Friday, May 05, 2023
Why TV Dialogue is Hard to Hear for Users and Viewers
IndieWire: As streaming has grown to dominate how people watch TV, subtitles have only become more commonplace. And while the primary benefit of that is increasing accessibility, it’s also been used by consumers to address what feels like a growing problem: dialogue is getting harder and harder to hear.
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I find discussions around subtitles. Very interesting. I’m the only one in my family who will use subtitles. To the point where it’s watching a show as a family, it is insured that subtitles will be off. however, I have never noticed, or heard of an issue with not being able to understand dialogue without subtitles. It would be easy to scape goat the subtitles as the cause of this. For some reason, so many people are against subtitles, despite the great amount of good that can come from them. I am glad that this article discusses the many different potential causes for the change and audio quality over the years. And I am glad that the experts are looking to get around the various issues, with different volume levels and dialogue enhancement… however, I’m so interested in wondering if this is why surround sound systems or external sandbars are so important to cinema fans.
There are so many good reasons to have subtitles on TV shows. Accessibility and Inclusivity of course. They can also help with clearer communication: Subtitles help clarify unclear or mumbled speech, ensuring that viewers do not miss important plot points, character interactions, or jokes. Subtitles eliminate the need for high-volume or intrusive audio to understand the dialogue. Subtitles provide additional information beyond dialogue, such as sound effects, background music, or speaker identification. And above all else, Subtitles can improve information retention and overall comprehension of TV shows. By reading along with the dialogue, viewers reinforce their understanding and memory of the content. This is why the debate around subtitles is so bizarre to me. If everyone is able to benefit from subtitles what is the big deal? Overall, subtitles serve as an essential tool for enabling a broader audience to enjoy TV shows while promoting inclusivity and understanding across linguistic and hearing barriers. If you don’t like them turn them off or ignore them. They are not causing anyone harm.
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