Broadcast and cable operators had cited upcoming meeting with deaf community

The FCC has granted a request by broadcasters and cable operators that they have a little more time to comment on a request that the FCC develop "objective, technology-neutral metrics" for the quality of live closed captions.

Groups including Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI), National Association of the Deaf (NAD), and Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) filed a petition July 31 pressing the FCC to set those standards, citing ongoing inconsistency in live caption quality.

The FCC put that petition out for comment Aug. 14, with comments due Sept. 13 and reply comments Sept. 30. Citing an upcoming conference, the latest in s series, among NAB, NCTA and the deaf community, scheduled for Oct. 2, the National Association of Broadcasters and NCTA-The Internet & Television Association this week asked the FCC to extend the comment deadlines until Oct. 15 (initial comments) and Oct. 30 (replies).

The FCC Thursday (Sept. 5), said it was OK with that. "[I]t is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time shall not be routinely granted. We find, however, that NAB and NCTA have shown good cause for the requested extension, and that the public interest will be served by granting the motion," the Patrick Webre (CQ), chief of the Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau said in granting the extension.