Do the rules require all television programs to be closed captioned?
No. As noted above, the rules provide certain exemptions from the captioning requirements. First, the rules exempt all video program providers who have revenues of less than $3,000,000 per year. This exemption is based on the conclusion that it would be economically burdensome for some programmers or providers to offer captioning. In addition, program providers are permitted to limit their spending on captioning to 2% of their annual gross revenues. The following specific types of programs do not have to be closed captioned: Programs which are in a language other than English or Spanish, or portions of programs for which the audio content is displayed visually (for example, program schedule channels or community bulletin boards); Programs that consist mainly of non-vocal music (for example, a televised symphony or ballet performance); Public service announcements, promotional announcements, and interstitial programs (i.e., brief programs used as a bridge between two longer programs) th
