FCC Expanding Audio Description Requirements to 40 More TV Markets
By Alice Gillin
Published November 23, 2020
Audio description is an important aspect of video accessibility, particularly for shows and programs that rely heavily on visual cues and stimulation. Audio descriptions provide voice-over narration of what is happening on-screen, including what the characters are physically doing, like important movements and body language, as well as other visual clues, such as graphics or text on-screen. Recently, the FCC expanded the accessibility of audio descriptions by requiring more than 40 broadcasting markets to implement audio descriptions in their programming within the next four years, contributing to the evolution of accessibility in broadcasting.
As technology is advancing, so is the accessibility of technology to people with disabilities that impact their ability to enjoy media independently, in many cases. Audio descriptions not only benefit those that are blind or have vision disabilities, but can offer easier accessibility to people with sensory or cognitive impairments, people attempting to learn a new language, and even people who may [...]