ATTACHMENT B

(e)(i) Brief Summary of Processes/procedures in place during the year to ensure compliance with theCaptioning Quality Standard

Foxtel has made enquiries of the channels broadcast by Foxtel that are subject to the captioningrequirements under Part 9D of the BSA to ascertain an understanding of the processes in place. Wehave set out below a brief summary of the approach taken by the different types of channelsbroadcast on the platform to ensure compliance with the Captioning Standard. We have broken thisinto three groups depending on the nature of the channel’s broadcast relationship with Foxtel, asfollows:

(1)The Foxtel Network Australia Channels – these are the channels created and produced byFoxtel, and broadcast by Foxtel. Foxtel is wholly responsible for the entire captioning qualityprocess.

(2)Originate Channels – these are the channels created and produced by third party channelproviders but for whom Foxtel provides play-out services. Foxtel provides quality audit checksfor captioned programmes, and we have sought confirmation from these channel providers ofthe quality requirements in place with their captioning providers.

(3)Pass Through Channels – these are the channels created and produced by third party channelproviders and provided to Foxtel as a pass-through channel for broadcast. Foxtel does notconduct quality audits on behalf of these channels. Foxtel has sought confirmation from thesechannel providers of their processes and procedures for quality.

A Closed Captioning Team in the Broadcast Operations Department of Foxtel performs on-air spotchecks of captioning compliance across the Foxtel platform, ie for all channels. The spot check is carriedout once per month for each channel. It involves searching for content that is flagged as captioned,viewing the content for a minute or so, and ensuring captions are visible and accurate. In the eventthat an issue is identified, Foxtel works with the Foxtel broadcast operations team, the Foxtel platformteam and the relevant channel, where appropriate, to identity and resolve the fault.

(1)The Foxtel Network Australia (FNA) Channels

Relevant captioning channels: FOX8, Comedy, 111 Hits, Arena, Fox Classics, Lifestyle, Food, You,Home, SoHo, A&E, Bio, History, CI, [V], [V] Hits, Max, CMC, Showcase, Foxtel Movie Premiere, FoxtelMovie Comedy, Foxtel Movie Family, Foxtel Movie Action/Adventure, Foxtel Movie Thriller/Crime,Foxtel Movie Drama/Romance, Foxtel Movie Masterpiece

All the FNA channels use Ai Media for the production of captioning on their captioned programs.

Captioning orders for programmes are managed by each Channel under a Foxtel wide servicesagreement with Ai Media. The contractual arrangements with Ai Media require compliance with anumber of standards including the Captioning Standard. Compliance with the standard was notified toAi Media under the terms of the Foxtel agreement upon the issue of the Captioning Standard in June2013, and is binding on all captioning orders issued by the FNA channels.

In addition, Foxtel employs a Closed Captioning (CC) team in its Broadcast Operations department tomonitor, on behalf of the FNA channels, the integration of captions with its content prior to broadcast.This monitoring includes a full end to end quality audit (QA) of the content with the captions. This QAwill identify faults in the captions on the basis of timing, readability and accuracy. Where faults areidentified, updated caption files are sourced from Ai Media to ensure that captioned content is fit forbroadcast. Please find attached at Appendix A our Quality CC instruction document which is provided toour operators during their induction process, and is available to the CC team. The team is overseen by aCaptioning Coordinator who provides ongoing assistance and advice on captioning errors and qualityissues.

Up until July 2013, captioning quality and audit for the Showtime channels and the new Foxtel Moviechannels until the end of the relevant financial year was conducted by RedBee (in accordance withrelevant captioning standards). RedBee were responsible for editorial quality control. Quality check ofcaptioned files was completed at Showtime. Files were despatched to the CC Team in the Foxtel

Broadcast Operations department for marrying of captioning files prior to broadcast but were notsubject to the full QA check. The Foxtel Movie channels fell under the Ai Media arrangement and full QAchecks from July 2013.

(2) Originate Channels

Relevant captioning channels:

  • BBC: Cbeebies, BBC Knowledge, UKTV
  • NBCU: 13th Street and Universal
  • TV1: TV1 and SF
  • Viacom: MTV, MTV Classic, and MTV Hits, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr
  • Showtime: Showtime Premiere; Showtime Action and Adventure; Showtime Comedy;Showtime Drama & Romance

The production of captioned programming for the Originate channels is managed and overseen by therelevant channel provider. We have sought confirmation from these channel providers of theirprocesses.

Each channel has confirmed that they have contractual arrangements in place with their relevantcaptioning provider to meet captioning quality standards, or are using Ai Media to produce thecaptioning for their programming.

Other than in relation to the old Showtime channels, the CC Team in the Broadcast Operations team ofFoxtel provide a Quality Audit (QA) check on behalf of the Originate channels (MTV and MTV Classiccommenced Foxtel QA services in October 2012). A full end to end QA of the content with captions,checking for timing, readability and accuracy is conducted by the Foxtel CC team on behalf of thesechannels. Faults are identified and notified to Ai Media for correction.

As noted above at section (1) in relation to Foxtel Movies, Showtime used RedBee for quality control ofcaptioned programmes on the Showtime channels, and Foxtel merely conducted marrying of files.

Since July 2013, the Foxtel Movie channels are subject to the same full QA checks as the other FNAchannels and Originate channels.

