What is Video Description?
In our society, individuals rely primarily on television as a means of not only entertainment, but also as a way of obtaining crucial news, weather and current event information. The ability for individuals who are blind and visually impaired to access information through TV is enhanced by a specialized feature known as video description. Equivalent to closed captioning for the deaf, video description is audio narration which describes the visual elements in a broadcast. Video description can make it possible for a person who is blind or visually impaired to know what emergency warning information is being scrolled across the bottom of the screen as well as when scenes change in television shows.
Senate Bill 2686
Senate Bill 2686, the Senate Communications Act of 2006, was introduced to the Senate May1st by Senator Ted Stevens. A comprehensive communications bill, S. 2686 covers a wide array of issues and services, but what is of specific interest is the incorporation of the Senate video description bill (S. 900) into this larger bill. S. 2686 is now perhaps the best opportunity for the video description provisions to eventually pass into law.
Latest News
This bill is now at a critical point. It will require at least 60 senators willing to support the bill to get S. 2686 to the Senate floor. At this point in time, approximately 50 senators have privately spoken in support of the bill. Other supporters can be seen at: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=About.CommunicationsBill
Action to Be Taken
Most Senators have returned to their home states for their Summer District Work Period. We urge you to call, fax or even visit your senator and ask him/her to support video description, and the other disability provisions in S. 2686. Now is the time to contact them at home and let them know how important this is!
• If you have a loved one in your life, particularly an elderly person who has a vision problem and who can’t follow the action or see scrolling text messages on their TV screens – call your senators and urge them to support S. 2686 and bring it to the floor for a vote.
• If you are a parent, educator, and/or child advocate who feels that children with visual impairments and learning disabilities should have equal access to educational and entertainment programming that is available in classrooms and at home – call your senators and urge them to support S. 2686 and bring it to the floor for a vote.
• If you are a person who is concerned about the ability of people with disabilities to access safety, weather and emergency information in your community – call your senators and urge them to support S. 2686 and bring it to the floor for a vote.
Congress must reinstate the video description mandate so that all citizens can access vital cultural, educational and emergency information available through television programming. Together we can do it! And we must remember that it is imperative that we not only contact our Senators to support S. 2686, but that we KEEP contacting him or her until the bill is brought to the floor of the Senate. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now or never.
For more information, call the American Council of the Blind at 1-800-424-8666 or email us at info@acb.org.
Day Al-Mohamed
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St. NW
Washington DC 20005
Tel. 202-467-5081
dalmohamed@acb.org