A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of deaf or hearing impaired persons who purchased, rented, or otherwise obtained a DVD or other home video product, or products with captioning or closed captioning. The class action lawsuit claimed certain motion picture producers and distributors misled consumers by inaccurately describing the nature of the closed captioning and/or subtitling provided on their DVDs. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Warner Home Video Inc., Universal Studios Home Entertainment LLC, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Inc., and Tri-Star Pictures, Inc. allegedly misled consumers by displaying a captioning symbol or stating captioning, captioned, subtitled or subtitling on certain DVD packaging when the main feature presentation was captioned, closed captioned, or subtitled but some or all of the DVD bonus material was not.
The companies have agreed to provide captioning or closed captioning of bonus material on major categories of DVDs they distribute over the next five years, pay $275,000 to certain non-profit organizations dedicated to advocacy for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, and pay attorneys' fees and costs of $1,300,000. (May-31-06) [DIGITAL MEDIA NEWS WIRE]
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