ACB Pushes FCC on TV AD Listings

At the July 2018 ACB Conference, the membership voted on 23 proposed Resolutions, one of which was entitled TV Listings.  The resolution urged the FCC to "to exercise all appropriate authority to require the broadcast and non-broadcast networks to establish and/or join an automated digital listing of all available audio-described programming; and ... monitor such listings on an ongoing basis for quality assurance ..."  (Posted Aug 14)

Tactile Comic Strips

The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA, recently contracted the LightHouse MAD Lab to create a tactile version of one of the original Peanuts comic strips.  While the work can be viewed on request at any time, there will be a special Accessible Tour Day on September 23 at 11:30am which emphasizes tactile objects.  For information, contact monica@schulzmuseum.org.  If you are a museum looking for tactile displays, please contact the MAD Lab.  (Posted Aug 14)

Gaming Video Audio Described

Many people who are visually impaired also like to participate in video games.  While we have no experience with or knowledge of accessible games, we found this video of "Fortnite" very interesting because the owner audio describes what he is doing in the portions of the game he shows.  Very interesting and worth a look!  Fortnite Video.  (Posted Aug 14)

Next Audio Describer Training Class

The next opportunity to be trained as an audio describer will come on October 18th in western North Carolina with an all-inclusive price for transportation from the airport and lakeside accommodations.  Visit the Audio Description Training Retreats website for details.  (Posted Aug 7)

Mandated TV AD Changes July 1

A May 2018 FCC Order and Public Notice changed the FCC mandate for which TV networks are required to provide audio description effective July 1.  The Order drops the Disney Channel and TNT and replaces them with HGTV and Discovery.  In addition, networks will now be required to provide a larger number of hours of described TV (87.5 per quarter), with limited "credit" for repeats.  Both HGTV and Discovery have now published a schedule of described programming, and their shows have also been added to our Master AD List.  (Updated August 7)

2018 ADP Conference

What a wonderful ADP Conference we had in St. Louis!  We had great panels and individual speakers, highlighted by our luncheon speaker, actress Marilee Talkington, who fascinated us with her story of the difficulty of becoming a recognized actress with a disability.  (She is one of only four visually impaired actors/actresses.)  Her performance in the 350th episode of NCIS was played one evening, along with the movie "Dealt," the story of Richard Turner, a master "card manipulator" (magician) who hated being introduced as blind. 

We invite you to visit our 2018 Conference Page, where you will find a slideshow plus pointers to handouts.  We hope to add audio files soon.  See also 2018 ADP Achievement Awards.  (Updated July 4)

Feature Your Organization Here

What do YOU do for audio description?  Do you provide services professionally?  Are you a non-profit which has been providing description for local theaters for years?  An independent?  A theatre or museum which provides description?  We'd like to hear from you.  Send us a write-up about your work, and we'll consider it for publication here!  Use the Webmaster link at the bottom of the page.