STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER DEBORAH TAYLOR TATE Re. Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Closed Captioning Requirements for Digital Television Receivers, CG Docket No. 05-231 and ET Docket No. 99-254. With today’s Order the Commission ensures that a key at-risk group will be protected during and after the 2009 DTV Transition. The hearing impaired community depends on closed captioning not only for entertainment, but also news and information. Most importantly, these citizens rely on closed captions for the emergency alerts. In 1996, Congress mandated that the FCC establish rules making video programming accessible through closed captions. This Order clarifies that the closed captioning viewers currently depend upon will remain in place after February 17, 2009. Networks that are transitioning from analog to digital will still be required to caption the same programming they currently caption, and will not qualify for an exemption as a “new network.” I believe this Order appropriately clarifies the closed captioning rules for the new digital world we are preparing to enter, and protects thousands of Americans from losing critical communications services.