I think part of this is the relatively new diversity of media. People are getting used to subtitles because of foreign languages, and like being able to make out every word. Likewise for shows that have very thick accents; there are a few accents that become utterly undecipherable to me if they're thick enough, especially with the crap speakers built into TV's.
Once I got used to having them on for stuff I needed them for, I tend to leave them on unless I'm watching carefully and it bugs me that they block part of the screen.
Once I got used to having them on for stuff I needed them for, I tend to leave them on unless I'm watching carefully and it bugs me that they block part of the screen.