Open Captions Less Harmful to Health!

Update: Theaters are closing due to the pandemic, but when they reopen, remember that using shared closed caption equipment may increase your risk of exposure to others' germs. That's a good reason to ask for open captions.

If you know someone who needs captions and is willing to go to the movies during this time but their theater only offers closed caption equipment, encourage them to demand open captions because using closed caption equipment may increase their risk of exposure to germs. Closed caption equipment may not be sanitary. Open captions are the safer, healthier option for everyone!

Legislative Update

On February 25, 2020 the Vermont bill for open captions (HB 312) got a hearing but the bill did not make progress. Testimonials for that hearing can be read here:

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/document/2020/16/Date/2-25-2020#documents-section

Of special note is the testimonial statement from Andrew Maclean, representing Theatre Owners of New England (TONE), a regional organization under the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).

Maclean’s testimonial statement included these arguments. Refutations are below each one in italics.

 “Movie theatres offer closed captioning technology that allows all moviegoers to view a movie with captions during any show, any day of the week, while at the same time allowing the rest of the audience to enjoy the film without seeing the captions on the screen.”

However, said closed captioning technology is known to have numerous problems, ranging from failing batteries to unsanitary equipment.

“An open captioning mandate will hurt our business.”

Not true. When a moviegoer buys a ticket to an open captioned screening because of the availability of open captions, the theater is making extra money because it is getting a new customer. Moviegoers who do not want to see open captions can choose a non-captioned screening.

Just How Widespread is Open Captioning?

Very widespread! Over 200 theaters nationwide in the United States offer at least some open captioned screenings. Every state has at least one movie theater offering open captions.

That’s the good news. The bad news? Many if not most people do not live near a theater that offers open captions. Or if they do live near one, the open captions are offered at less than ideal times. Even this petition creator must drive several miles to be able to see an open captioned movie instead of being able to go to the theater in the neighborhood.

Theater Spotlight

Dallas Cinema in Dallas, Oregon (https://www.dallascinema.com/) has regular open caption offerings. The manager says they have been offering open captions every Tuesday since October 2017, but have just moved to Wednesdays. Plus, their sister theater, the Star Cinema in Stayton, Oregon (https://www.starcinema.net/) also regularly offers open captions. Their website now proclaims "Words on screen" on Wednesdays.

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