Publish a transcript that belongs to the final recording

Choose what the transcript must communicate

A transcript can support reading, searching and reviewing a recording without continuous playback. Decide whether the audience needs dialogue alone or essential visual context as well. A raw speech export may omit the information that makes a demonstration understandable.

W3C WAI distinguishes descriptive transcripts and interactive transcript features. Publishing readable text does not by itself create clickable, synchronised navigation. Treat those as separate requirements so the promised interface matches the actual destination.

Match the approved picture version

Identify the final media revision before approving the text. If the recording removes a question or rearranges sections, the transcript must follow that version. Keep any longer event transcript labelled separately instead of presenting it as an exact companion to the edited recording.

Use headings that help the reader follow the programme and speaker labels where they clarify meaning. Add concise visual context when it matters. Do not insert editorial summaries into a purported verbatim quotation without making the difference clear.

Choose useful time references

For a long recording, section-level timestamps can help a reader return to a passage. Define whether they refer to the final programme timeline and where that timeline begins. Excessively precise timestamps are not helpful if the underlying association is approximate.

In a hypothetical interview, a topic begins at 12:40 in the approved cut. If a later edit removes the first minute, the text can remain correct while that navigation point becomes wrong. Store the relationship so a revision prompts a time-reference review rather than only a spelling pass.

Review text and navigation separately

Read the transcript for names, speaker changes and meaningful sound or visual information appropriate to its purpose. If links are provided, activate representative ones in the intended destination and confirm they reach the promised passage. A syntactically correct time value is not proof of a working player link.

Keep the transcript's version, language and media association visible in the production record. Make corrections in the authoritative source and regenerate published forms consistently. The result should let the reader understand what the text covers and how it relates to the recording, without overstating support for every playback environment.

Related reading

• Subtitles, captions and readable text
• How streaming delivery and playback controls fit together

Questions answered

Sources & further reading

Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.

• https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/transcripts/