City’s New Closed Captioning Software to be More Inclusive

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If there is any silver lining in this COVID-19 environment, it’s the recognition of the importance of communication.  At a time when relaying information is vital to the success of fighting a crippling and deadly disease, it’s important that everybody is able to get information in a way they can understand.

However, getting information conveyed to everyone in our community hasn’t always been easy.  For one group, especially, it’s been a struggle because not every language has been translated into Closed Captioning.

That is . . . until now.

Today, in a 4 to 3 vote by the local city council of St. Elsewhere, Nebraska, a new era is dawning.  The council has approved funding for a new Closed Captioning software that will be more inclusive to all languages.

“We are delighted and so proud of our community leaders who have shown that they support every American by allowing us to be the first to fund this new software that will provide new and forward thinking communication across our great city,” said June Dive, Mayor of St. Elsewhere.  “We know that the spread of information is vital in combating the ongoing global pandemic, and being able to communicate with people of all languages is our number one goal.”

The new software will be installed at the St. Elsewhere communication building and should be running on closed captioning by the end of this month.  Technical officials have said that the new software will contain phrases such as, “Hey homie!”, “can ya dig?”,  and  “cut me no slack.”  to help deliver information to those who speak Jive.

“We want to make sure everybody is able to get the message; not just English speaking or people who have hearing problems,” the Mayor said, “Personally, it’s a sign of being treated with dignity and respect, and that people in the Jive speaking community are important.”

The service will cost $100,000 dollars for installation and have a running cost of $10,000 per month for maintenance and upkeep.  It’s a cost some city leaders didn’t think was necessary.

“I voted against this measure because I just don’t hear Jive Talkin’ as often as we did in the 1970’s, so the overall expenditure seems a bit high,” said councilwoman Eve Sanders.

Councilman, Jake Wallabee disagreed… “There are a lot of folks that are Jive Talkin’ in our community, and we felt we were undeserving them.  We wanted to make sure we were serving everyone in the community as well as we can.  That includes Jive talkin’ people.”

Some in the Jive Talkin’ community were also excited for the new Closed Captioning software.  Ditty Mac, a Jive Talkin’ Mo’fo’ said, “We is real.  Dis new gig be tha thang all bro’s be hearin’…Shiiiiiit.”

Officials say the captioning is really accurate, but they will have to teach it some current vocabulary and hope it translates well enough for everyone in the community to understand.

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