Content localization is transforming your existing content or creating new content that is more understandable and acceptable in the geographic region where it will be consumed. Website content, marketing campaigns, broadcasting content, and HR documents are covered under content localization.

Cultural sensibilities, language differences, and other elements relevant to the targeted audiences are considered when curating content for localization. Content localization is vital because it allows the organization to understand the audience they intend to cater to and teaches them to speak the language of their audience

People in each geographic region talk about the same thing differently, even when speaking the same language. For example, Americans take a vacation, and the British go on a holiday, and if this eBook is written for British readers, it’d be titled “Content Localisation.”

Did you know that closed captions are mandated by law? One of the most important reasons to have closed captions is to make the content accessible to everyone, including deaf and hard of hearing viewers, students, and viewers who have English as a second language. In the early 90s, the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 bill was passed by U.S. congress allowing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to put the rules for the implementation of closed captioning. The Television Decoder Circuitry Act was a big step in enabling equal opportunity for those with hearing impairments. It was passed the same year as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Let’s look at all the major laws and regulations that you have to follow if you are a content producer and broadcaster in the US.