i see words: iTunes and closed captioning

19 September 2007 in from the suggestion box, review, sound, technology

No doubt the “iTunes adds closed captioning support” meme has already made its way around the deaf blogosphere. Like here. I’m happy to know this; although, it doesn’t appear there are actually any videos that go ahead and offer captioning.

I’m an Apple fan. I have two Apple computers now. I have had one at home since I was 11 or so — my first was an Apple IIc. I used them during the lean years before Steve Jobs’ triumphant return.

But.

Apple doesn’t caption their own commercials. I have a general rule that I don’t buy from companies that don’t caption their commercials. I make an exception for Apple. To this day, I have no idea what the “Get a Mac” ads are all about. The humor beyond the Laurel and Hardy set-up isn’t all that visual. The punchline is missing.

So while I’m happy to see Apple embrace accessibility in online video, they should take the time to do the same for the television medium. Before it falls away and dies.

2 Replies

  1. DeafSpook

    19 September 2007 at 23:30

    If you look hard in history of commercials you’ll realize that almost all of us are making exceptions at least 90% times.

  2. Christopher

    19 September 2007 at 23:38

    True. True. I guess I should have said that if I have an option between two products, I’ll chose the one that has the captioned commercials. It’s one of the reasons I’ve stuck with Sprint for my cellphone service. There commercials are not only always captioned: but advertising their own relay service at the end. I feel like its a special code just to the deaf consumer. Like the hidden track Abbey Road.

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