ABSTRACT
With the advent of digital technology, the use of text-on-screen has become ubiquitous. In this chapter, I will provide an overview of creative text usage on screens in diverse media across cultures. This includes telop (same-language creative pop-up captions, widely used in East Asia), dynamically positioned subtitles (common in TV and film worldwide), and other innovative text-on-screen forms like user-generated content on social media, such as danmaku. I will explore the historical development of text-on-screen, its various types, primary purposes, and reception worldwide. In addition, I will share findings from my exploratory observational study of Japanese TV programmes. In doing so, this chapter will identify the research boundary and establish the context for this study.
