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Overview
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is concerned
that consumers may experience difficulty in receiving and/or viewing closed
captioning on some digital television (DTV) programming, including high
definition television (HDTV), provided by a subscription television
provider, such as a cable company or a satellite television provider. These
difficulties generally could arise from two causes: 1) the consumer’s
set-top box and/or DTV are not properly set to allow closed captions to be
displayed; or 2) there are technical problems with the subscription
television provider’s system that prevent closed captions from being
received and decoded by the set-top box and/or DTV.
Background
Closed captioning is an assistive technology that allows
persons with hearing disabilities to access television programming. Closed
captioning displays the audio portion of programming as text superimposed
over the video. For a television receiver to display closed captions, it
must use a set-top box decoder or contain integrated decoder circuitry.
As of January 1, 2006, all “new” English language
programming, defined as analog programming first published or exhibited on
or after January 1, 1998, and digital programming first aired on or after
July 1, 2002, must be captioned, with some exceptions.
For more information on closed captioning, closed
captioning schedules, and exemptions, visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/caption.html and see the FCC's consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html.
What You Can Do
If you have difficulties viewing closed captions on DTV
programming, including HDTV, received from your subscription television
provider, you should:
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consult any consumer information and manuals/guides on
closed captions for DTV programming provided by your subscription television
provider;
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ensure that the captioning function on your set-top
box, if applicable, is turned on;
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ensure that the captioning function on your DTV is
turned on.
If you are still unable to view closed captions on DTV
programming, you should contact your subscription television provider for
assistance.
Filing A Complaint with the FCC
If your provider is unable to help, you can file a
complaint with the FCC alleging a violation of the Television Decoder
Circuitry Act and the FCC’s implementing rules. There is no charge for
filing a complaint. If your complaint concerns the inability of your
consumer equipment (for example, your television or cable box) to deliver
captions, you may complain directly to the FCC. If your complaint concerns
the lack of captioning on a specific program or channel (i.e., you receive
captions on some channels, but not others), you must first complain to the
programming distributor (meaning your subscription television service
provider). For more information on filing a complaint with your programming
distributor and the information to include in such complaints, see the FCC’s
closed captioning consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html. If you are uncertain
where to file your complaint, contact the FCC’s Consumer Center using the
contact information provided for filing a complaint with the FCC below.
You can file your complaint using an FCC on-line
complaint form found at
esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. You can
also file your complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC
(1-888-225-5322) voice, 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing
1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554.
Note: On November 3, 2008, the
Commission adopted rules revising the procedures for filing closed
captioning complaints. These rules, however, will not take effect until
approved by the Office of Management and Budget. Therefore, consumers must
continue to follow the instructions for filing complaints that are contained
in this advisory until further notice. Under the new rules, consumers will
no longer be required to file complaints with the video programming
distributor. Consumers will have 60 days from the date the captioned program
aired to file a complaint either with the distributor or the Commission. If
the complaint is filed with the Commission, the Commission will forward it
to the distributor. After receiving a complaint, either directly from the
consumer or from the Commission, the distributor will have 30 days to
respond to the complaint. The Commission also adopted new rules requiring
that video programming distributors make specific contact information
available to consumers to assist consumers in contacting the distributors
about closed captioning concerns.
What to Include In Your Complaint to the FCC
TThe best way to provide all the information the FCC
needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the on-line complaint
form. When you open the on-line form, you will be asked a series of
questions that will take you to the particular section of the form you need
to complete. If you do not use the on-line complaint form, your complaint,
at a minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, email address, and phone number
where you can be reached;
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whether you are filing a complaint on behalf of
another party, and, if so, the party’s name, address, e-mail address,
day time phone number, and your relationship to the party;
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preferred format or method of response (letter,
fax, voice phone call, e-mail, TRS, TTY, ASCII text, audio recording, or
Braille);
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that your complaint is about closed captioning for
DTV;
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the name, address, and telephone number (if known)
of the company or companies involved with your complaint;
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the date and time or other details about timing of
the lack of closed captioning for DTV;
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television station call sign (WZUE), TV channel
(13), location (city and state), and name of program involved; and
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a brief description of your complaint and the
resolution you are seeking, and a full description of the equipment or
service you are complaining about, including date of purchase, use, or
attempt to use.
For More Information
For more information about the digital television
transition and HDTV, visit the FCC's Web site at
www.dtv.gov and see the FCC's consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html. You can also contact the
FCC's
Consumer Center using the information provided for filing a complaint.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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Federal Communications Commission
