X Factor: looking for pig talent
Posted by Ian Noon on August 23, 2010
This could be interesting, I thought, as I sat down for my Saturday evening viewing. Pigs battling it out, a kind of “Porkie’s Got Talent” and a plethora of terrible bacon-related puns from Dermot?
Alas, it was one of many subtitling errors on Saturday’s opening to the new series. I think they meant to say “big talent”?
Yes, the X Factor is back. Which means the return of tone-deaf singers, lots of shouting from Dermot, fashion wars between Dannii and Cheryl and TRULY AWFUL subtitles.
Every year, it gets worse. Numerous typos and subtitles so out of sync with what’s being said that I only get the lame jokes around 5 minutes later. I could kind of forgive it for the live shows (though BBC news manage to at least appear to be trying to match the speech with the subtitles) but even on non-live shows, the subtitles on the X Factor are among the worse I’ve seen on any programme.
Is there some assumption at ITV that they don’t need to bother with decent subtitles because deaf people don’t listen to music? If so, then this is a pretty idiotic and offensive assumption to make. Lots of deaf children and young people watch and enjoy the X Factor. It’s unacceptable they don’t have equal access to what is one of ITV’s most popular shows.
I’ve emailed them to complain – if you want to do the same, the email address is viewerservices@itv.com. I’ll keep a keen eye out for any more errors in coming weeks.
MM said
Subtitles will not be able to tell you they use electronic equipment to defraud the viewing public by making non-talented people sound better, or even worse than they really are, X Factor is defrauding the viewing public, it’s abuse, and should be illegal. The advantage of subtitles is you don’t rely on sound anyway, so couldn’t care less if they can sing in tune or not. It’s called the ‘Cher’ effect. We used to have a band called banarama, they had numerous hit singles and number ones, and never sang on most of them, they were churned out by studio musicians and singers who COULD sing in key.. it’s all image.
tyron woolfe said
Completely agree with u Ian, what i cannot fathom is that this is the 7th or 8th series, and they still can’t get their act together! (pun intended)
I shall email and also encourage my mates to do this too.
ITV confirm that X Factor subtitles need to be better « Campaigning for deaf children said
[...] X Factor: looking for pig talent [...]
Deaf Village said
[...] blogged a while ago about rubbish subtitles on the X Factor. Well, after a series of stroppy emails and a [...]