Sigurlín Margrét Sigurðardóttir wrote the article “Where are the subtitles?” which was published here on Vísir on September 11. In it, she discusses the experience of a large group in Icelandic society that is excluded from self-evident participation in public discourse, entertainment, and culture due to the lack of subtitles for Icelandic audio and video content on television and digital media. As the CEO of a language technology company, I would like to add to the discussion and point out an important fact: The technology to solve this problem already exists in Iceland.

In the article, Sigurlín correctly points out that when the audio cuts out during a broadcast, it is fixed immediately. For decades, however, the excuse for the absence of subtitles has been that subtitling is a complex, time-consuming, and costly craft. That was certainly the case in the past, but not anymore. Technological developments in recent years, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, have completely revolutionized this landscape. The barriers are no longer technical, but rather a matter of will and prioritization.

At Miðeind, we have for years been developing language technology solutions specifically tailored to the Icelandic language. One of these solutions is the speech recognition model Hreimur, which converts spoken Icelandic into accurate, transcribed text and also delivers complete, time-coded subtitles. This means that news segments, episodes of Kastljós, documentaries, podcasts, or entire series can be subtitled automatically and for a fraction of the previous cost and effort.

As of now, Hreimur does not subtitle in real-time and therefore cannot subtitle a live broadcast as it happens. However, almost all broadcast material is available on the media outlets' websites and streaming services just a few minutes after airing, and in these few minutes, Hreimur can prepare the appropriate subtitles. There is therefore no technical obstacle to all Icelandic programs having high-quality Icelandic subtitles shortly after broadcast. Negligence in this area is thus completely indefensible.

Sigurlín's demand that subtitling become a legal obligation is not only a matter of fairness but also a completely realistic demand in a technical context. RÚV, as a public service broadcaster, and other Icelandic media outlets no longer have an excuse. They have a duty to serve all citizens, and the technology that enables them to do so is within reach. Not using it is a conscious decision to exclude a part of the nation, not to mention the great benefit that subtitles provide for those who are learning Icelandic.

At Miðeind, we operate according to the policy that technology should strengthen society and make Icelandic accessible to all. We are ready to do our part and work with the media to implement these solutions. Sigurlín's call is clear and urgent. It is now the responsibility of the media and the government to answer the call. Let's ensure that the answer to the question “Where are the subtitles?” is always: “Here they are.”

If you want to keep up with Miðeind's future projects, you can get the latest news on our website or follow us on social media.