Zagga aims to be Netflix for the blind

Currently seeking funding on Indiegogo, Zagga is a video-on-demand service that caters for blind and partially sighted customers with built-in audio description.

Accessibility isn’t always at the forefront of businesses’ minds, but those who fail to cater for less able customers will be closing off an entire section of their market. When it comes to entertainment services, we’ve already seen Regal Cinemas make the big screen more accessible through its individual head up display subtitle glasses, but emerging companies like Netflix aren’t doing much to help users with sight difficulties, for example. Zagga is a video-on-demand service that caters for blind and partially sighted customers with built-in audio description.

Currently seeking funding on Indiegogo, the platform aims to provide access to a library of TV shows and films that all come with described video (DV). DV helps those without full vision understand what’s going on even when characters aren’t speaking, keeping them aware crucial plot points and visual comedy that may be key to a humorous scene. However, even though services such as Netflix are enabling TV and film fans to take greater control over the content they consume, DV titles are few and far between, if available at all. Zagga wants to use Indiegogo to raise enough money to build an accessible site, app and video streaming tools. It’s already got some financial backing from partners and generated interest from BBC Worldwide, Sony Pictures, Fox, MGM, Paramount, and Entertainment One who will work with the startup with licensing content.

Watch the video below to learn more about the project:

Those backing the campaign can pledge from CAD 25 to be guaranteed 50 percent off the eventual subscription price for six months. Are there other new services that are missing out on customers due to inaccessibility?

Indiegogo: www.igg.me/at/zagga