Foxtel has today announced that they have begun making their content more accessible adding closed captions to their Foxtel Now streaming service.
Foxtel will offer closed captions on ‘selected programming’ to Foxtel Now, live and On Demand customers viewing content on their computers using Chrome and Safari browsers as well as iPhone and iPad users using the Foxtel apps. At this time, Foxtel has no time-frame for bringing closed captions to their customers using Android devices, but have said that they intend to target more devices.
The lack of closed captioning for Android customers, who currently make up 60% of the Australian mobile landscape according to Kantar WorldPanels latest figures, must have flown by Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh who said
The launch of Foxtel Now made Foxtel available to more Australians than ever, but it’s equally important to make Foxtel more accessible to the thousands of Australians who are hearing impaired. While we’re proud of our history of bringing Closed Captions to our cable and satellite subscribers, we recognise the need to offer captioning across all of our platforms.
Australian regulatory requirements from the ACMA list the captioning requirement for broadcasters, with Foxtel saying that they have captioned 21% above their targets this financial year.
While Android users aren’t getting closed captions even on the Android TV box that Foxtel is using to push their Now streaming service, at least we can use it on Chrome on a desktop.
If you want to check out Foxtel Now, you can head over to the Foxtel Now website.
