Consumer Guide for Video Description Services

June 22, 2012 –The FCC has issued a Consumer Guide outlining the rules “adopted to implement the video description provisions of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA),” which will become effective July 1, 2012.  The guide highlights that at least fifty hours of video-described prime time and/or children’s programming is required for the following networks:

• Local TV station affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in select TV markets
• Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, TBS, TNT and USA
• Subscription TV systems with over 50,000 subscribers

The guide also describes how consumers can access video description on their televisions as well as the complaint process for individuals who feel programming distributors have violated the FCC video description rules. [Source: FCC]