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.
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FCC Consumer Advisory Video Descriptions and the Digital Television Transition
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.
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Melanie Brunson, executive director of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), testified on July 30 before the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology. "It is the position of the ACB," Brunson stated, "that there is a severe need for tactilely identifiable paper currency here in the United States."
Brunson testified that "ACB's mission is to increase the independence, equality of opportunity, and quality of life for all blind and visually impaired Americans. We believe that one way to increase independence, enhance opportunity, and improve the quality of life for blind Americans is to ensure that they can identify the denominations of their own bank notes without the assistance of someone who is sighted. Since the exchange of bank notes is a key component of so many transactions engaged in by our society today, we believe that the recognition that people who have visual impairments should be able to conduct their part of such exchanges independently is imperative."
If blind people could identify paper currency quickly and independently, it would substantially increase the number of jobs available to them. Thus, it would have the potential of reducing the high unemployment rate among the blind.
As stated by Brunson in her testimony before the Congressional subcommittee: "Over 180 countries around the world have found ways to incorporate tactile features into their bank notes which enable blind and visually impaired people to distinguish notes of one denomination from another. They have also taken steps to enhance visual distinctions between denominations. The specific tactile features used vary from country to country and it is not our intention to express a preference for any particular type of tactile feature. However, we do wish to make it clear to this committee that we believe it is both imminently possible and absolutely essential that this country, which has led the rest of the world through a myriad of technological, scientific and economic innovations for so long, now join the rest of the world in making it possible for blind and visually impaired people to engage in financial transactions with dignity and independence."
Currently, most blind individuals are forced to rely on others to tell them the denomination of their paper currency. There are a few expensive, electronic paper-money-reading devices, but they are relatively slow, prone to not being able to read the currency if it is old or folded, and they cannot be heard in noisy areas.
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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.
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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
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Over the past few days there has been quite a bit of discussion regarding co-sponsorship of various legislative initiatives that ACB is actively pursuing. The links below will provide you with the list of co-sponsors for H.R. 6320, Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008, and H.R. 5734, Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008.
August is an excellent month to call your member to thank him or her for their co-sponsorship of either of these bills or schedule time to meet with them to seek their tangible support as they are back in the district for the entire month to campaign.
H.R. 6320
9 co-sponsors
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR06320:@@@P
H.R. 5734
57 co-sponsors
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR05734:@@@P
I encourage you to let me know how these meetings went. If you need any further assistance, contact me.