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Télévision de Radio-Canada's Working Committee

Télévision de Radio-Canada
Increasing Real-time Captioning on the National Network and RDI

Action Plan – Training, Hiring & Technology Upgrades

Completion Dates

Activity

Comments

% CC Radio-Canada

% CC RDI

March 2005

Hiring of two stenotypists and one captioner

 

91%

52%

In progress

Analysis of voice recognition technology for real-time captioning

Radio-Canada/La Cité collégiale agreement

In conjunction with CRIM (Centre de recherches informatiques de Montréal)

April, May, June 2005

On-air and in-house promotion of the computer-assisted stenotypy training program at Ottawa's La Cité collégiale; production of the spot by Radio-Canada

Approximate value:

Spot production: $12,000

Airing: $150,000 to $200,000

92%

52%

 

Call for tenders to replace Médiatex; analysis and selection

 

 

September 2005

Beginning of the fast-track computer-assisted stenotypy program at La Cité collégiale (12 months, full time)

Minimum requirement: 15 student registrations

January 2006

Installation of the system replacing Médiatex

Full rollout will depend on the learning curve for the system.

92%

 

 

 

92%

52%

 

 

 

52%

 

Implementation of an initial trial phase: the use of voice recognition for real-time captioning

It is difficult to predict when voice recognition technology will be suitable for real-time captioning.

The Corporation has therefore not considered the possibility of using this technique to increase the captioning rate.

 

Upcoming meetings between Radio-Canada and La Cité collégiale in spring 2006: evaluation of the program's first year and the advisability of rolling over the April 2005 agreement (on-air program promotion by Radio-Canada)

Spring 2006

The two stenotypists hired in February 2005 go on air in real time.

   

Summer 2006

Two La Cité collégiale student interns in Radio-Canada’s captioning unit

The interns will be selected by Radio-Canada.

Two stenotypists and two captioners were hired in February 2005. The stenotypists should be on air in real time in March 2006.

It is estimated that a stenotypist working at a rate of 110 words/minute will need approximately one year's training to reach the 200 words/minute needed to go on air in real time.

93%

64%

September 2006

Hiring of two interns for Radio-Canada’s captioning unit

On-the-job training: offline captioning, compiling dictionaries (1 year)

The interns must reach a minimum rate of 110 words/minute to be hired by Radio-Canada.

RDI funds these two new stenotypist positions from its budgets.

  

Summer 2007

Two more La Cité collégiale student interns

 

September 2007

The first two La Cité collégiale interns go on air in real time.

 

94%

76%

Summer 2008

One more La Cité collégiale student intern

   

September 2008

The next two Cité collégiale interns go on air in real time.

 

95%

88%

2009–10

The next La Cité collégiale intern goes on air.

 

100%

90%

NOTES

  • The captioning rate indicated applies to the end of the fiscal year.
  • The calculation is based on the hypothesis that one additional stenotypist will increase RDI's captioning rate by 6% a year. For 2009–10, the rate has been rounded off to 90%.
  • The network broadcasts approximately 18 hours of programming a day, 126 hours a week, and 6,552 hours a year.
  • RDI broadcasts 24 hours a day, for 168 hours a week and 8,736 hours a year. Captioning 90% of its programs represents a total of 7,862 hours a year.
  • Beginning in 2010, 90% of RDI's program schedule will be captioned. Radio-Canada undertakes to provide 100% captioning during RDI's two prime-time periods, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to midnight.
  • Radio-Canada will closely monitor technological advances, especially in voice recognition, and use them to attain the goal of 100% captioning on RDI by 2012.
  • CBC/Radio-Canada will regularly report to the CHRC on the implementation of its action plan. The first report will be submitted in mid-August 2005.

 

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