Recent activity at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests that the new closed-captioning complaint process could become active soon. The FCC suspended part of a pending closed-captioning complaint process earlier this month after it determined that the rule violated privacy rules of the Communications Act that prevent cable and satellite companies from sending personally identifiable information to third parties. The suspended rule, which had not yet gone into effect, would have required cable and satellite companies to forward closed-captioning complaints onto broadcasters or whatever other entity was responsible for closed captioning. According to a November 2008 order, the new closed-captioning rules will go into effect as soon as they are published in the Federal Register. NAB will send an alert once those rules are published and effective. For a primer on the new closed-captioning rules, click here. To read the FCC’s order suspending part of the rules, click here.

Earlier this month the FCC adopted a rule to allow stations to use a new Web form to input and maintain closed-captioning contact information. The new closed-captioning rules require stations to submit accurate contact information for a Web-based database that will aid viewers who want to make closed-captioning complaints. For more information about the Web form, click here.