Real-time captions aren’t a magic button—they’re a human sprint. Court reporter & close captioner Elise Eichmüller joins me to demystify how captions actually get to your screen, why humans are the gold standard, and what strong training programs (like NAIT’s) mean for accuracy, accessibility, and justice.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How live captions work (pre-hookup, modem checks, ~3s delay buffer, rapid fix window)

• The skills bar: 225 WPM for 5 minutes at ~95% accuracy—and what that sounds like

• Courtroom realities: one voice at a time, read-backs & daily copy keep the record honest

• Tools & technique: modern software, dictionaries/briefs, and why this isn’t “old-fashioned”

• NAIT program stakes: why strong pipelines + top-of-field instructors matter

• What listeners can do (petition, who to contact, and how to advocate constructively)

GUEST

Elise Eichmüller — Court Reporter & Close Captioner

Petition (support training/captioning): https://www.change.org/p/urge-nait-to-save-captioning-and-court-reporting-program

Where to follow/contact Elise: https://linktr.ee/EliseEichmuller/ @etown_bookworm on instagram

More on professional standards: https://www.ncra.org/home/the-profession/Captioning

HOST / STUDIO

Ryan — Spare Bedroom Studios

IG: @Spare_bedroom_studios

If you care about accuracy, accessibility, and getting the words right, this episode is your “how.”

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