DVD producers want to end providing English subtitles

Petitionsonline ^ | 11/12/03 | Amanda Masterman

[Fearless Flyers]

http://www.petitiononline.com/amandam/petition.html

All DVD producers,

We the undersigned are asking you the producers of DVDs to continue to include English subtitles on your DVDs.

The D(d)eaf community rely upon subtitles to follow the dialogue in a film. If you have ever tried watching a film with the sound off, you will realise that it is impossible to fully understand what is going on when you can not hear what the characters are saying. DVD is the first medium to give D(d)eaf people equal access to the film industry and many D(d)eaf people have invested in DVD players in order to take advantage of this.

Please understand the importance of subtitles to the D(d)eaf community and continue to put English subtitles on the DVD's you produce.

Sincerely,

[Welsh Rabbit]

I just bought a newly released DVD. It did not have English under the subtitle menu, as with most of my other DVDs, but it did have closed captioning. I'd still prefer to have the subtitles because the closed captioning text is white.

[mrustow]

I didn’t write the petition but it shouldn’t take much thought to figure out the “D” is a metaphorical symbol used to represent how the digital technology of the DVD is a benefit to the Deaf Community.

Then you can explain the "metaphorical symbol" involved in capitalizing community. Or is "Deaf Community" a name, like France?

[mrustow]

Forget what I said; I see it is FearlessFlyers who capitalized community.

[Revolting cat!]

Supposedly a lot of deaf people routinely participate in drunken Deaf-only orgies.

I asked my deaf friend, but he says he never heard anything about it!

[FRMAG]

Hearing impaired here as well. Always makes me angry that most of the quality (or nearly so) programs such as those on A&E or History Channel etc are almost always without closed captioning.

[Cinnamon Girl]

What the H-E- double hockeysticks are you talking about?

[Cinnamon Girl]

Also, T.V. Guide has been an issue in the Deaf community lately because they stopped marking which shows are CC'd.

[eleni121]

Absolutely! Most movies coming out have horrible sound(vocals mainly) quality making subtitles necessary.

Mumbling, whispering, actors with poor diction as well don't make for an enjoyable experience.

[BSunday]

I hear fine, but my wife and I love to get the widescreen dvds and put the subtitles on. There's a surprizing amount of dialogue that will pass you by in a hearbeat without you even noticing it.

[Nataku X]

FALSE!

[Alamo-Girl]

I'm verrry hard of hearing also - without closed captions, I wouldn't bother to buy a DVD at all.

[dangus]

I thought it was an edit to say that by "Deaf," the original letter-writers intended "deaf." Sorta like saying "Wom[e]n."

[stands2reason]

I thought it had to do with some people knowing that "deaf" isn't capitalized, though the more extreme in the community like to have it capitalized.

[solitas]

And? So? You got a problem with "white text"...? :D