Telemundo - English Subtitles

English Subtitles

Telemundo provides English subtitles of its weekday prime-time programming, appearing as closed captions on CC3 in standard definition and digital service 2 in HDTV. The network produces the translations in-house and intends them to attract Hispanic viewers who may not be fluent in Spanish. Programs appear with a special digital on-screen graphic at the start of each episode (see right).

Programs which had English captions during their original broadcast will also have them in repeats airing outside of the primetime schedule. Some programs (notably the long-running erotic anthology Decisiones), have translations in some episodes but not others, depending on when they were produced. The programs that use the English captions are primarily telenovelas, though a few shows outside the genre (such as primetime court show Caso Cerrado: Edićion Especial) are also transcribed in both languages. Availability of English subtitles is limited to the technical capacity of the local station, cable or satellite provider, or other outlet to pass them on.

Telemundo was the first Spanish-language network in the United States to incorporate English captions during its programming, beginning with the premieres of La Cenicienta and Amor Descarado on September 8, 2003; this generated a small, loyal fan base among English-speaking viewers. Subtitles briefly disappeared without notice starting October 14, 2008, amid budget cuts and the change from analog to digital at Telemundo; the network cited the need to concentrate resources on its core Spanish-speaking audience, but soon reversed the cancellation due to popular demand. The English captions returned on March 30, 2009. The network's primary competitor Univision has since joined Telemundo in utilizing English subtitles on its evening programming (primarily with its weeknight telenovelas, along with select weekend primetime series) on January 30, 2012; in the same manner as Telemundo, Univision transmits the English subtitling as closed captions on CC3.