Case Study: Enhancing Accessibility and Engagement at NRB 2025 with Automated ASR & AMT Solutions

At the four-day International Christian Media Convention in Grapevine, Texas, Aberdeen Broadcast Services revolutionized accessibility by delivering real-time Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and Automated Machine Translation (AMT) solutions. Through AI-powered captions, subtitles, and voice dubs, we ensured that all sessions, workshops, and events were accessible to a diverse audience, including Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) attendees, international guests, and non-English speakers.

This case study highlights the technical execution, engagement analytics, and impact of our AI-driven accessibility services, demonstrating how these innovations enhance inclusivity while setting new standards for multilingual communication in the religious broadcasting industry.

Client Overview: NRB (National Religious Broadcasters)

NRB unites content creators, broadcasters, and media professionals in faith-based media. The annual convention serves as a key platform for industry innovation and networking, drawing thousands of attendees from across the globe.

Aberdeen Broadcast Services has been a proud NRB member since 2001, and we’ve exhibited annually in the convention’s Exhibit Hall—supporting Christian media leaders with broadcast-quality captioning, translation, and broadcast transcoding and station delivery solutions year after year.

For more detailed information about NRB's mission, history, and upcoming events, you can visit their official website at https://nrb.org/.

Background & Project Objectives

Aberdeen Broadcast Services collaborated with the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) team to deploy automated captions and multilingual translations across all event venues.

The initiative aimed to:

• Enhance Accessibility – Ensure deaf & hard of hearing (D/HH) and multilingual attendees can fully engage with live content through captions and translated voice dubs.
• Expand Reach – Enable non-English speakers and international attendees to participate via real-time, high-accuracy ASR and AMT services.
• Seamless Integration – Deploy AI-powered solutions that integrate smoothly with the event’s media and AV infrastructure.
• Showcase Innovation – Demonstrate how AI-driven translation transforms live event accessibility.

Implementation Strategy

Aberdeen worked closely with NRB’s event tech and media teams to implement AI-powered captions and voice translations across conference rooms, exhibit halls, and keynote sessions.

Pre-Event Planning

To ensure a smooth deployment, Aberdeen conducted detailed pre-event coordination with NRB’s technical teams. These planning sessions covered AV compatibility, network readiness, and session logistics, laying the groundwork for a seamless on-site setup.

In parallel, Aberdeen’s AI models were fine-tuned specifically for NRB’s audience—incorporating religious broadcasting terminology, varied speaker accents, and unique session formats. This customization helped boost initial accuracy and reduced the need for on-the-fly corrections once the event was live.

On-Site Execution

Delivering real-time captions and multilingual voice dubs across dozens of live events requires more than great technology; it demands strategic integration, on-the-ground expertise, and proactive user engagement. At NRB 2025, Aberdeen’s team worked room by room to implement a reliable, low-latency system that ensured seamless delivery throughout the four-day event.

From technical setup to attendee onboarding, every detail was planned and executed to provide a smooth, accessible experience for all.

Here's how it came together on-site:

Technical Setup & System Integration

Aberdeen deployed a robust, multi-room workflow to ensure the reliable delivery of real-time captions and multilingual voice dubs throughout NRB 2025. Designed for low-latency audio capture and seamless cloud-based processing, the system was supported by a team of on-site technicians assigned to each room.

Technicians monitored session quality, managed live connections, and handled any real-time troubleshooting, ensuring maximum system uptime and translation accuracy across the event.

Audio feeds from each venue’s sound console were routed into video encoders and transmitted via dedicated Ethernet connections to Aberdeen’s ASR cloud servers. Simultaneously, technicians used laptops at each event to monitor session loads and dynamically add languages on the fly based on audience needs.

AV & Network Inputs from Each Room

• Sound Console (with audio out to connect to Aberdeen’s encoder)
• 5 Mbps+ Ethernet Connection (dedicated per room)

Aberdeen’s On-Site Equipment

• Network Switch
• Cat6 Patch Cables (x2): One to connect the encoder to the network and one to connect the technician’s controller laptop
• Video Encoder – Captured and streamed audio to ASR servers
• Aberdeen Laptop (Controller) – Carried by the technician for on-the-fly control and session monitoring
• Backup Audio Cable – Ensured compatibility with varying soundboard configurations

Here's a visual look at the setup:

Event Awareness & User Guidance

Complimentary Earbuds – Upon request, we provided headphones for attendees who wished to listen to the voice dubs.

Engagement Performance (Totals)

The NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) Convention welcomed more than 5,800 Christian media professionals—including 345 international attendees representing 52 countries outside the United States.

The following statistics reflect actual show usage, based on attendees who actively engaged with Aberdeen’s accessibility tools during sessions and events.

It’s important to note that every unique view was automatically recorded as a view of the English captions since English was the default language. Users then had the option to select a translated subtitle or voice dub, meaning the counts for translated languages reflect intentional user selection beyond the initial caption display.

NOTE: The following head counts reflect individual event attendance, not unique people. Many attendees participated in multiple sessions and events, so individuals may be counted more than once.

• Over 6,000 seats were filled across four days of sessions, panels, workshops, and keynotes—showcasing the scale and momentum of NRB 2025.
• 663 attendees actively used Aberdeen’s accessibility tools, representing slightly over 1 in 10 participants who engaged with real-time captions, translated subtitles, or AI-generated voice dubs.
• Of those who engaged with the service, nearly 42% chose to listen to translated voice dubs, while just under 10% accessed content through on-screen subtitles—highlighting a clear preference for audio over text-based translation.

Day-By-Day Trends

Room-By-Room Performance

Notable Event Highlights

• Tuesday marked the highest engagement day for both attendance and unique views.
• Subtitle usage rose significantly midweek, peaking on Wednesday and Thursday.
• Longhorn Workshop Stage had the most consistent adoption, with over 16% of attendees engaging daily.
• Grapevine Ballroom C hosted the two-day Latino Media Summit, which drew 182 attendees and recorded the highest subtitle usage of the week, with 31.32% engaging with the accessibility service.
• Podcasting & Video Workshops (Longhorn Workshop Stage): 1,431 combined headcounts, 232 unique views, and highest per-capita voice dub usage of the week.

Challenges & Mitigation

Conclusion & Future Strategies

Aberdeen’s AI-powered ASR & AMT deployment at NRB 2025 demonstrated strong engagement and adoption, especially in high-traffic venues. While initial awareness posed a challenge, the usage numbers and feedback show clear potential for continued growth.

Future Improvements

• Enhanced Pre-Event Marketing – Increase awareness and user adoption through targeted event promotions.
• Survey Language Preferences During Registration – Gather attendee language preferences ahead of time to personalize content delivery and better anticipate demand for specific translations.
• Expanded Language Support – Introduce additional languages to serve a broader audience.

This project set a new benchmark for AI-driven accessibility in religious broadcasting and live events. Aberdeen looks forward to refining these solutions and expanding their impact at future industry gatherings.

Ready to Make Your Next Event Accessible to All?

Whether you're planning a conference, live broadcast, or global webcast, Aberdeen’s AI-powered captioning and translation solutions can help you engage a broader, more inclusive audience.

Let’s talk about how we can support your next event. Contact us to learn more.