Fansubbing: Latest Trends and Future Prospects

Professional vs Non-professional Translation of Korean TV Dramas

“…Firstly, because they typically work directly from the audio, rather than receiving a transcript to work from as many professionals might (Wang, 2014). Secondly, fansubs may be more likely to include more errors because fansubbers also experience a more intense time pressure than professional translators (Wang, 2014;Massidda, 2020). One of the main motivations for fansubbing is to get access to content faster than would have traditionally been available and pressure from waiting fans might cause translators to rush (Bold, 2011;Ito, 2017).…”

“…Different countries have different copyright laws so the legal status of fansubbing at the global scale is very complex, although the activity is often illegal (Díaz-Cintas & Muñoz Sánchez, 2006). But despite the dubious legality of fansubbing, at first many anime copyright holders allowed the illegal free distribution of fansubbed works as it benefitted them by building a larger fanbase (Díaz-Cintas & Muñoz Sánchez, 2006;O'Hagan, 2009;Massidda, 2020). Fansub groups often self-regulated by self-imposed ethical guidelines that demand that the free distribution over the Internet of a particular show should stop once it has been licensed for commercial distribution (Díaz-Cintas & Muñoz Sánchez, 2006;O'Hagan, 2009).…”

“…However, after demand for anime grew and fansubbing was no longer needed to promote anime to expand the market, anime copyright holders were no longer happy with fansubbing (Díaz-Cintas & Muñoz Sánchez, 2006). Consequently, over the last few years there have been an increasing number of campaigns fighting against online piracy all over the world (Massidda, 2020). Due to this increase in action taken against fansubbing, Massidda (2020) predicts that in the future this action will eventually stamp it out.…”

“…Consequently, over the last few years there have been an increasing number of campaigns fighting against online piracy all over the world (Massidda, 2020). Due to this increase in action taken against fansubbing, Massidda (2020) predicts that in the future this action will eventually stamp it out. However, Viki provides a solution to this problem by providing a legal space for the activity, so it may be just as valid to predict that fansubbers will find legal ways they can continue to carry out the activity.…”

Broadcast Stand-up Comedy and Its Translation

“…With the rise of new platforms for media consumption, aided by new digital technologies, wider audiences and a growing demand for translated materials, new audiovisual transfer modes have surfaced and with them the field of AVT "has grown exponentially, parallel to the production, consumption, interaction with and general interest in audiovisual products" [Chaume 2018: 41]. Following the mass-production and masstranslation of audiovisuals on streaming services (OTT) such as Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu, the field of translation studies started addressing changes both in the professional and amateur ecosystem [Massidda 2020], the translation strategies employed [Pedersen 2018], and the translation of texts evolving with the mediascape, which is addressed in this study.…”