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Television

TV Caption example

Accessing captions

TV captions are called closed captions because they can be turned on and off by the viewer. They can be accessed on digital TVs, analogue TVs with teletext functionality, and analogue TVs connected to a digital set-top box.

How do I get captions on a digital TV or digital set-top box?

All digital equipment that conforms to Australian standards should receive and display captions. There will generally be a button on the remote control which activates the captions. This may be labelled ‘subtitle’ or ‘sub-t’, ‘cc’ (for closed captions), have a TV symbol with a line at the bottom of it, or it may simply be a coloured button (in which case you will need to consult the manual). In some models, captions can be activated by going into the ‘set-up’ menu.

How do I get captions on an analogue (teletext) television?

  • Choose the channel you wish to watch.
  • Press the text button on the remote control. A black strip will appear at the top of the screen.
  • Press 8-0-1. This will reveal page 801 and captions will be superimposed over the TV picture. You may need to wait a few seconds for the teletext system to turn to page 801.
  • To turn the captions off, you need to press the text button again.
  • To change channels, you will need to turn the captions off, change the channel, then turn the captions back on again on the new channel. 

If you are experiencing problems with accessing captions, see our FAQs and Captioning problems sections.

What programs are captioned?

Captions are available on all TV programs shown between 6.00 -10.30pm on the primary channels all free-to-air networks (e.g. ABC1, SBS1, Seven, Nine and Ten). There are also many programs captioned outside prime time. By the end of 2010, the free-to-air networks are committed to captioning 80% of programs screened on the primary between 6am and midnight (or 60% across 24 hours).

Digital multichannels (e.g. ABC2, ABC3, SBS2, 7Two, One HD and GO!) are exempt from the caption quotas until digital switchover (i.e. when the analogue signal is turned off). Until then, they must only screen with captions programs repeated from a network’s primary channel which were captioned.

For more detailed information about the rules and regulations covering caption levels on free to air TV, see the Legislation section.

There are currently 46 channels which have at least some captioned programs on FOXTEL/AUSTAR. For more information see the Subscription TV section.

How do I know if a program is captioned?

Free TV Australia's Code of Practice states that television licensees will ensure that closed captioning is clearly indicated in station program guides, in press advertising, in program promotions and at the start of the program. Captioned programs are usually indicated by ‘ST’ or ‘CC’ in printed and electronic program guides. They are indicated on the program itself by a ‘CC’ or ‘S’ (for Supertext) at the top of the screen.

The code also states that broadcasters must provide adequate advice to hearing-impaired viewers if scheduled closed captioning cannot be transmitted. If technical problems prevent this advice being provided in closed captioned form, it must be open captioned as soon as reasonably practicable.

What do consumer groups consider to be acceptablelevels of captioning on TV?

Consumer groups including Deaf Australia, Deafness Forum and the Deaf Society of NSW call for 100% captioning on Australian free-to-air TV over 24 hours, including digital multichannels. This would bring Australia into line with the US and UK, where captioning on most of the main channels is at or close to 100%, and no distinction is made between different sorts of digital channels.

In its submission to the Federal Government’s Media Access Review in 2008, Deafness Forum called for quota increases of 10% each year on primary channels to bring the total to 100%. Multichannels should have to caption 10% of programming in their first year of operation, rising by 10% each subsequent year, until 100% is reached.

For more information and a summary of all submissions, see the Media access enquiry page.

For more information on overseas caption levels, see the Legislation section.

Can I buy a digital TV or set-top box that can enlarge the captions?

Media Access Australia is not aware of any equipment that will do this available in Australia

Audio description on TV

There is currently no audio description service on Australian TV.

In the UK and US, audio description is delivered via a secondary audio channel which can be accessed on some TV sets and digital set-top boxes. This is a ‘closed’ service which is optional for the viewer.

As Australian free-to-air broadcasters are not currently set up to deliver a secondary audio channel, it is not yet possible to deliver a ‘closed’ audio description service here. However, developments in digital technology should make it possible in the near future.

In the meantime, in submissions to the Federal Government’s Media Access Review, organisations including Vision Australia and Blind Citizens Australia have called for an ‘open’ audio description trial on ABC TV. The trial would examine technological issues, costs and procedures for delivering AD.

A closed audio description service is now possible on subscription TV. ASTRA (the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association) is currently conducting a scoping study into AD.

For more information, see the Media access enquiry page.

For more information on audio description in general, see the Audio Description website.