Comments on: Closed Captioning Ads http://www.stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:01:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Stanton Champion » Broken Closed Captions http://www.stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-3059 Stanton Champion » Broken Closed Captions Sun, 04 May 2008 21:39:00 +0000 http://stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-3059 [...] captioning on television is just plain broken. I wrote before asking why advertisers don’t add captions to their ads, but today I realized the opposite problem can *cough* arise. Sometimes a caption from [...] [...] captioning on television is just plain broken. I wrote before asking why advertisers don’t add captions to their ads, but today I realized the opposite problem can *cough* arise. Sometimes a caption from [...]

]]> By: Stanton http://www.stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1061 Stanton Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:41:56 +0000 http://stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1061 $200!?! That's nothing compared to the cost of producing a 30 second commercial. No advertiser in their right mind should skip captioning their ad. As for the encoder issue, that sounds like a poorly designed technology problem. I wonder how easy that would be to fix...? $200!?! That’s nothing compared to the cost of producing a 30 second commercial. No advertiser in their right mind should skip captioning their ad.

As for the encoder issue, that sounds like a poorly designed technology problem. I wonder how easy that would be to fix…?

]]> By: Barbara http://www.stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1060 Barbara Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:18:02 +0000 http://stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1060 At least when some of the Deaf groups publish their criticisms about the companies that don't caption superbowl ads, the excuse often comes down to timing -- ads being completed very close to the deadline. I think that's a pretty weak excuse. On the more believable side, sometimes there is the issue of captions for the broadcast show being done live, mostly for news or sports. From http://www.ncicap.org/FAQ1.asp "Why do captions sometimes disappear during commercial breaks? When a program is being captioned live and reaches a commercial break or the end of the program, the captioner must send a command to enable the encoder that is processing the captions to accept other data. If the captioner neglects to send this enabling command when finishing the captioning of a segment or program, the captions on the next commercial or program will not be able to access the encoder, and will not appear. The technical staff at the broadcast site must be alert for this situation. Also, the commercials themselves might not be captioned." Also, I've heard that captioning costs are about $200 per commercial, more if it's a rush job. At least when some of the Deaf groups publish their criticisms about the companies that don’t caption superbowl ads, the excuse often comes down to timing — ads being completed very close to the deadline. I think that’s a pretty weak excuse.

On the more believable side, sometimes there is the issue of captions for the broadcast show being done live, mostly for news or sports. From http://www.ncicap.org/FAQ1.asp

“Why do captions sometimes disappear during commercial breaks?

When a program is being captioned live and reaches a commercial break or the end of the program, the captioner must send a command to enable the encoder that is processing the captions to accept other data. If the captioner neglects to send this enabling command when finishing the captioning of a segment or program, the captions on the next commercial or program will not be able to access the encoder, and will not appear. The technical staff at the broadcast site must be alert for this situation. Also, the commercials themselves might not be captioned.”

Also, I’ve heard that captioning costs are about $200 per commercial, more if it’s a rush job.

]]> By: Greg http://www.stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1055 Greg Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:13:16 +0000 http://stantonchampion.com/2008/03/24/closed-captioning-ads/#comment-1055 My only guess is that people think it might interfere with the visuals of the ad. It does seem odd, though. My only guess is that people think it might interfere with the visuals of the ad. It does seem odd, though.

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