Bitstream's typeface professionals selected the Tiresias Screenfont from the RNIB and six designs from the Bitstream library to provide a comprehensive collection of fonts for closed captioning on TV screens, including all the required and optional characters in the EIA-708-B specification. Any developer can license the CCTV Font Set.

The CCTV Font Set supports the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements for closed captioning display on digital and analog TVs, including all the required and optional characters in the EIA-708-B specification. Bitstream carefully selected the fonts to be very readable on the TV screen and implemented all the FCC-required styles.

The CCTV Font Set includes the Tiresias Screenfont, developed specifically for closed captioning by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). The Tiresias Screenfont is the standard font endorsed by the DTG (Digital Terrestrial Group) and by the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) organization for the MHP (Multimedia Home Platform).

Closed captioning involves displaying the "audio" portion of a TV broadcast as text, which is superimposed over the video portion. Most importantly, it allows viewers who are hearing impaired to access TV broadcasts. To display closed-captioned text, the viewers must have a set-top box decoder or a TV receiver that includes this decoding capability. The FCC has updated its closed captioning requirements for digital TVs. As of July 1, 2002, manufacturers must include FCC-mandated decoder circuitry for closed captioning in their digital TV devices.

Tiresias Screenfont
FCC Font Style: Proportionally spaced without serifs

Letter Gothic 12 Pitch
FCC Font Style: Monospaced without serifs

Oranda
FCC Font Style: Proportionally spaced with serifs

Courier 10 Pitch
FCC Font Style: Monospaced with serifs

Mister Earl Light
FCC Font Style: Casual font type

Kaufmann
FCC Font Style: Cursive font type

Copperplate Gothic Bold Condensed
FCC Font Style: Small capitals