Subtitles for deaf viewers: StarHub replies

Subtitles can be divided into two categories: open and closed captions ("Reach out to deaf community with English subtitles" by Mr Alfred Yeo Chi Jin, last Wednesday; and "Help deaf, blind access broadcast, online media" by Disabled People's Association advocacy executive Alvan Yap Boon Sheng, last Friday).

Open captions are subtitles that are burned into the image and cannot be selected by the viewer.

Several channels on our platform, such as CinemaWorld and KBS World, currently carry programmes with English subtitles. These open captions are determined by content providers who typically provide English subtitles for only non-English programmes.

StarHub has set up the infrastructure to support closed captioned subtitles for StarHub TV channels, barring any technical incompatibilities.

The availability of closed captions, which allow viewers to select the language of subtitles, is also dependent on the availability of subtitles from our content partners.

As Mr Yeo pointed out, StarHub currently offers closed captions on One HD (StarHub TV Channel 876), and subtitles are available in English, Chinese and Malay.

We assure Mr Yeo and Mr Yap that StarHub is constantly looking at ways to provide value and empower our customers.

Besides the closed captions feature, we have also introduced more services for the hearing-impaired such as SmartBuddy, a mobile plan specially packaged with more SMS and a larger local data bundle with a local data price cap.

Caitlin Fua (Ms)

Assistant Vice-President, Corporate Communications

StarHub

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.