Fintan Ramblings

Reading another Deaf blog titled ‘You never had it so good with the BBC’ http://www.sterry.me.uk and I agree with him 100%.
I tend to watch films on BBC channels not ones with adverts like ITV channel 4 and 5

Ok, its years before they put a film from a cinema to TV screen, for example, James Bond. That is released in cinemas now so probably will be on BBC in about 2010 I guess.
Worst of all ITV and other advert channels may show these films before BBC and BBC might not bother showing them if it has been screened on a rival channel.

As a deaf person I am not able to watch films in a cinema, as they don’t show subtitles. I do know there are subtitled films in London but I live 100 miles away.

Another option is to wait until its released on DVD but some English films (not Hollywood blockbusters) don’t carry subtitles.
Next option is to wait until its comes on sky TV and see if it gets subtitled but you have to subscribe to sky TV monthly and to be honest a lot of films on there are not likely to be the films I would watch.

So why am I not happy if a film gets put on for example ITV. I know it’s annoying when in middle of film the advert comes on and it ruins the viewing experience. And most people I know tend to record these films and fast-forward through the adverts.
But its worst for us relying on subtitles as when adverts come on and then back to a film they seem to forget to turn subtitle back on and worst of all when they’ve realised that has happen they fast forward the subtitle to catch up with the film. Watching the subtitles flashing fast spoils the film.
Another time watching a film subtitle about 10 minutes slow always through the film or worst stop showing the subtitle all together half way through the film. That happened on BBC and sky movies so ITV and advertising channels are not the only guilty party on that one.

So, I tend to watch less TV, as growing up in the 70’s all my friends were discussing Hong Kong Phooey and Scooby Doo remember them?
Of course ceefax wasn’t around then and all I watched was old black and white programs, non talking ones like Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and King Kong.
The 80’s came and you could get ceefax but you had to pay extra for ceefax TV it was about £100. I remember seeing 2 identical TV’s (in Currys I think) and 1 was £100 pound more than the other and when I asked the salesman ‘why different prices’ 1 TV has ceefax built in. Of course my stepfather went for the cheapest option.
One day I popped into my grandparent’s house they lived near my school and I was forever reading stuff on their ceefax. I thought it was marvellous that I could keep up with news and today’s events as opposed to yesterday’s news when buying newspapers. Granddad said you will like this and he pressed 888 on ceefax and subtitles appeared. I was amazed. There I was enjoying TV together with my grandparents (we were watching Coronation St. and I felt part of it.)
Still at home by the time I left school, my parents bought another TV set and and of course all TV’s included ceefax. Around that time I didn’t watch much TV. I was working and going out spending money on beer doing what most 20 year olds do.

Fast forward to today married with kids I have a sky digital TV just to watch free to air programmes and have it set to have subtitles on all the time. 9 out of 10 programmes I see carry subtitles. Now I spend most of my time on Internet and watch less TV. The funny thing is my wife and kids are used to having every thing subtitled and leave it on even when I am not there.