Today, 20 June, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina welcomed the Ombudsman of Radiotelevision Slovenia Marica Uršič Zupan. She presented him with key findings from the annual report for 2023.
She said that her address received 3473 responses last year, which is the second highest number in the 16 years of operation of this institute. "The number of responses about the accessibility of content has not increased over the years, but their content has changed a lot. A few years ago, there were a lot of questions and comments about audio subtitles for the blind and partially sighted, but now almost everyone knows that they can be found with a special button on the remote control or by selecting the Finnish language. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people drew attention to individual shows or movie series that, due to technical or human error, were left without subtitles for them. They also expressed their desire to subtitle additional shows already at the premiere. That's why they were happy when they saw subtitles for the Tednik show this year. "Unfortunately, there are still quite a few shows that get subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing only when repeated or viewed later on the website, which puts the deaf and hard of hearing in an unequal position," the Ombudsman emphasised.
She also added that the audience of RTV Slovenia in 2023 often complained about the excessive volume of advertisements and TV sales, and in the summer months also about the large proportion of repeats broadcast and the modest number of fresh programmes. "This is particularly felt by the elderly, lonely, sick, disabled and socially weak people, because for many people, even during the summer, television is their only company and the most important source of news, opinions, cultural content, and entertainment," the Ombudsman pointed out.
In the conversation, Ombudsman Peter Svetina praised RTV Slovenia's efforts to improve the accessibility of content for people with sensory disabilities and highlighted the importance of ensuring equal access to information and programmes for all viewers. "The number of complaints and initiatives shows the growing public awareness of their rights and expectations of public media. I welcome the Ombudsman's efforts to improve communication with viewers and listeners. It is important that RTV Slovenia continues to improve accessibility for all and the quality of its programmes and responds to the needs of the audience. I strongly support the initiative of disability organisations, with which they strive to have RTV Slovenia also broadcast the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. It is the largest event for athletes with disabilities, which is organised by the International Paralympic Committee and in which the best Slovenian para-athletes also participate. If there was no broadcast, in our opinion, this would not only be discriminatory towards athletes with disabilities, but even humiliating for them," emphasised Svetina.
He added that the public media must guarantee the public's right to information, which is a fundamental human right. "It is crucial that the public media is independent in carrying out its mission. I expect that every authority will respect the constitutionally guaranteed position of RTV Slovenia and that an institution of national importance is not held hostage by the authorities," Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina pointed out at the meeting.
The Annual Report of the Ombudsman for the Rights of Viewers and Listeners of RTV Slovenia for 2023 is available at LINK.
