volunteer Day.
New Employees
Turner will continue to gather information from employees on equal opportunities and ensure that our Induction programme highlights the importance the Company places on a diverse workforce and equal treatment.
Turner will ensure free access to all its buildings by 2004
The DDA states that steps should be taken to make buildings used by disabled employees accessible now. From 2004, buildings used by members of the public such as contributors and studio audiences should also be accessible.
Service providers:
- Must set standards
- Must survey all buildings occupied by the organisations
- Must make alterations to improve access
- Must involve disabled people in both surveying and testing out improvements
Turner is committed to ensuring the building it currently occupies at 16 Great Marlborough Street is accessible to all people with disabilities. The building is a new construction, built in 1999 and complies with all applicable construction legislation pertinent to the DDA. The building has been occupied by Turner for the past 18 months, access is at street level and the interior fit-out has been completed with current legislation on disabled access in mind.
Evacuation chairs are provided within the building with training provided to first aiders, fire marshals and security officers.
To further ensure compliance to the regulations we have instigated the following action points:
- A Disability access audit will be carried out by a competent person and reviewed annually.
- Hearing induction loops will be installed in all key locations (reception, meeting rooms etc.)
- Disability awareness training will be implemented for all facilities management staff including receptionists and security officers.
Turner will increase access to services, on and off air
Cartoon Network's DTT licence requires it to provide facilities to improve the TV experience for the disabled. To ensure acceptable provision is made and is consistent across all viewers, there are annual target quotas for each broadcaster to achieve.
- Cartoon Network will meet all targets to reach the demand and expectations of our viewers. We are focusing our attention on new cartoons owned and created by Cartoon Network as they become available.
- The company works closely with the best industry providers of these services to ensure the highest quality output.
- Contact is maintained with various disabled charities and agencies for news of future developments and to provide information to our viewers via their publications.
- Turner will continue prime time scheduling of serviced programming to provide maximum opportunities for viewing.
- We carefully consider our young audience as well as the particular cartoon when selecting our deaf language signers.
- Subtitling - ITC targets for 2001 were 15% and our achievement was 20.60%.
- Sign Language - ITC targets for 2001 were 1-2% and our achievement was 4.39%.
- Audio Description - ITC targets for 2001 were 3% and our achievement was 8.59%.
- 30% of Turner Classic Movies network is voluntarily subtitled.
Conclusion
Turner's Action Plan on Disability will be posted on our internal website for review by all staff. The Plan will be monitored and updated regularly as Turner strives for increased access on all fronts.
- Previous: PACT Action Plan