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Captioning FAQ :

Questions:

  1. What is captioning?
  2. Who uses captioning?
  3. What programming is required to be captioned by the FCC?
  4. How can I see closed captions on my television?
  5. Can I get captions with cable TV?
  6. Can I get captions from a satellite TV?
  7. Are there captions on DVDs?
  8. How do you know if a program is captioned?
  9. What are CC1 and CC2?
  10. What is the difference between “Open” and “Closed” captions?
  11. What is the difference between “Caption” and “Text” on the decoder?
  12. What is the difference between “Real-time and “Off-line” captions?
  13. What is the difference between “Subtitles” and “Captions”?
  14. How many televisions with caption decoders, are out there?
  15. Where do captions come from?
  16. Can captioning be used for literacy education?


1. What is captioning?

Captions are text that appear on the screen representing the audio portion of a program.  This includes any non-verbal information, such as music or sound effects.

This allows the deaf and hard of hearing viewer to follow the presentation. 
However captions are not only for the deaf and hard of hearing.  They can also be used for learning a new language, improving reading skills or to follow a program in a noisy environment.


2. Who uses captioning?

Captioning was developed to assist people who have hearing disabilities. But, today, people use captioning for assistants in learning English as a second language, as well as those who are trying to improve their literacy skills. Captions are often used in restaurants, gyms and other public but also loud environments, where viewers can not hear the TV.


3. What programming is required to be captioned by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission)?

The following are rules and exemptions from the FCC;

"New" Programming
As of January 1, 2006, all “new” English language programming, defined as analog programming first published or exhibited on or after January 1, 1998, and digital programming first aired on or after July 1, 2002, must be captioned, with some exceptions.
"Pre-Rule" Programming
Analog programming first shown before January 1, 1998, and digital programming first shown before July 1, 2002, are called “Pre-Rule Programming.” Pre-Rule Programming must be captioned as follows:

  • January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2007: 30 percent of programming per channel per quarter.
  • January 1, 2008, and thereafter: 75 percent of programming per channel per quarter.

Self Implementing Exemptions
Self-implementing exemptions operate automatically and programmers do not need to petition the FCC. Examples include public service announcements that are shorter than 10 minutes and are not paid for with federal dollars, programming shown in the early morning hours (i.e., 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. local time), and programming that is primarily textual in nature. There is also an exemption for non-news programming with no repeat value that is locally produced by the video programming distributor.
To see a complete list of self-implementing exemptions, go to www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/exemptions_from_cc_rules.html.

Exemptions Based on Undue Burden
The FCC has established procedures for petitioning for an exemption from the closed captioning rules when compliance would pose an undue burden. To find out about the undue burden exemption, visit the FCC Web site at www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/caption_exemptions.html.
A petition, which may be in the form of a letter, must include facts demonstrating that implementing closed captioning would impose an undue burden, which is defined as a significant difficulty or expense. There is no form to fill out. A summary of the petition process is provided at the FCC Web site address above. While a petition is pending, the programming that is the subject of the petition is exempt from the closed captioning requirements.

4. How can I see closed captions on my television?

As of, July 1993, all televisions manufactured for sale in North America must contain a built-in caption decoder, from 13” televisions and larger. The viewer has the option of turning the decoder on or off to display captions.

5. Can I get captions with cable TV?

Since the caption data being received is hidden in the picture, it will reach you no matter how the cable signal gets to your television. Time-to-time there are problems with the delivery of the captions. But, problems occur when equipments are used, either for “clean up” or “compresses” the cable signal, causing the lose of the VBI (where the caption data is carried through) when it is done.
The cable television companies are required by the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to maintain captioning information.

6. Can I get captions from a satellite TV?

The same way you receive captions with cable television, the caption data is hidden. It doesn’t matter is you are using a “Big Dish” that receives analog satellite broadcasts or the DSS (Digital Satellite Service) dishes used by companies like Bell ExpressVU and DirecTV.

7. Are there captions on DVDs?

Yes and no because the standards for DVD were created late, but there are several ways to put captions on DVDs. The most common way is to embed a Line 21 style captions in what is called the “user bits” or to use a “subpicture” to display captions that look like subtitles. Your DVD player must support the same method of captioning encode used on the DVD, although many current DVD players are compatible with both methods.

