Matlin Demands Closed Captioning For “TV Everywhere”


Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin has accused broadcasters, online DVD renters, and other video-content providers of dragging their feet in developing technology that would enable programs broadcast online to be closed captioned. Matlin, who has been deaf since childhood and said she was devastated when she discovered that Netflix's free presentation of the newly restored Wizard of Oz lacked closed captioning when it was streamed on the Internet last October 3, told an FCC hearing in Washington today (Friday) that she was originally told, presumably by Netflix, that the "technology was coming" to enable online closed captioning. However, she said in her prepared remarks, "Eventually I found out that there was actually no problem in the technology. In fact, the technology exists to stream content with closed captions. What it came down to was the same issue I encountered 20 years ago [when she originally demanded that TV broadcasters and manufacturers provide closed captioning] -- a lack of understanding and a lack of will and desire by broadcasters, content providers and equipment manufacturers to provide full access." Matlin concluded by imploring the commission to "ensure that the hard-fought victory we won so many years ago can move forward into the 21st century."

IA. I kinda can't believe it's not everywhere already. (Although incorrect captioning drives me nuts. It's not "Cass," it's "Cas.")
source