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Video Description Bill Becomes Law

On October 8, The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act was signed into law by President Obama. This law, which takes effect next year, grants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to mandate the use of video description for the top four broadcast networks and top five cable networks in the most populated markets in the United States. These numbers will increase throughout the next decade until the FCC is able to expand video description to 10 new markets annually in order to achieve 100% coverage throughout the country.

A Long Time Coming

Advocates video description have waited a great deal of time for this decision. In 1998 Congress required that all film, video, multimedia and information technology, produced or procured by Federal agencies, must include video description. In 2000 the FCC implemented rules requiring major broadcast networks and cable companies in the top 25 television markets to provide 50 hours of video description per quarter within two years. However, in 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia reversed that ruling, finding that the FCC had acted beyond the scope of its authority. In 2003 and 2005 bills were introduced to update the FCC’s authority to adopt video description rules. These bills did not pass.

For the next eight years proponents of accessible media lobbied long and hard to promote video description and educate law makers as to its importance. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) — which had commissioned comprehensive studies regarding the use of video description — utilized it’s Public Policy Center in Washington to track and influence statutes regarding video description. The Audio Description Coalition, an organization consisting of trained describers, administrators and description users, met in Washington to produce a document entitled Standards for Audio Description and Code of Professional Conduct for Describers. Also, in 2009, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) established its Audio Description Project designed to increase description and disseminate ‘best practices’ information concerning it.

Acclaim For the New Law

The new law will make it easier for people who are blind or live with a visual impairment to do what many of us take for granted," President Obama said at the signing. "It sets new standards so that Americans with disabilities can take advantage of technology.” Long-time supporters of video description were ecstatic. Eric Bridges of the American Council of the Blind said, "Really for the first time blind and vision-impaired Americans will have equal access to enjoy primetime television programming. We're not going to have to rely upon others to understand what’s going on during nonverbal parts of shows," He went on to say that the new law would benefit between 25 million and 30 million Americans who are blind or visually impaired… Paul Schroeder, Vice president of The American Foundation for the Blind’s Programs and Policy Group, described the law as "life changing." "As a person who is blind, it will bring some of the new technologies that are changing the workplace, education and leisure into my hands," he said. Bridge Multimedia, a New York City based audio production company, which has worked with AFB on a number of video description projects, was quick to applaud the new mandate. CEO, Matt Kaplowitz said, "Video description will help level the playing field for numerous groups of people. The elderly, those with visual impairments, people with reading and learning disabilities, folks learning English as a second language…they all stand to gain through the video description that will be provided by this new law."

The Future of Video Description

One association that is actively involved in charting the future of video description is COAT — The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology. Founded by organizations which include the National Association of the Deaf, the American Association of People with Disabilities, and the American Foundation for the Blind, COAT strives to make sure that legislative and regulatory safeguards are in place so people with disabilities have equal access to communication technologies. On December 7, 2010, eleven COAT affiliate representatives were appointed to the new FCC Video Programming and Emergency Access Advisory Committee which will develop recommendations concerning video description and accessible emergency information on television programming.

Organizations involved in the production and promotion of accessible media, eye the future of video description with enthusiasm. Matt Kaplowitz said, "We've all waited a long time for this. But it's not the end of the story…it's just the beginning! Now comes the hard work of making certain that the art and science of video description continues to develop throughout the years to come."

Watch President Obama sign the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act into law