Movie subtitles are a must for the elderly, the hard of hearing, and those for whom English is a second language. They're a universal part of Blu-ray and DVD releases but rarer in video streaming. Netflix aims to fill that need by expanding the use of subtitles in the majority of its online offerings.

Specifically, Netflix aims to have subtitles in 80 percent of its streaming programming by the end of 2011, up from 30 percent now.

The news came in a blog written by Netflix executive Neil Hunt Subtitle-capable Netflix hardware currently includes Wii, PS3, Google TV, and Boxee devices. Those yet to be introduced will offer subtitles. Though Blu-ray and DVD players do of course support subtitles, their streaming functions don't always do so.

See Netflix blog and Yahoo News.