James R | On 27, Nov 2019

Sky has partnered with the award-winning Deaf production charity, the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust to produce their first demand collection with a broadcaster.

Millions of people can now watch  great content on Sky in British Sign Language from the BSL Zone on Sky Q and Sky+. With almost 100 episodes at launch, Sky customers will soon also be able to enjoy regular new releases from the BSLZone.

The content is made by the Deaf community for the Deaf community, and will now be on the big screen in the heart of the living room on the Sky platform for the whole family to enjoy when it suits them. It ranges across comedy, drama, factual and more is all presented/directed in British Sign Language and will be available at no extra cost in the Sky Entertainment package.

Now in their 10th year, the BSLBT was set up as a mechanism for Ofcom to regulate broadcasters to provide access provision. It offers commercial broadcasters an alternative way to meet their regulatory requirements to provide sign language on their channels. Independent broadcasters with between 0.5% and 1% of audience share can choose either to source and broadcast programmes presented in sign-language themselves or to pay an annual subscription fee, set by Ofcom, to BSLBT to make and broadcast programmes in sign language for the Deaf audience.  

Sky has partnered to bring viewers this collection on a pro-bono basis.

The BSL Zone collection will be available on Sky + and Sky Q boxes, it is not currently available on Sky Go or NOW.

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