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Opinion: Captioning the global content boom

Anupama Anantharaman, product management VP at Interra Systems, explains why captions and subtitles have become mission-critical in the video streaming marketplace

As broadcasters and global streaming platforms break down language barriers, subtitles and captions have become essential tools in making content accessible to a worldwide audience. The availability of subtitles in local languages allows viewers to enjoy content originally produced in foreign languages. 

A recent report from Ampere Analysis found that viewership of non-English content has grown by 24 per cent among 18- to 64-year-olds in countries like the UK, US Canada, and Australia since 2020. More than half of internet users in these markets now watch foreign-language shows at least occasionally, with younger viewers leading the trend. Additionally, the report highlights that this shift is partly driven by the diversification of global content production, supported by advancements in subtitling and dubbing technologies.

With the rise of video streaming consumption and the growing appetite for foreign-language content coming from film industries such as Bollywood, Nollywood and the cinematic powerhouses of South Korea, Spain, and France, subtitles and captioning are a must-have capability to succeed in today’s global and competitive landscape.

Benefits of automated captioning solutions 

A recent survey by Preply showed that 50 per cent of Americans watch content with captions and subtitles most of the time. By deploying a comprehensive automated captioning solution that spans ingest to delivery, broadcasters can quality control (QC) captions and subtitles, create captions from transcribed audio, auto-correct errors, translate captions from one language to another and regenerate captions to match different video deliveries. 

Deploying an automated captioning solution provides significant benefits for video streaming. However, the captioning system must go beyond basic speech-to-text conversion, requiring comprehensive QC checks to maintain accuracy, synchronisation, and compliance with regional standards. One of the challenges in creating captions for foreign-language content lies in translating humour, slang, and cultural references accurately. Advanced captioning tools integrate subtitling support across major languages, ensuring translations preserve the original meaning while meeting style guidelines, such as proper line breaks, font usage, and word placement. 

With an advanced captioning solution, broadcasters and service providers can check to ensure that the words, language, and phrases being used are appropriate for the specific geography, culture, or government regulations. This ensures that content resonates with local audiences and complies with regional standards, maintaining both relevance and legal accuracy. Captioning tools also play a critical role in enabling service providers and broadcasters to address regulatory compliance for different regions — such as the FCC in the US and Ofcom in the UK — a task that would be time-consuming if done manually. 

Choosing an automated captioning solution with a user-friendly interface is essential for streamlining workflows, allowing smooth collaboration between automated processes and human reviewers. This combination of precise QC checks and workflow efficiency ensures media companies can deliver a superior user experience in today’s competitive streaming landscape.

Integrating captioning tools into content preparation workflows within QC platforms will enhance efficiency by enabling seamless transitions between tasks like transcription, quality review, and compliance checks. This consolidated approach breaks down operational silos, reduces errors and speeds up the production of captions and subtitles. Features such as multi-language editing, error highlighting, and timestamped reviews further streamline the process, helping broadcasters and service providers maintain high-quality standards across various formats and languages. These tools not only improve workflows but also ensure faster turnaround times, which is crucial for meeting the demands of modern broadcast and streaming operations.

Typically, captioning takes upwards of 5 – 10 hours for around one hour of video content. With an automated captioning system, broadcasters and service providers can generate captions in real time, or near real time, reducing the time spent by close to 40 or  50 per cent. This directly minimises labour costs by about 30 to 40 per cent.

How AI and ML advances are transforming multi-language caption and subtitle creation

AI and machine learning (ML) are transforming caption and subtitle creation by improving efficiency, accuracy, and user experience. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies are central to these advances. ASR converts spoken language into text in real time, while NLP refines this output by recognising contextual nuances, such as slang, tone, or punctuation, ensuring more accurate captions. These technologies drastically reduce the time and cost involved in traditional captioning workflows.

Additionally, AI-based object detection enhances viewing experiences by identifying when captions obstruct important visual elements — such as faces or match scores — and automatically adjusting their position to maintain screen clarity. This ensures captions do not detract from the visual content.

A key benefit of AI integration is adaptive learning. As algorithms process more data over time, they become smarter, reducing the need for repetitive tasks and minimising human intervention. AI-powered platforms further streamline workflows by consolidating tasks — such as transcription, review, and compliance checks — within a single interface. This unified approach helps maintain consistency across multiple languages and formats while accelerating turnaround times for content delivery.

Conclusion

Captions and subtitles are crucial for driving global growth, enhancing accessibility, and promoting inclusion. They ensure that audiences with hearing impairments or language barriers can engage with content while preserving cultural nuances in foreign-language media. This helps viewers understand context and meaning that might otherwise be lost in translation, enriching their experience and fostering cross-cultural appreciation.

Thanks to the latest advancements in AI and ML-based captioning solutions, media companies can unlock significant workflow efficiencies and make foreign-language content even more accessible, addressing the growing demand for diverse video streaming experiences.