FCC Shouldn't Delay Expanding Video Description, Say Consumer Groups
The FCC shouldn’t delay proposed compliance deadlines for expanding video description requirements to the top 100 designated market areas, said the American Council of the Blind in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 11-43. NAB pushed for a delay, in…
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part because of COVID-19 (see 2006230056). The FCC’s initial tentative conclusion that the cost of implementing audio description regulations for DMAs 61-100 was justified was unchallenged during initial comments on the NPRM, ACB said. “Compliance with these requirements should not be technically difficult or economically burdensome.” The FCC has mechanisms for broadcasters to ask for exemptions due to economic burdens, and those should be used instead of a blanket delay, ACB said. “There are so many small details that get left out when audio description isn’t available, often leaving blind viewers with a different perception of the show or film than their sighted peers,” said Access to Independence. “Making audio description more widely available is an excellent step toward creating a universally designed media experience.”