Thread Subject: Re: Definition of captions

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From: Larry Goldberg
Date: Wed, Feb 20 2008 6:40 AM

I think the "needed to understand" language is good.

... Larry ...


On Feb 20, 2008, at 8:12 AM, Karen Peltz Strauss wrote:

Please delete the word "important." The consumer community is going
to be justifiably upset with a definition that says that only non-
dialog that is "important" should be captioned. It is not clear who
would decide what was important and how that decision would be made.
If it can be heard by hearing people, there should be a corresponding
caption for the sound. Saying that only "important" sounds should be
captioned is a dangerous area to get into. Use of the words "needed
to understand" would be an improvement. I would revise as follows:

Captions
Synchronized visual or text equivalents for audio information
including both dialog and non-dialog audio information.
NOTE: Captions are similar to dialog-only subtitles except captions
convey not only the content of spoken dialog, but also equivalents for
other (non-spoken) audio information needed to understand the program
content, including sound effects, music, laughter, speaker
identification and location.
NOTE: Captions can be supplemental visual or text equivalents that
can be turned on and off (closed captions) or images of text and
embedded in video (open captions).
NOTE: Captions should not obscure or obstruct relevant or key
information.
NOTE: In some countries captions are called subtitles.


Karen

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