logotype
ArchivesCaptioning

*Media Release*: Quality Caption for Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Not important

NT-Minister-gaff-media-release

Broadcasters and caption providers believe that standards for captions should not be based on metrics that can be properly measured. Instead, they prefer to stick with ambiguous and inconsistent ‘readability, comprehensibility and accuracy’ standards on the Review of Caption TV Standards.

More than 20% of Australian population rely on captions and it imperative that captions are treated in same way as audio is for non-deaf people. For many, captioned programs are their main source of information and enjoyment.
Deaf Australia believes caption standards should be metric-based that requires pre-recorded programs to be at least 99% accurate and live-streamed programs to be at least 95% accurate.
However, 8 of the 10 organisations (see table below) do not support metric-based standards as TV Caption Standards, and believes it is too difficult to monitor the quality of captions if metric-based standards are introduced.
‘It is extremely disappointing that other organisations does not value captions in same way as caption users do’, said Mr. Kyle Miers, Chief Executive of Deaf Australia, ‘the current standards of ‘readability, comprehensibility and accuracy’ are subjective and is neither clear nor useful for caption users and broadcasters’.
‘Deaf Australia believes that by having metric-based standards, it will be easy for caption users to understand minimum requirements for captioned programs and for broadcasters to commit to those standards’, said Mr. Miers. ‘It is important to note that none of the 8 organisations that does not support the metric-based standards are consumer based organisations, which raise questions of vested interests in the overall process’.
Deaf Australia calls for TV Caption Standards to be metric-based and for ACMA, broadcasters and caption providers to listen and respect the needs of consumers who use captioned programs as their main source of information and enjoyment.
Breakdown of organisation’s role and position:
Caption-Quality-not-important_Page_1
To read all submissions, including Deaf Australia’s, please go to:
http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/Consultations/Consultations/Current/review-of-tv-captioning-standard

On related matters:

In October last year, Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) conducted ONE public consultation on the Review of TV Caption Standards, and Deaf Australia believes this highlights how ACMA values captioning given the population’s use of captioned programs.

Skip to content
Verified by MonsterInsights