Subtitles appear on SBS with different colours depending on how they were produced.
Subtitles are produced in one of two ways:
- Some program purchases include subtitle files provided by the producers or distributor of that program. Time permitting, SBS assesses these pre-existing files on the basis of their readability and translation quality.
If approved, these subtitles, which have generally been produced using white text, are broadcast with the program.
- Our in-house Access Services unit (ASPP) does subtitle a significant number of programs across our free-to-air channels and our online platform, SBS On Demand. As above, ASPP evaluates acquired subtitle files for readability and translation quality. Where acquired files are assessed as not being of sufficient quality, ASPP will re-subtitle the program from scratch.
In-house SBS subtitles are easily recognisable by their distinctive yellow text, which has been selected for easier reading against varied backgrounds.