PUBLIC NOTICE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
445 12th STREET, S.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                                            DA 00-695

News media information 202/418-0500     Fax-On-Demand  202/418-2830     Internet:  http://www.fcc.gov    ftp.fcc.gov

                                
CABLE SERVICES BUREAU ACTION                      March 28, 2000
                                                               

                                
        CORRECT USAGE OF "ENR" AND "ELECTRONIC NEWSROOM"
          FOR PURPOSES OF THE CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES

The Commission has learned that some members of the public are using the trademarked term "ENR" to
refer to the generic captioning technology known as the electronic newsroom technique and that this may
cause confusion.  The Commission wishes to remind the public that its closed captioning rules no longer use
the term "ENR" and instead refer to the "electronic newsroom technique," which does not refer to any
particular company or its products. 

By an order released June 10, 1999, the Commission revised the wording of 47 C.F.R.  79.1(e)(3), which
deals with the acceptability, for meeting closed captioning requirements, of the method of captioning
known as the electronic newsroom technique. Order, DA 99-1133 (June 10, 1999).  Since its inception, the
rule was intended to refer to a generic captioning methodology that generates captions using the output of news
script computer or teleprompter systems.  Prior to the revision, the rule referred to this technology as the "so-
called 'electronic newsroom' or ENR technique."  The Commission learned, however, that the rule's reference to
"ENR" might be confused with the term "ENR" used by Comprompter, Inc. of La Crosse, Wisconsin as the
trademark for one of its products.  Comprompter, Inc. also uses the term "Electronic NewsRoom" (note
capitalization) in reference to this product.  Accordingly, the Commission deleted usage of the term "ENR" and
substituted the generic term "electronic newsroom technique."

The closed captioning rule, as amended, intends no reference to Comprompter, Inc.  The rule should not be read
to indicate the Commission's disapproval of Comprompter's ENR product.  Rather, the rule should be read in its
generic sense and not as reflecting any view by the Commission as to that company or its products.

For further information, please contact:
 Marcia Glauberman, Cable Services Bureau, (202) 418-7200, TTY (202) 418-7172
David Senzel, Office of the General Counsel, (202) 418-1760


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