I Can't Hear My TV!

If you come over to my home for movie night, be prepared to do some light reading in between bites of popcorn. I am one of the many people that uses closed captioning while watching television and movies, and I have done so for most of my life. I grew up in a home in which one of my parents has hearing loss; captions were a normal fixture in my television-watching-life from day one.  Even though I have moved out of my parent’s house and gotten my very own television, I still utilize captioning. I have normal hearing, however, that does not always equate to perfect understanding of everything that is said.

Have you ever noticed that people on television or in movies don’t always seem to speak very clearly? With background music, action sequences, and foreign accents in the mix, we can miss half of what’s being said during our favorite shows. Even when the volume is increased, aside from bugging our neighbors or others in the home, it doesn’t seem to make the program any clearer. What can be done?

Well, there’s always the more expensive solution: home theater surround sound systems with high definition speakers that literally put you in the middle of all the action. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford the big ticket prices that come along with this remedy. A less expensive option, and one that is available on almost all television sets, is closed captioning. Closed captioning was first broadcast on mainstream television in 1982; it was originally meant for those who were deaf or hard of hearing. Their use by other peoples has branched out since the 80’s however, currently finding populations such as English language learners, insomniacs, and sports bar and gym frequenters using them as well. Their popularity stems from the fact that they can help provide a critical link to news, entertainment and information that television speakers alone cannot accomplish.  They help you more efficiently pick up and retain information, without the need for the speakers to be blaringly loud. Even those with normal hearing can “read” the benefit. 

Closed captions are easy to obtain. You can turn captions on through your remote control and on-screen menu options. You can sometimes find them under sound or language options and some televisions even have a separate captioning menu. After a few hours of watching television with captioning, you will probably no longer even realize that you are both listening and reading at the same time. It will become a seamless activity that enriches your television experience. Give them a try and never miss a word of your favorite show or movie again!

Though captioning is an excellent solution to missing dialogue or maxing out the volume of our television sets, it is still important to find out if there are larger issues at hand. Not being able to hear the television at moderate volumes can be one of the first signs of hearing loss. It is important to follow-up your new captioning experience with a visit to an audiologist, a skilled professional who specialize in the prevention, identification and management of hearing problems. Let them know about any hearing difficulties you may be having when watching television or otherwise. They are trained to assess your hearing and are dedicated to providing services to improve that hearing in all the parts of your life.