Captions on TV give us access to important news and information, learning and entertainment. They help us stay informed and connected to the world around us. 

Here are some comments from real viewers about how captions from our rural real-time captioning grant partners benefit them:

• I use it all the time as I am very hard of hearing. Even with hearing aids I prefer the close captioning as I tend to miss what is orally being said.
• I would not be able to watch Lakeland news without the close captions. Thank you so much.
• I depend on closed captioning both for the news and also for regular programming. Without it I would find it difficult to watch the channel.
• Besides for DHH, closed captioning is important for beginning readers as it provides exposure to the written word, which can improve reading skills.
• We use it all the time. Very helpful due to hearing loss for both my husband and me.
• We use the closed caption always. We tend to miss some conversations due to our hearing. Closed captions are very important to us.
• We almost always have the closed captioning on while watching Almanac and other shows. My husband is a disabled vet [who] suffered significant hearing loss...I too find I catch much more of the narrative with closed captioning available. Thanks for asking.
• Yes -- thank you for the close captions on Almanac. So important for us. Political panelist sometimes talk over each other, guests sometimes do not enunciate well, and we often miss a word or two. Almanac is the fastest hour on TV -- great show! We look forward to it every Friday night. Thank you!

If you are watching TV and notice either no captions or cannot understand the captions, you can report captioning issues to the station, your cable provider or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

For more details on finding where to report captioning issues, see this article How to Report Captioning Issues from the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing.

To report captioning issues on the rural real-time captioning grant recipient broadcasts, visit the grant recipients’ websites:

• KAAL-TV (based in Rochester)
• Lakeland Public Television (based in Bemidji)
• Twin Cities Public Television (based in St. Paul).

You can also follow these same steps to let providers know when captions are especially helpful or appreciated! 

For more support with caption advocacy and education, please contact us.