FCC and Closed Captioning
TDI has released a quicktime video explaining about FCC approving approximately 300 requests for television shows not to provide closed captions.
http://www.tdi-online.org/FCC/FCC-CC100406_OC%2BAD.mov
For more information on FCC and how they regulate closed captions, and how you can contact FCC to complain about this go to: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html
I just sent an e-mail to the FCC (fccinfo@fcc.gov) and this is what I said:
Dear Mr. Chairman:
It has been brought to my attention that the FCC is now granting permanent waivers for television programs to be exempt from closed captioning.
There are approximately thirty million hard of hearing and deaf individuals in the United States. I must ask why is the FCC encouraging unequal access to thirty million citizens?
It is unfair that the FCC has approved three hundred requests for television shows not to be captioned, therefore, denying thirty million hard of hearing and deaf citizens the equality of watching whatever television shows as hearing citizens do.
If your child, parent, relative or friend were deaf, wouldn’t you want to sit down with them and watch and enjoy a show together? But now, thirty million of us cannot do that, due to the FCC decision. Very few television programs cannot afford to close caption their programs. I strongly urge you to reconsider this decision.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely Yours,
Jeannette Johnson
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I strongly encourage all of you to call, mail or e-mail the FCC to let them know how you feel about this. Feel free to copy my e-mail, if you can’t think of anything to say.
