In 1996, Congress created closed captioning requirements for television content.  Between that point and 2005, very few exemptions were given out by the FCC.  In 2006, an order provided a blanket exemption for churches based on the hardship and financial burden of providing closed captions.  As a result, hundreds of exemptions were handed out that year.

The recent reversal from the FCC came after five years of pressure from organizations and advocates for the deaf and hard of hearing communities.  Since the actual cases of the hundreds of exempt churches were never individually considered, advocates claimed that many of the exemptions may have been unwarranted.

The FCC’s recent overturn now means that many of the churches may face a decision of either paying for closed captioning service or potentially going off the air.  As previously discussed here on this blog, there are many positive benefits that result from churches providing closed captions for their television programming. In short, people that are deaf or hard of hearing deserve the same access to television content as everyone else.  Religious programming is no exception.  In fact, many shut ins and elderly people depend on religious programming for teaching and encouragement because they cannot travel to and from church regularly.  Since many people in this group also suffer from hearing problems, closed captioning is of incalculable value to them.

Providing closed captions can certainly be a financial obstacle for many faith-based organizations, but the cost pales in comparison to the cost of air time and other production expenses.  If a ministry chooses to invest in television as a means of spreading its message, it only makes sense that every effort be made to effectively deliver the message to everyone that wants to watch.  After all, if a message is worth being on the air, isn’t the audience worth the extra effort of complete accessibility?

Beyond mandates from the FCC or requirement from television stations, closed captioning matters.  Millions of people depend on it every single day.  The churches at the core of this issue may understandably have difficulty deciding what to do, but it is certainly important to remember that the return on this investment is priceless.

After doing my own personal survey, I have realized that most people don’t have a good understanding of the basic types of captions. Sure, everyone is familiar with them at some level, but many people don’t understand the different types and uses of captions, and why captions are set up the way they are.

So if you’ve ever wondered why captions are done a certain way, or if you just want to show off your superior captioning knowledge at your next company picnic, keep on reading.

Subtitles

To set the record straight, subtitles are not captions.  However, I’ve included them here because it is important to understand what makes them different from captions.

Closed captions were developed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing audience to be able to read along with the TV program they are watching.  The technology allows captions to be “encoded” into the video signal and transmitted over the air (or played from tape) to the viewer’s home.  A “decoder” chip installed in the viewer’s TV set (or set-top box) allows the captions to be turned on or off.  Usually, the text has white letters on a black background and can be placed in many different areas of the screen.  Closed captioning technology has been around for many years and is now required on almost all broadcast TV programs.

Subtitles are a little different.  They were developed to allow the viewer to read text translated from a foreign language.  They could be presented in a wide array of font and color combinations and almost never have a black background.  The text is not encoded into the video signal, so there is no way to turn them on or off using a TV set decoder. The introduction of DVD changed that slightly. Subtitles used in DVD or Blu-ray can be turned on or off from the DVD menu. In addition, DVD and Blu-ray usually offer the viewer the choice of watching subtitles in one of multiple languages.

Captioning is a different thing altogether, and there are two captioning methods widely in use today.

Roll-up Captioning

Just like this term implies, the captions roll up the screen line by line.  Usually two or three lines of text are displayed on the screen at a time, either at the top or bottom of the screen.  Because this is the most basic form of captions, a simple double chevron is often used to indicate speaker changes (>>) and only minimal sound effect descriptions are included.

This type of captioning is used for all live event broadcasts and some post-production broadcasts that have few speaker changes. Roll-up captions are a very popular style for broadcast because this style is more economical and requires less time to produce and format.  The downside to roll-up captions is that they are often harder to follow. As the captions roll by, it may become difficult to comprehend details such as speaker changes and sound effects when they occur in quick succession.

Pop-on Captioning

This is the most descriptive form of captions.  The text “pops” on and off the screen in sync with the audio.  Each caption usually consists of two or three lines of text and is carefully placed on the screen to avoid covering graphics and faces while also identifying the speaker.  Sound effect description is also included in the pop-on style.

Pop-on captions are the easiest to read and comprehend, but the process of creating them is much more detailed, time intensive, and more of a financial burden for small broadcasters.

No matter which method is used, captioning itself proves to be a useful tool, and one viewers will appreciate, whatever their reasons for using the captioning.

**Note: The statements made about closed captions refer to CEA-608 Line 21 captioning.  CEA-708 captions that are created for ATSC digital streams have a wide range of additional features that we have not attempted to explore in this article.

Adding closed captioning to your TV show in the edit suite just became a little easier. Thanks to new methods using Final Cut Pro and a supported AJA video card, there has been a revolution in the way captions are encoded.

The benefits are huge!

