ASL – Background information – 2 of 10
Video is also available in Langue des signes québecoise (LSQ).
Video Transcript
Background
On 27 April 2023, the Online Streaming Act came into forcefootnote 1. This Act includes, among other things, amendments to the Broadcasting Act that reinforce the importance of the provision of programs that are accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities. Pursuant to paragraph 3(1)(p.1) of the Broadcasting Act, programming that is accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities should be provided within the Canadian broadcasting system, including without limitation, closed captioning services available to assist persons who are Deaf or hard of hearingfootnote 2.
For persons who are Deaf or hard of hearing, closed captioning is a critical means of making audio-visual television programming accessible, including news, entertainment and sports. The Commission’s existing rules for closed captioning of television programming reflect this importance. These same sources of information and entertainment are increasingly available online through a variety of platforms.
Closed captioning can also be used by persons who are not Deaf or hard of hearing. For example, it can help people with auditory processing disorders by helping them process what they heard more quickly. It can benefit individuals who are learning English or French to improve comprehension and fluency and may help to improve literacy skills in individuals who are learning to read. It may also be used for convenience, for example in public spaces where the television sound volume has been reduced or turned off.
The Commission is of the view that Canadians who use and rely on closed captioning should have broad access to the highest possible quality of closed captioning, regardless of whether they are accessing that content online or through traditional television services. This will help make the broadcasting system more accessible and further the policy objectives of the Broadcasting Act. It will also be consistent with the goal of the Accessible Canada Act to make Canada free from barriers for persons with disabilities by 2040, as well as with principles of that Act that all persons are to have barrier-free access to full and equal participation in society, that policies must take into account the disabilities of persons and that persons with disabilities must be involved in the development of those policies.
Sustainable and Equitable Broadcasting Regulatory Framework
On 9 November 2023, the Government of Canada published an Order Issuing Directions to the CRTC (Sustainable and Equitable Broadcasting Regulatory Framework)footnote 3, a policy direction that guides the Commission in its implementation of the amended Broadcasting Act. Among other requirements, it directs the Commission to regulate and supervise the Canadian broadcasting system with a view to supporting the provision of programming that is accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities.
The purpose of this consultation was to find out how we can ensure that Canadians who rely on closed captioning have access to barrier-free programming online.
This video in sign language shows the content of the Background section in the Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-137.
Consultation on closed captioning of programming from online streaming services
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