Between Idealism and Precarity: Professional Image, Job Satisfaction and Working Conditions in China’s Emerging Audio Description Profession

Abstract

This article reports the first large-scale survey study of professional image, job satisfaction, and working conditions among audio describers in Mainland China. Drawing on an online survey (n = 223) that replicates and contextually adapts an established questionnaire, it examines how describers evaluate the status, rewards, constraints, and organisation of their work in an emerging field shaped by volunteer-driven, project-based, and university-based forms of provision. Respondents attach strong moral and social value to audio description and report supportive peer practices, especially in volunteer and educational settings. However, they also report low visibility, limited societal recognition, weak prospects for steady work, and limited income continuity. Volunteers are slightly more satisfied than paid describers, reflecting different expectations attached to unpaid civic or pedagogical participation and paid work with modest material returns. Perceived influence is strongest over creative execution and output quality, but weakest in income-related matters and commissioning choices. Limited interaction with end users indicates a persistent gap between production and reception. The study provides a context-sensitive baseline for comparative research on accessibility, labour and professionalisation across institutional and developmental settings.