National Association of the Deaf

As a result of a petition submitted by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., Self Help for the Hard of Hearing, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network, and the Association of Late Deafened Adults, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun a rulemaking process to examine the FCC closed captioning rules.

Closed captioning is an integral and crucial part of a deaf and hard of hearing person's daily life and personal safety. However, despite the FCC current closed captioning rules, there continues to be woeful captioning access -- no access or poor quality -- in broadcast captions. 

The FCC seeks comments on whether additional enforcement mechanisms should be required to ensure full compliance with its rules and to increase the accountability for noncompliance with its rules. “This will be the biggest change in captioning rules in years,” says Kelby Brick, NAD Director of Law and Advocacy.

The FCC seeks comments on the following areas:

• non-technical quality standards for closed captioning
• technical quality standards for closed captioning
• monitoring of captioning
• complaint procedures
• accessibility of contact information
• standardized FCC complaint form for consumers to use
• fines and penalties for failure to caption
• requirement for compliance reports by broadcasters
• availability of captioners to provide live and pre-broadcast captions

"The FCC must hear from consumers on this important issue,” urged Sheila Conlon Mentkowski, Chair of the NAD Technology Committee.

Consumers are encouraged to take action now by going to:
http://www.nad.org/CaptioningAction