Advocates for the deaf and hard of hearing didn't get their way in a General Assembly House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday - but that doesn't mean their pleas for more theaters to offer closed captioning technology weren't heard.

Jordan Ramsey of Danville's Kentucky School for the Deaf made his point without a spoken word by asking his interpreter to stop speaking while he continued signing. He signaled her to resume, then asked committee members, "Did you understand what I just said? No. So when I watch a movie and there's no captions, I don't understand that either."

Randy Smith of Regal Cinemas, the nation's largest chain, said he did understand Ramsey's arguments, partly because he has a deaf child. But he said forcing movie theaters with five more screens to install expensive equipment that might not confirm with new digital movies, or offer a certain number of captioned movies per theater, could result in less profitable and thus fewer theaters.

"I don't see limiting access is the answer to the question here. I simply don't see it. It isn't that simple -- and right or wrong, we do operate our theaters for a profit," he said.

A representative of the American Motion Picture Association said give us time - and flexibility.

"I know it's a frustrating answer for the deaf and hard of hearing maybe at this point, but we're getting there," said Van Stephenson.

The committee substituted a measure requiring a study of the issue and a report by Nov. 1.

It wasn't what Virginia Moore wanted to hear.

"They have been saying that since 1990 and I don't believe from what we've been learned that the digital industry is going to catch up with this in the next year or two or three," said the executive director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

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Comments (4)

 EpicTiffany says:

2010-Jun-10 13:13

Open Captions

My sister is hearing impaired and we've faced the same problems with movies as you. We started our own online campaign and I came across your story. Please join us in signing this petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/caption-awarene ss

Pass the petition along to everyone! We have also started Facebook groups for the matter. You can search "Movies Should be Offered in Closed Captioning in Theaters" to find our group.

I have also written about this on my blog:
http://quarterlifecris is82.blogspot.com/

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 Ryan Watson says:

2010-Mar-19 20:43

offer for closed caption at theaters!

Hello
i think in kentucky of state must have closed caption at any theaters that isn't fair for deaf people to not understand what theaters says!!

i am from louisville kentucky and at baxter avenue theater at highlands area must have closed caption!! because i live in highlands near to baxter avenue theater!

i been spending lot of my money for rent movies and buying movies all the time due theater don't provide a closed ccaption!!

thanks
Ryan Watson
Resident from louisville ky:)

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 Eddie says:

2010-Mar-11 21:58

HB 439/SB102

This is an extremely important bill to increase access for the 647,000 Kentuckians with a hearing loss. The movie industry reps were not being entirely truthful when they claimed that this type of access is not available or compatible, I should say, with digital. There are two theaters in California that already are providing this type of access with compliance to digital. I believe the study will allow the truth to be found out and assist in full passage of the bill. I am the one who first approached Rep. Combs and Sen. Jones about introducing this bill.

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 John H. says:

2010-Mar-11 09:08

We're getting there?

Once again the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have to sit on the sidelines when it comes to going to a movie theater. We are treated as second class citzens. Honestly, Mr Van Stephenson really doesn't know how frustrating it is because he is not Deaf nor Hard of Hearing. That's about like a white person trying to say that they understand civil rights back in the 1960s. Honestly, you truly don't understand until you're put into the same position. Besides a Deaf person can go to a restaurant, coffee shop, a mall but we cannot go to a movie theater. Why is common sense so uncommon?

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