| Have you ever been to a crowded movie and been | | | | first time in their lives be able to enjoy an outing to the |
| distracted by the audience? Between the whispering | | | | movies just as others have done for decades. |
| and laughing, popcorn crunching, and sometimes even | | | | So, what strides are currently being taken to bring |
| cell phones ringing, outside noise can really ruin your | | | | closed captions into America's movie theaters? Right |
| movie-watching experience. Closed captioning would | | | | now there are three technologies that are sparsely |
| certainly solve this problem. As of right now, closed | | | | used for close captioning at the movies. They are: |
| captioning is mandatory for virtually all television | | | | open captioning, rear window captioning, and cinema |
| programs, as required by the FCC. Can movie | | | | subtitling systems. The National Association for the |
| theaters be far behind? | | | | Deaf (NAD), along with the Coalition for Movie |
| Consider all the benefits of closed captioning. Most | | | | Captioning (CMC) are currently working hard to |
| importantly, closed captioning makes TV accessible for | | | | incorporate these captioning systems into all movie |
| the deaf community. It can also be a helpful tool for | | | | theaters. They are establishing a set of standards for |
| those who don't have a good grasp on the English | | | | close captioning that must be adhered to, in terms of |
| language. Finally, closed captioning is beneficial for any | | | | readability, font size, background, and color. Most |
| person who just wants to watch their favorite TV | | | | importantly, though, they are working on formulating the |
| show among the distractions of everyday life. Now | | | | terms of proposed national legislation to be passed by |
| how would this translate to the big screen? | | | | congress and signed by the President. This legislation |
| Of course, all the above benefits would still remain, but | | | | would require close captioning for all movie theaters, |
| with the added element of the crowd. Movie theaters | | | | similar to what the Federal Telecommunications Act |
| are crowded places. Closed captioning would alleviate | | | | did for television. |
| those issues and make the experience a better one | | | | So just think-- perhaps sometime soon, you will be able |
| for everyone. Not to mention the benefits for the deaf | | | | to enjoy a movie without having to worry about |
| community. In fact, ever since silent movies gave rise | | | | missing critical parts due to distractions in the theater! In |
| to the "talkies", the deaf and hard of hearing | | | | the meantime, companies such as Video Caption |
| community have been excluded from a pastime that | | | | Corporation continue to provide the best in closed |
| almost all Americans enjoy. With the integration of | | | | captioning for all television programs, including movies! |
| closed captioning, the deaf community would for the | | | | |