NEW YORK—Even though a majority of people now watch TV with the captions turned on, a new study found that just 10% of global TV ads include accessibility features such as closed captions or audio descriptions.

As a result, most TV ads remain inaccessible, indicating that brands are losing reach and excluding audiences with disabilities, who represent $8 trillion in spending power, according to the new “2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report” from XR.

The study also stressed that the problem extends beyond audiences with disabilities because watching TV with captions is becoming a mainstream trend. Recent studies show that over 50% of adults, and more than 75% of millennials and Gen Z, regularly have closed captioning enabled, even when content is in their native language, XR reported. Research indicates that adding captions improves ad performance, contributing to an 8% lift in recall and an 18% increase in brand linkage, XR said.

“Our report reveals a significant gap between viewer preferences and execution—but the brands, broadcasters and publishers that close it will gain an edge in reach, loyalty and performance across every channel, from linear to CTV,” John Batter, CEO at XR, said. “Millions of impressions are lost when people can’t understand video content. Accessible advertising ensures every impression can connect, whether audiences have disabilities, are watching in public or simply prefer to keep captioning turned on."

Commending on the findings, Paul Gallagher, global brand accessibility leader at Procter & Gamble, added that “at P&G, we know that superior reach and communication lead to a superior shopping and product usage experience. That is why, together with the industry, we work with partners like XR who champion accessibility standards and help expand reach. We’re working to make sure everyone can access our ads, so we can better reach all our consumers.”

Now in its second year, the global report evaluates market maturity of accessible TV advertising across three core dimensions—brand adoption, broadcaster enablement and market-level enablers such as regulation and policy guidance. Key findings included:

• Accessible advertising can expand reach: Only 9% of TV ads in 2024 included closed captions, and just 1% included audio description — despite over 1.3 billion people globally living with a disability and a significant portion of viewers often watching with captions.
• Brand adoption lags behind broadcaster readiness: While broadcaster readiness ranges from 30–100%, brand adoption of accessibility features still lags below 30% in most markets—revealing a clear gap between platform capability and brand usage.
• CTV ads are still far behind: Adoption of accessibility features on connected TV remains negligible, with less than 1% of streaming ads including captions or audio description.
• Audio description is still in its infancy: Only 4 markets featured in the report saw audio description adoption rise above 1% in 2024.
• Accessibility maturity remains low in most markets: The global average Accessibility Maturity Index across 15 markets featured in the report is 2.3, placing most countries in the “Emerging” or “Developing” stage.
• XR's analysis includes 650,000 creative video assets and nearly 12 million ad deliveries across over 100 countries, providing a comprehensive assessment of the state of accessibility in TV advertising.

XR has enabled closed captioning and audio description for hundreds of thousands of creative video assets, helping advertisers embed accessibility features across campaigns running on linear and streaming platforms.

The full 2025 Global Accessibility Maturity Index & Trends Report is available here.

NEW YORK—The captioning products and media accessibility services provider VITAC has announced that it is rebranding as Verbit, its parent company and a leading verbal intelligence platform.

Established in 1986, VITAC has been an important part of the Verbit family since 2021, helping broadcasters, streaming providers and content creators turn spoken audio and video into accessible and actionable text. The company reported that the rebrand represents the final step in integrating VITAC under the Verbit banner as a leader in AI-powered accessibility solutions.

“This transition to the Verbit name underscores our commitment to delivering innovative, AI-powered solutions that meet our customers’ growing demands in media and beyond,” said VITAC general manager Doug Karlovits. “As Verbit, we’ll continue to provide the high-quality captioning, transcription, audio description and localization services our customers rely on while offering enhanced resources and cost-effective options.”

The company noted with the rebrand customers can expect:

• Uninterrupted service: All current and future VITAC projects will proceed as scheduled, with no impact on timelines or deliverables
• Streamlined solutions: Unifying under the Verbit brand allows for better integration of AI-driven tools, offering greater efficiency and accuracy
• Expanded capabilities: Customers will gain greater access to cutting-edge technologies, advanced resources and custom solutions tailored to their evolving needs

“This rebrand represents a pivotal milestone in our company’s journey to becoming a fully unified global leader in verbal intelligence and accessibility solutions,” said Verbit CEO Yair Amsterdam. “By combining decades of expertise with our comprehensive suite of advanced AI-driven products and solutions, Verbit is uniquely positioned to help customers make their content more actionable and inclusive.”