HD Workflow

In an HD environment, the captions can be added to the VANC.  This means that the program can be exported to tape with true HD (CEA-708) captions without the use of an external encoder. HD encoders usually cost about $7,500, so this represents a tremendous savings over purchasing an encoder. Because the captions can be exported right in the edit suite, all your files for captioning can be transferred over the Internet—no more “overnight” tape shipments, and no more shipping related costs or delays when a shipment is misrouted.

SD Workflow

Adding Line 21 (CEA-608) captions to your SD project can now be easily done right from the FCP7 print to tape or edit to tape menu. The key advantage over other methods is ability to do this without rendering, resulting in several recouped hours per program.

How it works

The show is edited as usual in the Final Cut Pro edit suite. Once the show is complete, the editor renders a preview file to send to the captioning firm. Once the captions have been created, the file is e-mailed back to the editor.  The editor selects the file inside the print to tape or edit to tape menus and masters the final program to tape.

This new technology was developed through the cooperative effort of AJA, Final Cut Pro and CPC. Final Cut Pro does not offer a direct way to create and format captions for broadcast, so it is very common for producers to utilize the help of a closed captioning firm to complete this task. Currently, this technology is limited to captioning firms who offer captions created on CPC software. When selecting a firm, it is important to look at quality, cost, experience and turn-around time. Forging a partnership with a firm that can provide just the right mix will mean a savings in time and money for the program producers, and an excellent finished product.

For a how-to guide to adding closed captions in Final Cut Pro 7, visit: www.captionlabs.com/fcp

Captions are also widely used in public places where noise or other distractions make them a welcome addition. Health clubs, restaurants, bars and airports all make use of captions, allowing people to stay plugged in while they are socializing, working out, or waiting for their flight to be announced.

It is in these environments that the majority of hearing citizens are exposed to captions. Public caption use is becoming such a part of our culture that government is getting in on the act. There is a bill in the works that could require bars in Maryland to display captions on all televisions [read more].  Some legislators want captions on all sets, while others think captions should be turned on only when requested. In either case, most of the legislators seem to agree that it is important to make captions available for those who need them.

If you have a profound hearing loss, there’s no question that you need captions. But beyond the issue of need, there are a few things captions can do that benefit society as a whole.

It’s not too surprising when you think about it, but captions are an excellent learning tool.  Research has shown improvement in motivation, reading comprehension and vocabulary when hearing children are shown text captions along with audio and video. Just like “word walls” that are so highly recommended in schools throughout our country, captioning continues that text-rich environment of the classroom, and carries it to each child’s TV time. Using captions mimics the techniques used in educational videos, but instead of learning just colors and numbers, a child can discover new vocabulary in anything that comes across your TV set — words that pertain to sports, economics, geography or far-away cultures.

Captions also benefit hearing adults who are trying to learn a new language. The ability to see the spoken word in films, television and Internet videos greatly increases retention of new words and their meanings. When we see the written words, it is much easier to pick up on connections between our native language and the new words, cementing these language lessons in our minds. The great part is that the learning happens almost effortlessly.

Captions are a great tool for both the hearing and the hard-of-hearing communities. Try it out for yourself.  During family TV time, turn on the captions and see the difference it makes in your kid’s reading and comprehension. Next time you rent a DVD, turn on the subtitles in Spanish or French. You’ll be amazed at what you learn!

For generations, tape and video have worked hand in hand.  Since the very first video picture was seen on a black and white monitor, we’ve needed a way to record and store the images we create. Live shots are great, but when we developed the ability to play them back later, we opened the door to tremendous freedom and creativity.

So in the early 1950’s, videotape recordings began. Since then, videotape has changed in many ways. As the technology of tape (and recording methods) evolved, the quality increased and the size of the tape decreased.  Any veteran of TV production can recall the whirl of 2” reel-to-reel Quad machines as they shuttled to their next cue. Compare that to today’s mini-DV tapes that can hold an entire hour of video in a pocket-sized shell, and it’s like another world.

Each new leap seems like we’ve finally reached perfection, but the progress doesn’t stop. Technology is once again changing the way we record, store, and play back our media.  Since video has transitioned into the digital realm, the ability to store gigabits of ones and zeros on ever-evolving media is growing rapidly.

The reasons are pretty obvious. High capacity media like hard disks, thumb drives and SD cards are much more affordable than tape. They are also faster – instead of copying footage in real-time, digital storage allows transfer of files at much higher speeds. Speaking of saving time, when the media is in a digital file form, media can now be edited immediately—goodbye capturing. And of course, there’s no need to purchase expensive equipment like extra VTRs.

Several years ago, a client came to me with a question that made us think outside the box.  He’s a small producer, airing in a couple local markets.  He hasn’t invested in the expensive TV gear, but his station required the show be delivered in BetacamSP.  It wasn’t long after talking with him that we worked out a solution so he could deliver his shows to us on a hard disk.  We took care of everything else: closed-captioning, duplication to BetacamSP, and fulfillment to the TV station.

