Red Bee Media, partners with Speechmatics to make broadcasting more accessible

Whilst regulated live content will continue to require skilled subtitlers, subtitling of pre-recorded content can be made more efficient using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology.

With over 900 million, or one in ten, people estimated to suffer from disabling hearing loss by 2050, it is now more important than ever for all producers of video content to make sure accessibility remains top of mind. Red Bee Media, Access Services, specializes in delivering accessible content to make sure that people with hearing or sight impairments are able to get the most out of television content. Providing Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing (Closed Captions), Sign Language Translation and Audio Description fulfils the regulatory requirements of broadcasters and content owners around the world.

Partnering with Speechmatics, Red Bee Media is taking the most accurate ASR on the market and channeling it through its bespoke production workflows to provide same-language subtitling for pre-recorded content. Red Bee Media and Speechmatics offline subtitling solution for pre-recorded video content incorporates ASR into its production workflows with a secure, internally hosted Speechmatics solution, ensures broadcasters like Channel 4 are at the forefront of new technologies.

Graham Wilkinson, Presentation and Content Manager at Channel 4 said:

“Red Bee Media has been a key partner in helping break new ground in broadcasting accessibility. The introduction of Speechmatics’ ASR solution to drive subtitling processes means that they are once again are at the cutting edge of broadcasting technology”.

Based on Red Bee Media’s subtitling expertise, the production workflow includes sophisticated formatting and house style configurations, a timed-text database and a wide variety of broadcast and online delivery channels.

By introducing the element of ASR, Red Bee Media has been able to create a solution that makes the production of accurate subtitles more cost-efficient.

Tom Wootton, Product Manager at Red Bee Media, part of Ericsson, said:

“We are incredibly excited by the power of using ASR in broadcast and making the delivery of subtitles for pre-recorded content more efficient. As leaders in the broadcast and media industry, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to optimise and improve our processes. Our use of automatic subtitling for pre-recorded content is an example of the many ways in which we are innovating and we can’t wait to see what other exciting things will result from our partnership with Speechmatics.”

Ian Firth, Head of Customer Success, at Speechmatics, commented:

“Red Bee Media is a truly innovative player in the media and broadcast industry and we are excited to work together. Their dedication to making content more accessible, more efficiently is inspiring and I am thrilled to be involved in a speech revolution that will help open up broadcast media to everyone, everywhere.”