Historically the FCC is loathe to mandate anything, particularly a copyrighted technology. For example, HD radio was never mandated. It was merely approved. But the approval didn't require any use. If the FCC is going to approve a technology, there will be a testing period, and a period for comments. In addition, even if they were to approve it, they would be clear that the use of such technology would not absolve the licensee of any responsibility should the device miss a word and a complaint is filed. Very complicated procedure.
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Historically the FCC is loathe to mandate anything, particularly a copyrighted technology. For example, HD radio was never mandated. It was merely approved. But the approval didn't require any use. If the FCC is going to approve a technology, there will be a testing period, and a period for comments. In addition, even if they were to approve it, they would be clear that the use of such technology would not absolve the licensee of any responsibility should the device miss a word and a complaint is filed. Very complicated procedure.
I am referring in general to all the options out there, from telephone customer service "what are you calling about" to the voice to text function on iPhones and Android devices.
For speakers of standardized English which falls in the range you would hear on most mainstream TV shows, newscasts and news channels, there is fairly good recognition. But, as Frank also says, regional and "foreign" accents will trip it up consistently, whatever the "brand" of text recognition.
With the number of foreign-born residents of the US at its highest point ever, both in sheer numbers and as a percentage of the population, this is a critical issue as it effects tens of millions of people... even more if you take in the more extreme regional and ethnic accents.
I often use Spanish voice recognition for things like texting, and it does better with some accents than with others (I have tried with Argentine, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Ecuadorian and Mexican accents, and the results vary, particularly with slang, americanisms and the like).
David, I think you're missing my point. I'm not saying voice recognition is perfect, but it WILL be extremely good in a few years once it "learns" regional accents, etc. It's just a matter of machine learning.
As of now it MAY be better than a $15/hr board-op who's texting and not paying full attention to the regional accents and foreign slang he's supposed to be monitoring. If firing a board-op each time a profanity slips through is a shield against an FCC fine, so be it. I can't say I buy that.
As of now it MAY be better than a $15/hr board-op who's texting and not paying full attention to the regional accents and foreign slang he's supposed to be monitoring. If firing a board-op each time a profanity slips through is a shield against an FCC fine, so be it. I can't say I buy that.
It isn't. The licensee is still liable for the fine even of they punish an employee.
The FCC makes money by fining stations. So it's in the interest of the FCC for stations to incur fines.
Except that fines don't go to the FCC's own budget. They go to the Treasury's general fund.
It's a very different situation from, say, the sheriff's deputies in Waldo, Florida whose salaries really are paid by all their speed-trap fines.
Speaking of regional dialect issues, Google actually has a small group working specifically on improving voice recognition accuracy in regards to the dreaded, Pittsburgh/Western PA accent because it consistently stymies Alexa and other voice recognition software. As former on-air talent who grew up and then worked in the region for years, I can tell you it was easier to give up tobacco (twice) than to purge that accent when I first started in radio; and i still find myself slipping once in a while if I haven't done any voice work for a period of time. Man, what a pain. I'm to the point that I can't even find humor in imitating it anymore because its so pervasive that elements of it can sneak back in like a gateway drug.
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