Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment: an eBook by 3Play Media

December 20, 2022 BY JENA WALLACE

Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment [Free eBook]


When we first released our Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment eBook several years ago, the media and entertainment landscape was much different than it is now. Between the “streaming wars” and various changes to captioning specifications for each, some post-productions and broadcasters have found difficulty maintaining a consistent set of best practices when it comes to their captions.

Now, as we enter 2023, more eyes are on the quality of closed captioning and SDH subtitling like never before–and with it comes a chance for greater consistency between styles. In our revamped Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment eBook, we’ve compiled a thorough, go-to resource for captioning best practices based on guidance from our highly experienced in-house experts, the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) Captioning Key, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadcast requirements, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), other standards set by major stakeholders in the entertainment industry, and more.

Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment aims to provide all of the best practices you need to know for every aspect of closed captioning. We cover the broad strokes, like major compliance standards and captioning types, and the minutiae that can have a big impact on how your captions work alongside your content, like frame rates and censorship. Let’s take a closer look at what’s inside.

 

Preview of Captioning Best Practices for Media & Entertainment eBook by 3Play Media. Cover page and table of contents.

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Closed captioning compliance standards & forecasted legal requirements

Explore the FCC compliance standards, requirements for online video clips, and WCAG 2.0 guidelines. We also take a closer look at forecasted legal requirements that may have a huge impact on the media and entertainment industry, like the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA).

Captioning styles, formats, and frame rates

How to select the captioning styles and formats that work best for your content, and which qualities of each style support optimal readability across video platforms.

Common profanity guidelines for transcription and censoring within captions

Learn how profanity guidelines impact captions and the common censorship styles among broadcasters. Discover why differences between rough cuts, final cuts, and air times can impact the caption files you need when it comes to censoring.

Tips to improve live captioning quality

While no official requirements exist for live captioning broadcast quality, we’ve included expert suggestions and best practices to get the most out of your live captions.

Resources

Included in the eBook is a comprehensive and curated list of resources and articles for you to reference as you make accessibility part of your content production process.

Gain a whole new perspective on how closed captions work within the media and entertainment industry, and use what you’ve learned to get captions that enhance the viewing experience. You’ll be an expert on captioning best practices by the time you’re done reading this eBook!

 

Captioning Best Practices for Media and Entertainment: Read the eBook

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