Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Continuing Univision Caption problem - and attempts to solve it.
Hi all,
Since Ferro's post last Friday - during which we tentatively decided the disastrous meltdown of the Univision subtitles started on March 16 - I've been in touch with a few people at Univision and one of our other recappers who "knows somebody" there has done the same.
There is a possibility this problem results from a cost-cutting measure at Univision: that they stopped paying for pre-recorded captions and have been trying to get by with live captioners. We are hoping they'll realize what they're offering now is utterly unusable and will go back to the previous system. In the mean time, I'll try to keep you posted.
Since Ferro's post last Friday - during which we tentatively decided the disastrous meltdown of the Univision subtitles started on March 16 - I've been in touch with a few people at Univision and one of our other recappers who "knows somebody" there has done the same.
There is a possibility this problem results from a cost-cutting measure at Univision: that they stopped paying for pre-recorded captions and have been trying to get by with live captioners. We are hoping they'll realize what they're offering now is utterly unusable and will go back to the previous system. In the mean time, I'll try to keep you posted.
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Hey, I'm ready to vote for a stimulus package for Univision. I'm sure we'd all be happy to put in a few dollars if they'd just go back to the old system. The present setup sucks.
Here's some information I found about closed caption law. I followed Agnes' instructions to make a link. I've crossed my fingers.
Carlos
Carlos
Thanks for looking into this. It certainly explains that bizarre "TEST TEST" caption some of us saw! :)
I am surprised that it's cheaper to use live captions than canned ones, but maybe this has something to do with the ongoing unpleasantness between Univision and Televisa.
I think that if I were a captioner (for a show in English, I mean) I'd go crazy if I had to do it in real time. Even if the sound mixing was superb and the actors never mumbled, I would want a LOT more money to make up for the stress and confusion!!
I truly salute the live captioners' heroic efforts, but I think that if I were one of the hearing-impaired viewers I would have given up on the show by now.
And thanks for that link, Carlos - OT but I had NO idea that Julia Child did the first ever captioned show! Awesome!
I am surprised that it's cheaper to use live captions than canned ones, but maybe this has something to do with the ongoing unpleasantness between Univision and Televisa.
I think that if I were a captioner (for a show in English, I mean) I'd go crazy if I had to do it in real time. Even if the sound mixing was superb and the actors never mumbled, I would want a LOT more money to make up for the stress and confusion!!
I truly salute the live captioners' heroic efforts, but I think that if I were one of the hearing-impaired viewers I would have given up on the show by now.
And thanks for that link, Carlos - OT but I had NO idea that Julia Child did the first ever captioned show! Awesome!
Wow, melinama. Thanks for this information!
But how strange... When I transcribed meetings and panels full time (not the same as captions for shows, but very similar), the pay was TWICE as much for a live, real-time transcipt rather than for a meeting already recorded, with good reason. Live was waaay harder, unpredictable, and there wasn't the luxury of a re-do.
Good grief, Univision.
But how strange... When I transcribed meetings and panels full time (not the same as captions for shows, but very similar), the pay was TWICE as much for a live, real-time transcipt rather than for a meeting already recorded, with good reason. Live was waaay harder, unpredictable, and there wasn't the luxury of a re-do.
Good grief, Univision.
Permalink posted by 
: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 2:12:00 AM EDT
: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 2:12:00 AM EDT
The "cost savings" answer leaves me with a lot of questions too. I can't understand how having someone write captions live for multiple shows every single night could be cheaper than that same person writing the captions ahead of time in a studio and syncing them up correctly before air. There must still be something unsaid in the whole deal.
It's cheaper if the person is an intern working for a few bucks and hour and is told to go do the captions.
Meanwhile a professional captioner probably gets paid for multiple hours per episode.
I recall Beckster saying the shows are already captioned in Mexico. Maybe Televisa was charging Univision extra for the captions and it was a lot of money, since the two companies are not getting along...
Meanwhile a professional captioner probably gets paid for multiple hours per episode.
I recall Beckster saying the shows are already captioned in Mexico. Maybe Televisa was charging Univision extra for the captions and it was a lot of money, since the two companies are not getting along...
I agree with what you said, Ferro, 'cause the guy I spoke to clammed up when I tried to probe further.
I bet someone completely dropped the ball on getting captions done, like signing up for a new service that didn't happen, and having someone caption live (like each week they draw straws to see who has to do it next week) is a stopgap measure until they get it figured out. Which I hope is soon.
Unfortunately this kind of thing happens all the time, even in big companies. It only takes one person not paying attention to one detail for things to fall apart.
Unfortunately this kind of thing happens all the time, even in big companies. It only takes one person not paying attention to one detail for things to fall apart.
That's a realistic scenario if I've ever heard one.
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Permalink posted by : Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 5:59:00 PM EDT
: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 5:59:00 PM EDT
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