8. How do you know if a program is captioned?

There are three different indicates to know if a program has been captioned.

1. “CC”
2. “CC” within a television shape
3. A small television screen with a small tail at the bottom.

9. What are CC1 and CC2?

Originally, caption decoders were designed to allow for captions in more than one language, unforutely, we don’t see much programs in North America that has another language besides English.

Line 21, is where the captions are carried, is split into two different fields. Field one carries two caption channels, CC1 and CC2. Field two carries the other two, CC3 and CC4.

10. What is the difference between “Open” and “Closed” captions?

CLOSED captions are captions that are hidden in the video signal, invisible without a special decoder. The place they are hidden is called line 21 of the vertical blanking interval (VBI).

OPEN captions are captions that have been decoded, so they have become an integral part of the television picture, like subtitles in a movie. In other words, open captions cannot be turned off. The term "open captions" is also used to refer to subtitles created with a character generator.

11. What is the difference between “Caption” and “Text” on the decoder?

Instead of displaying few lines somewhere on the picture, like caption. The text option takes over all or half of the screen to display scrolling text information.

Very few broadcasters are using the text fields and most of the time there will be no information on the screen. Exceptions are CBC/Radio-Canada and Global in Canada and some ABC and PBS in America.

12. What is the difference between “Real-time and “Off-line” captions?

Off-line captioning is a process of adding captions to a pre-recorded video. Experienced captionists listen to the video and transcribe the dialogue, breaking the transcript into captions on the screen. These captions are time coded on the screen and the resulting data is encoded into the video signal.

Real-time captioning is the process of creating captions for live events and live videos. During the live broadcast, specially trained court reporters called real-time captionists, transcribe the audio portion of the teleconference, television program, meeting or other live event. This technique is also called “live display captioning. Example of this service is used on news and sporting events.

13. What is the difference between “Subtitles” and “Captions”?

Subtitles are intended for hearing audiences, the main purpose is to translate the dialog into a different language, but rarely show all of the audio. Simply, captions are intended for the hearing impaired.

Example, captions show sound effects (e.g. “phone ringing” and “knock on the door”), while subtitles don’t.

14. How many televisions with caption decoders, are out there?

it is estimated that in the year 2007, there will be 225,000,000 televisions in North America and 85% will have caption decoders in them. As of July 1, 1993, television sets with 13” screen and larger must have built-in caption decoders in them. The number of course doesn’t take replacement televisions into account.

15. Where do captions come from?

Captions can be placed on a video signal in one of the two methods: Real-time (Live) or Post Production.

Real-time captioning is a style of captioning that is performed for live events (i.e. news, sports, live music, telethons).  It is used in situations where it is impossible to provide post display or off-line captioning for a taped program due to the tight turnaround or technical challenges.  Real-time captions are produced by a specially trained real-time captionist who uses a steno machine (used by court reporters) to "write" captions which are then translated through their software, sent to the broadcaster via modem and embedded onto Line 21 of the VBI.

There are three types of Post Production captioning:

Off-line (pop-on) captioning is used primarily for movies, or episodic productions where turnaround times or delivery schedules allow.  This style of captioning is more laborious and requires anywhere from eight to ten hours to produce one hour of off-line captioning.  This allows for synchronizing the captions with time code and for extensive editing of the script.

Post Display (3-line roll up) is a style of captioning that is being utilized more and more by broadcasters and production houses in order to facilitate fast turnaround delivery schedules without compromising the accuracy or presentation of the closed captioning.  Post Display is done in an off-line captioning environment having the captionist produce a caption file from a VHS tape of the program.  A caption facilitator then dials in to the broadcaster’s encoder and audio coupler and coordinates the sending of the caption file with the VTR operator and creates a captioned sub master.

Timed Roll Up is used for pre-taped programming, these captions can be timed to be synchronized with the audio portion of a programme.

16. Can captioning be used for literacy education?

A number of studies have shown that captioning is an important aid to teaching people to read and in teaching English as a second language.