NAB, NCTA Pitch FCC On Online Clip Captioning Flexibility

Broadcasters and cable operators are on the same page when it comes to providing captions for online video clips: Online clips should not be held to the same quality standard as full-length captions on TV programming, and the clip requirement for time-sensitive clips should not kick in before mid-to-late 2017.

That is according to arguments made to Federal Communications Commission staffers by National Association of Broadcasters and National Cable & Telecommunications Association execs as the FCC prepares to vote at its July 11 public meeting on extending closed captioning requirements to online clips.

Both associations were concerned with time-sensitive clips, like breaking news, and advanced clips, like online promos for shows that have not aired yet. NCTA said programmers need flexibility to experiment with new ways of providing captions for clips, including voice recognition technology. NAB says broadcasters are working on ways to automate the captioning process to speed it up.