PROTECH
boosting global profits for broadcasters Alexander Stoyanov investigates the technological breakthroughs in subtitling and argues that the technology in a global media landscape has the same seismic impact as early writing and printing
As subtitles provide so much value to the industry, not limited to only the hearing-impaired or as translation devices for foreign films, why are so many broadcasters and OTT providers missing a trick by not taking up this obvious revenue-boosting opportunity in front of them? They could be using subtitles to their advantage to reach a much wider audience and make their services more accessible to an even larger customer base. In a world increasingly inter-connected on every level from work to entertainment, subtitles – or timed-text services – have become an indispensable and invaluable commodity. Following recent government legislation
64 | www.broadcastprome.com | September 2018
requiring broadcasters to deliver subtitling services to linear TV, OTT and online channels, the pressure is on to migrate to time-efficient, cost-effective timed-text technologies. The digital age of live streaming, YouTube and other OTT platforms is placing increasing demand for immediate timed-text services to be delivered with high levels of speed and accuracy, combined with cultural and lingual competence to ensure clear communication is conveyed. Recent research confirms that many people now view video footage without sound, whether on phones, laptops, iPads or other screens. The audience viewing it this way is increasing at a rapid rate, outnumbering traditional television