What is Closed Captioning....

So, my professor was asking me about two things, so in this one, I will explain the technology involved for captioning...the next blog will definitely be about a solution to lack of captioning...

What is captioning?
Captions are text versions of the spoken word. Captions should not be mistaken for subtitles. Captions are in the same language as the audio, whereas subtitles usually provide a translation of the audio or other visual language. Because captions are primarily targeted to the Deaf and hard-and-hearing, captions are usually closed (meaning they can be turned on and off), whereas subtitles, which are intended for everyone, are usually open (they cannot be turned off). The primary distinction is that captions are vital to ensure accessibility to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing and as such, they provide a verbatim, textual equivalent of all necessary auditory information (for example, you can see in the picture above, informs you that a woman is talking, another example would be, birds tweeting in background even though one cannot see the birds) It informs you of all of the sounds heard in the show/film. Subtitles, on the other hand, can provide additional, clarifying information that may not be necessarily vital for accessibility.

Who watches closed captions?
An estimated 24 million Americans have enough of a hearing loss that they cannot fully understand the meaning of a television program. This is especially true of the elderly, the fastest growing category of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.Captions enable viewers who are deaf and hard of hearing to participate with family and friends in America's favorite pastime: watching TV. Captions can also benefit adults and children learning to read, as well as people learning English as a second language.

How are captions produced?
Caption writers transcribe a program's entire script into a computer using a software program. Caption writers time and place captions, then add or adapt information to give viewers a full sense of the events occurring onscreen. Finally, as the last step in an intricate process that can take up to 30 hours for a one-hour program, the captions are encoded as data into the program's video, ready for broadcast or duplication.How are live programs captioned?Real-time captioning couples the skills of a court stenographer with computer technology. Stenographers type words as they are spoken, producing captions which are broadcast simultaneously with the live program. Some local news programs are using automated electronic newsroom systems to caption, a less expensive though less comprehensive alternative to stenocaptioning. For more in depth information: Please check here.

Who pays for captioning?
Advertisers, producers, networks, cable services, the federal government, foundations, corporations, and individuals all participate in funding the cost of closed captioning.

So, now you know a little bit about captioning and how it is so important to me and millions of those who are hearing impaired. I would greatly appreciate it if you can all help me to make my voice and the hearing impaired voices be heard.

• Ask for more captioned TV programs.
• Spread the word about captioning.
• Show your appreciation.

For more imformation on how to advocate for more and better captioning, please check both sites:

http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/resources/guides/mag_guide_vol10.html

http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/about/contact.html

Thank you for helping on making our voices heard! :)