The state of California has been running an ad for quite some time that is designed to make people want to visit the state. The ad features numerous locations and several famous people, including Gov. Schwarzenegger. Of course, the ad is not closed-captioned, cuz who can be bothered providing accessibility to us pesky deaf people? Here’s the email I just sent them:
Hello California …
Well, I just saw your TV commercial again and it is still not closed-captioned for viewers with hearing loss.
I can’t figure out why you go to so much trouble to make your ads and pay to air them, and yet you can’t be bothered to make the tiny effort required to add closed-captioning so that deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers like myself can understand them.
Closed-captioning is nothing new, it has been around for almost 30 years and it costs only about $200 to caption an ad. Since 1 out of 10 Americans has a hearing loss, it makes no sense why you are being so ignorant and insensitive.
Forcing non-captioned commercials upon viewers with hearing loss is like telling black people to sit in the back of the bus. It is discriminatory, it is wrong, and it must end now!!
Please reply to this note. I want answers!!
Tom Willard
2 Comments
November 19, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Calm down. Being deaf is a gift, not a privelege. Commercials are made for those who do not think for themselves and is not suited to decide things for anyone.
Just focus on pertenant things, like us being involved and present and not moan and groan.
Mark
November 19, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I will NOT calm down! If hearing people can understand TV commercials, deaf people should have the same opportunity. It is easy and cheap to add closed-captioning, and rude and insulting not to. I will NOT accept second-class citizen status!