AI Subtitling for Public Broadcasters

How AI Supports Public Broadcasters with Subtitling and Live Captioning

AI subtitling for public broadcasters is rapidly becoming a game-changer in the media landscape. As content production expands and accessibility standards grow stricter, public service broadcasters across Europe are turning to AI-powered solutions to streamline workflows. In spring 2024, a reputable Greek TV station partnered with txtplay.ai to help meet their expanding subtitling needs for both live broadcasts and on-demand content.

Improving Workflow Efficiency

Since adopting the AI solution, The broadcaster has reported a more structured and faster subtitling process compared to previous manual methods. The introduction of AI-generated captions has helped manage the growing volume of content requiring subtitles—an industry-wide challenge in the digital media landscape.

Reducing Workload and Long-Term Cost Savings

Early feedback suggests that AI tools can reduce the manual workload involved in subtitling. Over time, this can translate into greater cost-efficiency and resource optimization, especially as the technology continues to improve and integrate more deeply into daily operations.

Live Captioning: A Promising Next Step

AI-generated subtitles are generally accurate but not flawless. To ensure they meet broadcast standards, teams still perform manual reviews and adjustments. This hybrid approach—combining automation with human quality control—allows for both speed and reliability in subtitle delivery.

Many broadcasters are beginning to explore the translation capabilities of AI captioning tools, which allow them to quickly produce multilingual subtitles. This functionality is particularly valuable for international programming or fast-turnaround projects that need to reach audiences in multiple languages.

We are starting to explore the translation feature and believe it will be a valuable addition, especially for projects requiring multilingual support,

“We are starting to explore the translation feature and believe it will be a valuable addition, especially for projects requiring multilingual support,” says one team member at the well-respected TV station. In other words, a representative from the station explains that they have begun testing the translation feature, viewing it as a useful tool for multilingual projects. The initiative is framed as part of a larger strategy to improve accessibility and audience outreach.

Will Ai captions become the new “normal”?

Live captioning, where spoken content is transcribed in real time during broadcasts, is also being piloted by several other public broadcasters using AI tools. Although still in an early stage, initial tests have shown encouraging results. The potential for enhancing accessibility through real-time captions—especially for news and events—is substantial.

AI-powered subtitling tools like txtplay.ai represent a meaningful step forward for media organizations aiming to meet the evolving demands of accessibility, multilingual delivery, and efficiency in production. As the technology matures, it’s likely to become a central part of broadcast operations worldwide.

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