Late last evening the FCC released a consumer advisory pertaining to video description for digital television. This document is pasted below this message.
This advisory, while not complete in its education of the blind consumer regarding video description housed on digital TV, does signal to the blindness community that the FCC realizes there are still issues concerning our ability to locate description on digital TV.
This is the first advisory regarding description since its mandate was overturned in 2002. Furthermore, this document references two converter boxes that have been tested by WGBH in Boston that will provide pass-through for video description. Both of these boxes are certified for sale under the Coupon Converter Box Program that is run by the federal government.
This advisory is only the first step in the FCC's acknowledgement of our intense desire to have video description accessible for the blindness community. A representative from the FCC will be speaking at the Legislative Seminar on July 6. I encourage you to come and voice your thoughts on this subject. While this advisory isn't everything we would've hoped for, it does show that the FCC is listening to ACB. There is much more to be done to ensure blind and visually impaired individuals have accessible consumer electronics available to them and ACB is actively fighting for this right.
IF YOU CURRENTLY USE AVAILABLE VIDEO DESCRIPTIONS TO ACCESS TELEVISION PROGRAMMING, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING THE DIGITAL TELEVISION (DTV) TRANSITION:
* After February 17, 2009, all full-power broadcast television stations will broadcast only in digital format.
* The DTV transition will provide broadcasters with a greater number of audio channels with which they may provide voluntary video description.
* Digital-to-analog converter boxes are not required to process all associated audio services broadcast by a DTV station, so consumers should check with manufacturers and retailers to learn more about whether specific digital-to-analog converter boxes are able to provide video descriptions.
* Although televisions with digital tuners should be able to process the audio services associated with DTV signals, consumers should confirm that a particular digital television includes this feature by checking with the appropriate manufacturer or retailer.
* If purchasing a digital television or digital-to-analog converter box, consumers should ask the manufacturer or retailer how audio streams are accessed, and whether the remote control and on-screen menus are accessible to individuals with vision disabilities.
* Consumers using multi-channel video services (e.g., cable or satellite) should ask their service provider for additional information about the availability of video description. To the extent that such providers receive programming with video description, those video descriptions should be delivered to the consumer.
Next Thursday afternoon, July 24, the Senate Committee on Appropriations is scheduled to mark up the legislative branch appropriations funding package. As many of you are aware, this bill contains funding for the NLS Digital Talking Book Program. In the lead-up to this hearing, it is critical that you call members of the Appropriations Committee to urge for the same level of funding that was recommended by the House Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
The $34.5 million in funding that was recommended by the House panel is remarkable, as it exceeds the NLS requested funding level by $22 million. Below is a link to the Appropriations Committee membership list and the number to the Capitol switchboard.
Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
http://appropriations.senate.gov/members.cfm
On Friday, June 27, the Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held its quarterly meeting. This was the first meeting that ACB participated in as a voting member of the committee. Prior to becoming a member of the committee, ACB actively participated in the Disability Access Working Group, which handles access issues pertaining to digital television and broadcast programming. Over the past nine months, ACB has worked diligently to bring emergency information to the forefront of the committee's list of critical issues to consider. I am very pleased to report that the working group's proposed resolution, a draft of which is pasted below (in the next message box), was adopted by the full committee during this meeting. This resolution will now be sent to the Commissioners and Chairman Martin for further consideration. As the new co-chair of the Disability Access Working Group, I will be participating in meetings with FCC commissioners and eventually Chairman Martin later this year regarding emergency information access.
I. FCC Action on Access to Televised Emergency Programming by People who are Blind or Have Low Vision.
A. The Problem
Currently, FCC rules (47 CFR Part 79.2) on emergency programming only require an audio tone that alerts blind people of the need to access emergency information when emergency text is provided on televised programming. Once the tone is heard, it is expected that such individuals will then turn to a second source (e.g., a radio) to obtain additional information about the emergency. This is not considered an effective means of providing emergency information to people who cannot see television.
B. Request for CAC Action
The Disability Access Working Group requests that the Consumer Advisory Committee adopt the following:
The Consumer Advisory Committee respectfully requests that the FCC take action to ensure that individuals who are blind or have low vision have access to televised emergency programming. To accomplish this, the FCC needs to identify methods to make such on-screen-displayed text - which includes written or other non-verbal information (whether scrolled or displayed as characters or images) that appears on a television screen - accessible to this population. Such text should include information provided:
* during regular programming when such information is provided to afford viewers with warnings of and instructions on how to respond to emergency or hazardous conditions;
* during local and national news bulletins; and
* during the broadcasting of any other information the Commission deems appropriate.
Respectfully submitted,
Members of the Disability Access Working Group