The BBC noted that they conducted additional on-air checks. These were conducted by theirprogramming staff by watching the output throughout the day with closed captions selected and visible.

(3)Pass Through Channels

Relevant captioning channels:

  • Kidsco: Kidsco
  • Discovery: Discovery, Animal Planet, Discovery Home & Health, TLC, Discovery Science,Discovery Turbo MAX
  • Disney: Disney, Disney Junior
  • ESPN: ESPN
  • Fox Sports: Fox Sports 1/2/3, SPEED, Fuel TV, Fox Footy,
  • Fox International: FX, National Geographic, Nat Geo Adventure, Nat Geo Wild
  • Movie Network: Movie One, Movie Extra, Movie Greats, Starpics, FMC
  • SBS: World Movies and Studio
  • Sky News: Sky News Business and Sky News
  • Turner: Cartoon Network, Boomerang, TCM
  • NBCU: E and Style
  • Fox News: Fox News

We sought confirmation from all of our pass through channel providers of their processes for captioningquality. All, except Fox News confirmed some form of captioning quality control. The responses arenoted below.

Kidsco

Captions are quality checked at the time of ingest into play-out and subject to continuous spot checkingas they form a part of the Kidsco play-out chain which is constantly monitored.

Discovery

We contract AI media for our captioning requirements.

Disney

Channels introduced a new automation process whereby a graphic would appear on screen to indicate aclosed captioned program. This new feature was launched March 1, 2013.

The Closed Caption process is managed by the Disney Channel Programming Manger, who is across theprocess from beginning to end.

ESPN

ESPN has a dedicated team that operates our close captioning services across our internationalnetworks to ensure full compliance.

FOX International Channels

Captions are sourced either from an existing file or created from a script. For existing files, they areconverted to our house format, ingested and re-timed with the program material. Care is taken toensure captions are in sync with the vision. For files created from script, the captioner creates andplaces these manually with the program material. Care is taken to ensure captions do not collide withother on-screen elements. All files go through a QC process where another operator previews theprogram to ensure captions are correct. Procedures are in place to ensure captions are correctlydelivered with the broadcast schedule for transmission and that faults are reported and dealt withquickly.

FOX SPORTS

FOX SPORTS Australia's live captioning provider conducted regular reviews of the quality of live captionsthroughout the 2012-13 financial year using the following quality assurance methods:

- spot checks of all live captioned programs, whereby the spot checker watched at least 5 minutes of thelive captioned program and completed a questionnaire about the quality of the captions;

- detailed reviews of captioned programs by trained quality assurance staff;

- anonymous peer reviewing by captioners; and

- live monitoring of captions by supervisors.

These reviews assessed the readability, accuracy and comprehensibility of the captions.

If a spot check or detailed program review identified an issue with captioning quality, the issue wasinvestigated by a trained quality assurance staff member. If necessary, the relevant captioner was notengaged to do any further live captioning work until they had undergone further training anddevelopment.

The captioning provider also conducted regular ongoing learning and development sessions for its

captioners.

FOX SPORTS Australia employees in its Presentation department also conducted regular spot checks oflive captioned programs, whereby the spot checker watched at least 5 minutes of the live captionedprogram and completed a questionnaire about the quality of the captions.

Movie Network

The use of an industry recognised captioning specialist company to caption over and above the levels ofcaptioning required by the standard

SBS

Both channels use an external party- Red Bee Media to caption their content. Red Bee is an industryleading global access service provider. It specialises on closed captioning & meets the broadcast licenseconditions set by the Broadcast Services Act (BSA) and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Sky News

Sky News have a contractual arrangement with their captioning supplier that warrantsany services performed will be done so in accordance with any applicable laws,regulations and industry standards relating to the services.

Internal captioning issues are promptly followed up with relevant departments, ieEngineering, News Control, relevant channel staff to resolve the issue and put correctprocedures in place moving forward.

Turner

Captions are primarily sourced from our United States affiliates. Historically those captionshave undergone strict QC processes which ensure readability, accuracy and comprehensibility. Additionally, we review the captions to ensure that the captionsproperly sync with our masters and tweak timings as necessary. Specifically the inhouseteam undertakes the following process:

  • Team ingests the supplied closed caption file into Polyscript and run against the txmaster.
  • The file is synched to the start of the video and then at several additional points toensure synch remains throughout the show.
  • If our video has been altered from the original (eg compliance cuts made) then the ccfile is edited accordingly.
  • All our subs go out in the same format: white text on a black background for ease ofreadability.

NBCU - E! and STYLE

For third party productions, we receive closed captioned files from a third party vendor for

tx on E! USA. The third party vendor guarantees a 98% accuracy rate in translation. Atechnical QC is performed including a spell and translation check by our in-house E!domestic closed captioning group. We then receive the files in International Operations andperform another QC and spell check. International OPS then edit the files using time codeto align the NTSC files to PAL for Australia.

For in-house productions for which there are very few, our internal E! USA closedcaptioning group create the files. They perform a technical QC including a spell andtranslation check and then the procedure followed is as stated above.

Each month a list of titles that are closed captioned for the month is provided to theAustralian office who then update listings information accordingly.

APPENDIX 1

Training Documentation for CC Quality Staff