Tuesday, March 24, 2009
In which Carlos reminds us that functional closed captions are REQUIRED BY LAW!
THANK YOU CARLOS for providing this information. Now, what to do about it?
From his link at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders:
The law
From his link at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders:
The law
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires that businesses and public accommodations ensure that disabled individuals are not excluded from or denied services because of the absence of auxiliary aids. Captions are considered one type of auxiliary aid.
Since the passage of the ADA, the use of captioning has expanded. Entertainment, educational, informational, and training materials are captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences at the time they are produced and distributed.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt rules requiring closed captioning of most television programming.Captions and the FCC
The FCC rules on closed captioning became effective January 1, 1998. They require people or companies that distribute television programs directly to home viewers to make sure those programs are captioned.Labels: announcements
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How can we be helpful in letting Univision that cheap after the fact captions are not going to be useful to hearing impaired and language challenged viewers? It seems if they have gone to a cheaper way to provide substandard captions, they need to be convinced that all those special viewers also have purchase power that might effect their sponsors too??
Thanks Carlos and Melinama for acting on the information we all supplied and trying to get Univision's attention. We could do an e-mail writing campaign too to express our views.
Thanks Carlos and Melinama for acting on the information we all supplied and trying to get Univision's attention. We could do an e-mail writing campaign too to express our views.
As I read the law that Carlos provided in his great link, it is ultimately your cable provider's responsibility, but they often rely on the networks for the captions. Maybe if we put pressure on our providers (Comcast in my case, not the most responsive company I've ever dealt with), the word would filter back up to Univision, do you think?
Jane
Jane
Permalink posted by 
: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 8:09:00 PM EDT
: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 8:09:00 PM EDT
Well, someone needs to sic the ADA on Looneyvision. I'll continue to watch 'commando style' a/k/a without CCs. At least that way I can watch the digital version on our one TV with a built-in digital tuner. I can't get CCs on that channel, but still can (albeit the bad ones) on the analog version. Go figure . . .
Many years ago a similar problem occurred and I was actually able to contact a Univision engineer. I no longer remember the technical explanation he gave me for the problem, but it did have something to do with the interface between its signal and that of the cable company's.
I wonder if this screwed up switch from analog to digital TV may be part of the reason for the current mess. (Some stations have already switched but may be running under-powered, others haven't switched, etc.).
If so, perhaps it will all clear up after the new June date for the crossover.
I wonder if this screwed up switch from analog to digital TV may be part of the reason for the current mess. (Some stations have already switched but may be running under-powered, others haven't switched, etc.).
If so, perhaps it will all clear up after the new June date for the crossover.
For whatever it's worth, tonight's captions are better then they've been in a while. They're not 100% and they're still delayed, but they're a big improvement.
They are not better from Dish satellite. If anything they are farther delayed. I still think this has something to do with the digital switch as YAB states above. Let's hope that the big all digital future will be brighter than this.
I think if a few people started filing suit under the ADA, Univision would conclude that it was getting mighty expensive to not fix the problem. Remember that guy a few years ago, who filed suits against over 400 small business if they didn't have sufficient wheelchair access, and everyone settled out of court rather than fighting it? The extortionist made his living from it, while lots of people lost their jobs because the places ended up shutting down. That's what happened to a favorite place here after 40 years in business.
I am researching the law on this further, and I will get back to everyone soon with some options. Meanwhile, I have to agree with Julie that the captions were better last night, but still way too delayed. For comparison, I watched The View this morning (while captive in the dentist's chair). Their live captioning was only a few seconds delayed. Univision's is at least 30 seconds delayed, which makes it next to impossible to follow who's speaking.
BTW, in response to Paula's previous comment, you'd have to be deaf or at least hard of hearing to file suit under the ADA. Being Spanish-impaired is not a legal disability. Ha Ha. Lawyer joke!
In any event, we have to try to use the FCC regs, which I think are in our favor, and you don't have to be deaf to file a complaint.
In any event, we have to try to use the FCC regs, which I think are in our favor, and you don't have to be deaf to file a complaint.
I’m doubting the captions problem is due to the switch to digital, as it’s obvious the captioner is new. On our show, Cuidado, when the captions problem started, the character names were often wrong, and a few days later they were correct, but often misspelled. It seems they’ve been spelled correctly this week, so somebody’s on a learning curve.
Thank you everyone who has connections and/or legal knowledge. It really takes the emotional punch out of these shows when the captions are so goofed up, and it makes watching a chore. They could lose viewers for those reasons, not just us language learners but also the hearing impaired.
Thank you everyone who has connections and/or legal knowledge. It really takes the emotional punch out of these shows when the captions are so goofed up, and it makes watching a chore. They could lose viewers for those reasons, not just us language learners but also the hearing impaired.
You know, I'm of the opinion that if Univision realized that CCs were essential to them capturing a sizable audience of Gringos, They would be eager to accommodate us. Surely there is a sizable group of deaf Latinos out there as well. Maybe the makers of Miracle Ear would like to underwrite some quality CCs. I think that more advertisers would utilize CCs if they were aware of our presence. Who of us wouldn't like to have hair like the darkhaired lady in the Pantene commercial? (Heck I'd just like to have hair period.)
I'm doubting that we have to bring a class action suit just yet.
Power to the people!
Sí se puede!
Carlos
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I'm doubting that we have to bring a class action suit just yet.
Power to the people!
Sí se puede!
Carlos
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