In that moment, I realized that the old mindset of tape was soon going to be replaced.  Sure enough, it wasn’t long before I began noticing other tapeless solutions develop.  From Sony’s XD-CAM to the AJA Ki Pro to Panasonic P2, one look at today’s marketplace and you’ll see that tape is “old news” for acquisition.

By this point, maybe you’re asking what this has to do with closed captioning. To be honest, it has more to do with how content will be delivered to stations in the future. I think that this revolution we are experiencing with acquisition, editing, and storage will soon migrate over to station playout, as well.  I’ve heard reports of some stations already beginning to accept delivery of programming on a hard disk or thumb drive.  I also foresee that as available Internet bandwidth increases, stations will begin accepting full-length programs via FTP.

As we witnessed in the audio industry, the days of the videotape may be numbered.  Production and program delivery of today and of the future will require new tricks and new ways to be effective, accurate and efficient. When it comes to your productions, make sure your entire team is ready to adapt, because before you know it, even our most familiar tools will be a thing of the past.

So amid the outcry for captioning on the internet, the world’s leader in online videos decided to do something about it.  In November 2009, YouTube unveiled new technology that will automatically add closed-captions to videos.  Currently, this service is limited to educational and Google videos. However, expectations are that it will soon be offered to many more videos and eventually to everyone.

Another feature that was introduced is the ability for the user to automatically time text to their YouTube video.  All the user has to do is upload the text with the video and the voice-recognition software completes all the timing.

Google, Inc. has also introduced CaptionTube [link], which allows users to create and add timed captions to their YouTube videos completely free of charge.

Google admits that the automated captions will have errors. This should be expected because of many factors, including audio quality and the speaker’s accent or varied pronunciation of words.  But even with these errors, this still is a powerful breakthrough for internet videos.

The benefits to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are almost as endless as the number of videos on YouTube.  Although no computer voice recognition software, no matter how advanced, can work better than an actual human transcriber, this innovative technology accomplishes a great leap forward in the way we watch videos on the internet.

More Information from Google.

Well, here’s a little tip that may save your small business some money.  If you have closed captioned programming, you may be eligible to receive a tax credit for providing accessibility to persons with disabilities.  It’s called the Disabled Access Credit and is reported on IRS form 8826.

Your small business could qualify to receive a tax credit of up to half of your closed-captioning expenses.  Do the math.  If you’ve closed-captioned a weekly show, you may have up to $5,000 in tax credits.  Of course, every situation is different, so you need to consult a tax professional to see if your situation qualifies.

Here’s some info as provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

What is it?
Small businesses may take an annual tax credit for making their businesses accessible to persons with disabilities.

Who is eligible?
Small businesses are eligible if they, in the previous year, earned a maximum of $1 million in revenue or had 30 or fewer full-time employees.

What is the amount?
The credit is 50% of expenditures over $250, not to exceed $10,250, for a maximum benefit of $5,000. The credit amount is subtracted from the total tax liability.

With only a few exceptions, all programming for broadcast in the United States must be closed captioned.  The rules for the requirement of closed captions were directed by the U.S. Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and became effective starting in 1998.  Since then, the required amount of captioning has been steadily increasing. Today, nearly 100% of all English and Spanish language programming is closed captioned.

The FCC has created a fact sheet for more information on closed captioning for broadcast. It tells exactly what closed captioning is, who has to provide it, and what media are affected by the laws. The fact sheet also has information about how to file a complaint if someone isn’t following captioning rules and, if you’re a provider, some ideas for how not to become the recipient of such complaints. The fact sheet can be found here.

Federal and State Electronic Information Technology (EIT)

Federal agencies must make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities as required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, a piece of legislation that was strengthened by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.  In part, Section 508 requires that “all training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency’s mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned”. For more information, visit http://www.section508.gov.

In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities where necessary to ensure that communications with individuals with hearing, vision, or speech impairments are as effective as communications with others. The public entity must provide appropriate auxiliary aids.

This means that, one way or another, government has to make all of the information available to all people. This may mean providing a transcription of a meeting after the fact. Many state and local governments are opting instead to caption webcast meetings so that hearing-impaired citizens can participate in much the same way as any hearing person.

The Future

There is currently a movement to pass legislation that will define and regulate accessibility for developing technology.  H.R. 3101 was introduced in June 2009 by Edward Markey (D-MA).  Called the “Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009,” this legislation will, if enacted, amend the nation’s Communications Act.  With more than 240 national, state, and community-based organizations supporting the legislation, and with telecommunications becoming more essential to our daily lives all the time, it looks like it won’t be long before captions will be required across all forms of visual media.

Update:

The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act was signed into law in October 2010.  For more updated information, please click here.