Question about the CC on Sesame Street

[BEAR]

Well, I prefer no captioning at all because I don't need them and they get in the way of me watching the show. I might as well just read a book or something. The other day, I turned on the show and the captioning was there. My TV was not programed that way, it just happened. It drove me nuts because I found myself reading the words rather than watching what was happening on the screen. I couldn't enjoy it. However, for deaf people, it is wonderful.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, I prefer no captioning at all because I don't need them and they get in the way of me watching the show. I might as well just read a book or something. The other day, I turned on the show and the captioning was there. My TV was not programed that way, it just happened. It drove me nuts because I found myself reading the words rather than watching what was happening on the screen. I couldn't enjoy it. However, for deaf people, it is wonderful.

I need them from time to time, because my hearing isn't all that great anyway; and sometimes when I can't hear a certain line all that way the captions, if accurate, are quite helpful.

 

[BEAR]

I need them from time to time, because my hearing isn't all that great anyway; and sometimes when I can't hear a certain line all that way the captions, if accurate, are quite helpful.

I completely understand and respect that. As I said, they are wonderful and necessary for those who need it. It just drives me nuts when they are on and I can't control it.

 

[D'Snowth]

Anyone remember that old show "Bobby's World"? It was permanently captions, even on network TV.

 

[BEAR]

Anyone remember that old show "Bobby's World"? It was permanently captions, even on network TV.

Yeah, but my theory was that they had permanent captions because you could hardly understand a word Bobby was saying.

 

[MrsPepper]

Anyone remember that old show "Bobby's World"? It was permanently captions, even on network TV.

Oh my gosh, it's so true! I always wondered why it was like that.

 

[Big Bird Fan]

Yeah, but my theory was that they had permanent captions because you could hardly understand a word Bobby was saying.

Those captions only made it worse! I remember one time my mom and I were watching the show before school. We were both laughing so hard because the only thing showing up was gibberish. There was the occasional correct or misspelled word, but most of the time it was like someone was randomly hitting keys on the keyboard.

 

[wiley207]

The closed captions do seem pretty cheap. When they describe a sound, they always look like this...

<i>[ SFX: BIG CRASH ]</i>

I think the National Captioning Institute or the Caption Center/WGBH Educational Foundation would do better captions for the show. Some shows, like "Arthur," which is captioned by WGBH, features two caption options. "CC1" has regular captions, with everything (dialogue, SFX, etc.) in lowercase, and "CC2" has simplified captions, also all in lowercase, so when a dream sequence begins, it described the dream-sequence sound effects as <i>( Binky is dreaming )</i> and then <i>( Binky stops dreaming )</i>.

The National Captioning Institute mostly does all-caps captions, with sound effects described in UPPERCASE and in [BRACKETS]. It goes into lowercase when a character whispers.

The Caption Center/WGBH used to have dialogue in UPPERCASE, with sound effects in lowercase and (parentheses), plus dialogue coming from a radio, TV, phone, movie, etc. would be in lowercase. Nowadays the company does all captions in lowercase.

Personally, I think having the show captioned by one of the above companies (either the National Captioning Institute or the WGBH Educational Foundation) and use both "CC1" and "CC2" options. Isn't that a better idea?

Usually, until recently, Disney had Captions Inc. do the closed-captions for their videocassettes, DVDs and laserdiscs since 1988. (They used to have captions done by the National Captioning Institute or the Caption Center/WGBH Educational Foundation; these can be seen on mid-80s "Disney Classic" videos of their animated features.)

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Anyone remember that old show "Bobby's World"? It was permanently captions, even on network TV.

I remember that. It's what first introduced me to captions. I use them almost regularly now, as I've become nearly deaf in one ear, due to a bad ear infection a few years back.

Mom hated them, and I told her I couldn't turn them off. And now they fuss cause I forget and leave them on. XD

Some programs however I can't stand the captions, because it runs for three lines, like most news programs. And it covers up the ticker at the bottom of the screen.