Internet closed captioning rules take effect

The FCC’s rules requiring distributors of certain Internet video programs to include closed captions took effect Sept. 30.

The rules, implemented as directed by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), only apply to programs meeting each of three criteria, including:

• programming that is shown on television with closed captions on or after Sept. 30, 2012;
• programming that is added to the online distributor’s inventory on or after Sept. 30, 2012; and
• programming that is not substantially edited for the Internet.

Closed captioning rules for programs that are shown on television live or near live, programs that are substantially edited for the Internet and archival content that already is part of a distributor’s inventory of Internet video programming will be implemented later, the agency said.