Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) Seeking Feedback from Community

Published 02-26-2010

Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) has provided real-time captioning for the Almanac and Almanac at the Capitol TV programs through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce – Telecommunications Access Minnesota. Staff from DHS-Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division (DHHSD) oversee this grant.

On Friday, February 26th, during (or immediately following) the 7:00 p.m. Almanac program, TPT will be asking for your feedback regarding the live real-time captioning service.

If you are unable to watch the February 26th, 7:00 p.m. Almanac program, it will be repeated on Sunday, February 28th at 9:30 a.m. For an up-to-date schedule, check the TPT website and click on “TV Schedules”

Please help spread the word! It would be great if TPT viewers from across the state would take the time to watch the program and offer feedback to TPT.

This announcement can also be seen within DHHSD website by clicking on “announcements”

In 2005, MCDHH passed legislation known then as the “CAPTIONING BILL” that gives $600,000/2 years for real-time captioning for live news programming in DULUTH, MANKATO, ROCHESTER, ALEXANDRIA AND TPT’s ALMANAC.

The funds make one hour of real-time captioning of news broadcasts available 365 days a year in 4 cities, plus 110 hours of live news on public television. Federal law requires that only the top 25 news markets provide real-time captioning for live news broadcasts; the Twin Cities is the only Minnesota area required to provide them. Since this law passed in 2005, all deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind people (with enough functional vision or adaptive equipment) have been able to enjoy the news daily throughout the state.