Closed Captioning of Video Programming ) CG Docket No
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Federal Communications Commission FCC 14-12 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 ) ) In the Matter of ) ) Closed Captioning of Video Programming ) CG Docket No. 05-231 ) Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of ) PRM11CG Hearing, Inc. ) Petition for Rulemaking ) REPORT AND ORDER, DECLARATORY RULING, AND FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING Adopted: February 20, 2014 Released: February 24, 2014 Comment Date for Section VI.A: (30 days after publication in the Federal Register) Reply Comment Date for Section VI.A: (60 days after publication in the Federal Register) Comment Date on the Remaining Sections: (90 days after publication in the Federal Register) Reply Comment Date on the Remaining Sections: (120 days after publication in the Federal Register) By the Commission: Chairman Wheeler and Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly issuing separate statements. TABLE OF CONTENTS Heading Paragraph # I. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 1 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 3 III. BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................... 6 A. Section 713 and the Closed Captioning Regulations ....................................................................... 6 B. The 2004 Petition and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.................................................................. 9 C. The 2007 Consumer Advisory Committee Report......................................................................... 11 D. The 2008 Closed Captioning Declaratory Ruling, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking .................................................................................................................................... 12 E. Public Notice Seeking Comments to Refresh the Record.............................................................. 14 IV. REPORT AND ORDER....................................................................................................................... 15 A. Captioning Quality......................................................................................................................... 15 1. The Need for Captioning Quality Standards ........................................................................... 15 2. Accuracy, Synchronicity, Completeness and Placement......................................................... 26 3. Application of Standards to Types of Programming ............................................................... 34 4. Program Re-feeds of Live and Near-Live Programming ........................................................ 50 5. Best Practices........................................................................................................................... 51 6. Cost/Benefit Analysis.............................................................................................................. 67 Federal Communications Commission FCC 14-12 B. Use of Electronic Newsroom Technique (ENT) for Live Programming ....................................... 71 C. Video Programming Distributor Technical Rules.......................................................................... 88 1. Equipment Monitoring ............................................................................................................ 88 2. Reporting and Recordkeeping ................................................................................................. 99 D. Treatment of Multicast Streams................................................................................................... 105 E. Other Matters ............................................................................................................................... 110 1. Penalties for Violation of the Closed Captioning Rules........................................................ 110 2. Electronic Filing of Exemption Requests.............................................................................. 112 3. Correction to 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(i)(3)...................................................................................... 114 V. DECLARATORY RULING .............................................................................................................. 115 A. Mixed Language Programming.................................................................................................... 115 1. Bilingual English-Spanish Language Programming ............................................................. 115 2. Other Language Programming .............................................................................................. 116 B. Providing VPD Contact Information Where VPD Is Exempt from Certain Requirements......... 117 C. Obligation to Caption “On Demand” Video Programming ......................................................... 118 D. Application of Closed Captioning Requirements to LPTV Stations............................................ 120 VI. FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING................................................................... 121 A. Responsibilities for Meeting the Closed Captioning Obligations................................................ 122 B. Minimum Captioning Quality Standards ..................................................................................... 131 1. Live Programming................................................................................................................. 131 2. Near-Live Programming........................................................................................................ 133 3. Live and Near-Live Program Re-feeds.................................................................................. 135 C. Use of Electronic Newsroom Technique by Non-Broadcast Channels ....................................... 136 D. Compliance .................................................................................................................................. 137 1. Technical Equipment Checks ................................................................................................ 137 2. Resolution of Consumer Complaints..................................................................................... 138 3. Outages.................................................................................................................................. 141 4. Amending Section 79.1(i)(3) to Require All Contact Information Be Submitted to the VPD Registry......................................................................................................................... 146 5. Treatment of Consumer Complaints by a VPD that Is Not the Responsible Party ............... 148 E. Captioning Exemptions................................................................................................................ 153 1. Elimination of the New Network Exemption ........................................................................ 153 2. Consumer Groups’ 2011 Petition Requesting Elimination of Certain Self- Implementing Exemptions from the Captioning Rules ......................................................... 159 F. Technical Standards for the Display of Closed Captions............................................................. 160 G. Caption Obstructions.................................................................................................................... 162 H. New Technologies........................................................................................................................ 163 1. Captioning on 3D Television Programming.......................................................................... 163 2. Captioning on Ultra High Definition Television Programming ............................................ 166 VII.PROCEDURAL MATTERS.............................................................................................................. 168 A. Comment Filing Procedures......................................................................................................... 168 B. Ex Parte Presentations. ................................................................................................................ 170 C. Regulatory Flexibility .................................................................................................................. 171 D. Paperwork Reduction Act ............................................................................................................ 173 E. Congressional Review Act........................................................................................................... 176 VIII. ORDERING CLAUSES .............................................................................................................. 177 APPENDIX A: List of Commenters APPENDIX B: Final Rules APPENDIX C: Final Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis APPENDIX D: Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis 2 Federal Communications Commission FCC 14-12 I. INTRODUCTION 1. Over sixteen years ago, the Commission adopted its first set of rules governing the provision of closed captioning on television—a service that makes television programming accessible to people who are deaf and hard of hearing.1 Viewers’ captioning experience during the intervening years confirms the need for the Commission to update its captioning