Captioning

Emergency TV Information

FCC rules say local and national emergencies must be announced on TV (examples: a school closing, chemical spill, large fire, flood, tornado)

The emergency announcements must be accessible to people with hearing loss. How can the information be shown? It can be shown with

• closed captions,
• open captions,
• subtitles,
• crawls (a line of words at the bottom of the screen),

OR in any other way that puts words describing the emergency on the tv. Example: a sign written by hand.

WHAT MUST BE SHOWN IN THE TEXT:
(Examples: escape routes, lists of areas hit, safety instructions, shelters)

The most important information that keeps people safe during the emergency. OTHER INFORMATION (example: jokes) DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN TEXT (CAPTIONED).

Emergency information cannot block closed captioning.
Closed captioning cannot block emergency information.

Filing a Closed Captioning Complaint

Access to Emergency Information, A Different Type of Closed Caption Complaint: The FCC requires that video programming distributors that provide emergency information make it accessible to people who are Deaf or have hearing impairments. Emergency information is that which helps to protect life, safety, or property, such as hazardous weather, hazardous chemical spills, or power failures. The information displayed visually must include critical details about the emergency and how to respond. Most stations close caption emergency information.

If you have a complaint alleging a violation of the rules requiring access to emergency information, you can send it directly to the FCC by any reasonable means:

• E-mail to fccinfo@fcc.gov;
• Fax to 1-866-418-0232;
• Phone by calling 1-888-225-5322 (voice) or 1-888-835-5322 (TTY);
• Mail to the address shown above for closed captioning complaints.

Your complaint should include:

• the name of the TV programming distributor,
• the TV channel and name,
• the date and time of the omission of access to emergency information,
• the type of emergency,
• your personal contact information.

Quick & Easy Filing

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established a stand alone email address for you to use with your complaints or questions on closed captions, which is: closedcaptioning@fcc.gov.

Contacting your TV program distributor: The FCC’s rules require that, before contacting the FCC, you must first complain in writing to your television program distributor (i.e., your cable or satellite TV, or other subscription service if you pay for any of these services, or the TV station broadcasting the program, if you do not pay for cable, satellite, or other service). The mailing address for your cable or satellite TV provider is usually on the back of your bill, or you can phone the Customer Service number of the provider and ask for the mailing address. Mailing addresses of TV stations are generally found in phone directories. Letters should be addressed to the General Manager or CEO of the company.

Time Requirements: Your written complaint to the TV program provider must be sent before the end of the calendar quarter following the calendar quarter when the problem occurred. For example, if the problem occurred on January 28, 2008 (1st quarter), your complaint must be filed by June 30, 2008 (end of 2nd quarter).

Content of Complaint

Closed captioning complaints need to be very specific. Include the following information in your complaint to the TV programming distributor.

First, state that your complaint is “Filed Under the FCC Closed Captioning Rules 47 CFR § 79.1.”;

• Your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address;
• Name of the TV program(s) or show(s) with the captioning problem;
• Number, call letters and name of the channel where the interrupted close captioning occurred;
• Date(s) and time(s) you experienced the closed captioning problem;
• Detailed description of the captioning problem (for example, “no closed captioning during entire show” or “closed captioning disappeared halfway into the program” or “the closed captioning text was garbled or unreadable”).

Complaining to the FCC

If you are unsatisfied with the response you receive from the TV programming distributor, or the TV programming distributor does not respond at all after about 30 days, you may complain to the FCC.

• You should contact the FCC quickly, within 30 days: closedcaptioning@fcc.gov
• Send a written letter to the FCC with the information contained in your complaint to the TV programming distributor.
• You must include a copy of the original complaint to the TV distributor and a copy of the response you received, if any.
• You may include further information such as videotapes, or copies of schedules showing the CC logo that was shown without closed captioning.

Send the complaint to Federal Communications Commission; Attn. CICD/CGB; 445 12th Street S.W.; Washington, DC 20554, closedcaptioning@fcc.gov

The FCC will notify the programming distributor and work to resolve the problem.

This article was reprinted from the April 2008 issue of Monthly Communicator, the monthly newsletter produced by the New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.