WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission has approved new rules that will require closed captioning of video clips posted online. The rules are an expansion of those approved in 2012, which were triggered by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, intended to “ensure equal access to all forms of programming by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.” The 2012 rules covered full-length broadcast, cable and satellite TV programming posted online. Clips were punted at the time for further comments.
The new rules apply to clips of the same type of programming posted to the originators’ websites or mobile apps. They do not extend to third party websites or apps.
Compliance deadlines are based on the type of video clip:
Jan. 1, 2016, will apply to “straight-lift” clips, which contain a single excerpt of a captioned television program with the same video and audio that was presented on television;
Jan. 1, 2017, will apply to “montages,” which occur when a single file contains multiple straight lift clips; and
July 1, 2017, will apply to video clips of live and near-live television programming, such as news or sporting events.
Distributors will have a grace period of 12 hours after the associated live video programming appears on TV and eight hours after the associated near-live video programming is shown on TV before the clip must be captioned online, “to give distributors flexibility to post time-sensitive clips online without delay.”
The requirements do not apply to video clips posted before the compliance deadline.
The commission also issued a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking asking for comment on four related issues:
If closed-captioning rules should be applied to video clips posted by third-party distributors not covered by these rules;
Whether or not to decrease or eliminate the eight- and 12-hour grace periods, “as technological advancements facilitate the prompt online posting of such clips with captions;”
Application of the IP closed-captioning requirements to mash-ups that did not appear on television with captions; and
Application of the IP closed-captioning rules to “advance” video clips, which are those that are added to the distributor’s online library after the applicable compliance deadline but before the video programming is shown on television with captions, and which then remain online.
Also see...
June 7, 2013, “CC Cleanup: Device Deadlines Defined, Clips Get Punted”
The short version is thus: A) Jan. 1, 2014 is the manufacturing deadline by which video players must be able to process closed captioning; B) That deadline is extended for Blu-ray and DVD players; C) DSLRs are exempt; D) Devices can either render or pass through captioning; and E) regulators are punting on video clips. - See more at: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/closed-captioning-cleanup-device-deadlines-defined-clips-get-punted/219912#sthash.Ia3vcfSn.dpuf The short version is thus: A) Jan. 1, 2014 is the manufacturing deadline by which video players must be able to process closed captioning; B) That deadline is extended for Blu-ray and DVD players; C) DSLRs are exempt; D) Devices can either render or pass through captioning; and E) regulators are punting on video clips
August 7, 2013, “Closed Caption Mandate Nears”
According to the mandate, by Sept. 30, all nonexempt full-length video programming delivered via IP must be closed captioning if the programming is published or shown on TV in the United States that is not edited for Internet distribution. By March 30, 2013, all live and near-live programming delivered via IP must be closed captioned. Non-captioned archival material already in the broadcaster’s library must be captioned within 45 days after the date it was broadcast on television with captions on after March 30, 2014 and before March 30, 2015. Additional programming broadcast afterward through 2016 is subject to staggered deadlines.
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