Thanks for that.
While we're on the subject, you just put a thought in my head regarding Youtube videos, I'm very surprised they haven't let released a feature to allow videos to be subtitled, it would be simple to do. I have two deaf cousins and have always been able to easily obtain subtitle files online for DVDs and stuff they have, but I always wondered why the likes of Youtube and the other big video sites don't have the ability to annotate a video, it would be straightforward to implement. I know comments and popup boxes can be added but that isn't proper subtitling and can be quite cumbersome if you have something which is nearly 100% speech as in this example.
This is a big bugbear of mine, and lots of other deaf people. While it should be easy for companies to implement, they just can't be bothered. Its not just youtube, it was years before the BBC implemented subtitles into iplayer even though it's not that technically difficult, you can just copy the script that has already been written for the TV version and use a converter. ITV Player and 4oD took a bit longer and Five still hasn't done it. If you are subscribed to Sky it gives you free access to Sky Player, no good to me though as it doesn't have subtitles. If you write to them, as I have, to ask why not you just get the stock reply "Thank you for your query, at present Sky does not subtitle its programmes on Sky player. This is something we may look at implementing in the future" something I asked 2 years ago and got the same reply again recently.
Really don't understand why they don't do it, for example, the BBC has an iplayer app for Android and iPhones but it isn't able to show subtitles, they claim it is for technical reasons. However a 3rd party company created their own free app called 'Beeb' which showed subtitles which no problems, with a handy little feature where you can adjust them if they are out of sync. The BBC forced them to remove this from App markets.
Wherever access is concerned, deaf people are always left at the bottom of the pile. Ironically I used to do volunteer work for a charity which helped disabled people with discrimination issues. Most of the employees and volunteers were disabled, every Wednesday we'd have a staff meeting...there were blind people, wheelchair bound, cerebral palsy, people with dwarfism and one deaf person, myself. I was the only one unable to follow the meeting as they couldn't/wouldn't provide the sign language interpreter (funding reasons, it would have cost £150 per meeting) I needed to be able to follow a group meeting. The one thing everyone else has in common is being able to hear. Subtitled cinema is another matter, its much much better than it used to be but still only one film a week in a big city miles away at stupid o'clock like 9am or 10pm when no one else wants to watch them (or myself for that matter!)
I suppose the big companies think deaf people are a minority so it doesn't really matter if they don't consider their needs as they won't be losing too much of a customer base, but 1 in 7 people are deaf or deafened. Where subtitling is concerned I've found some hearing people like to have them on as well for various reasons.
The Equality Act states that companies and services must make 'reasonable adjustment' to provide access to disabled people but everyone has a different idea of what reasonable adjustment is and its an act, it isn't law. In France its a criminal offence not to provide equal access to disabled people and companies can be fined.
So, if Sky or the BBC won't do it for paying customers, I don't think there is much chance of Youtube doing it.
I bet you wish you never asked now!
And the funny thing is, the best access to subtitles comes from the pirates! Download a film from pirate bay or the like and the chances are it'll have a .srt or .sub track with it and if it hasn't a quick google will more often than not turn one up