Serving more than 3,000 customers in the education, legal, media, corporate and government sectors, Verbit’s AI solutions are used to capture everyday exchanges, better interpret the information shared and apply these insights in daily work.

For more information about Verbit and its AI-powered accessibility solutions, visit www.verbit.ai.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The FCC has granted a petition by Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT and TBS networks for a limited waiver of the FCC’s audio description rules. In making the decision, the FCC noted that the petition was not opposed and that the networks had committed to providing a large amount of programming with audio descriptions. It also said that the American Council for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind consented to the grant of the waiver.

“Specifically, WBD requests that the Commission grant TBS and TNT, two of the top five nonbroadcast networks, a limited waiver of section 79.3(b)(4) of the Commission’s audio description rules, subject to certain conditions,” the FCC noted in its description. “Because WBD has made a commitment to provide a substantial amount of audio description on TBS and TNT, as well as on TruTV, that exceeds the current quarterly requirement, and because the unopposed Petition has the support of advocates for blind and visually impaired consumers, we grant the limited waiver for TBS and TNT.” 

In the decision, which is available here, the FCC also said that “WBD’s proposed conditions for TBS are comparable to the ones granted in the 2021 TBS Order. We also acknowledge that WBD has committed to providing additional audio described programming on its affiliate network, TruTV. Specifically, TruTV will audio describe all newly produced, non-live programming aired between 6:00 a.m. and midnight ET within three business days of receipt for scripted programming, and within seven business days of receipt for non-scripted programming.   Regarding TNT, WBD’s proposal of 2,500 hours per calendar year of audio described programming without regard to the number of repeats exceeds the minimum hours required by the rules  and is `tailored to reflect the greater amount of repeat, live, and near-live programming on TNT’ as compared to TBS.   As with TruTV, TNT also will audio describe all newly produced, non-live programming aired between 6:00 a.m. and midnight ET within three business days of receipt for scripted programming, and within seven business days of receipt for non-scripted programming. Moreover, we take notice of WBD’s indication that the American Council for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind consent to the grant of the waiver.   We find that granting WBD’s Petition, with the aforementioned conditions, has the potential to expand accessible content for viewers who are blind or visually impaired.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Watching television for those with hearing-impairments will become a bit easier following adoption July 18 of a Federal Communications Commission Report & Order that gives viewers greater control over the display of closed captions.

The R&O, the third by the agency to make television more accessible to those with disabilities, puts in place a “readily accessible” requirement for the display of closed captions that makes it simpler for viewers to access the settings of many covered devices to adjust the font, size, color and other features of the captions.

Besides televisions and set top boxes, covered devices include any device manufactured or used in the United States that is designed to receive or play back video transmitted with sound.

While closed captions help all viewers in certain circumstances, such as when actors have accents, they are “vital for the 48 million Americans who are deaf and hard-of-hearing,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement released following the vote to adopt the R&O.

Noting that despite previous commission steps supporting closed captioning, many people have had difficulty finding and using them.

“Today, we correct hat by adopting updated standards for closed captioning regarding proximity, discoverability, previewability, and consistency and persistence,” she said. Manufacturers of covered devices and Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) will be responsible for complying with the rule. 

“I’m pleased that today we adopt the details necessary to make our closed captioning display rules fully effective,” said FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, in a statement. “Device manufacturers and MVPDs must ensure that closed captioning display settings are readily accessible.”

While lauding the R&O, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said accessibility requirements may need to evolve as new technologies become available to the public. “It will be our job to continue to look at the technology as it evolves to ensure that accessibility continues to meet the statutory requirement and take action if it falls short,” she said.

Stark acknowledged several groups, including the NCTA, the National Association for the Deaf, TDIforAccess, Communications Service for the Deaf, and Hearing Loss Association of America, for their effort their rapid accessibility proposal from with the agency drew for the R&O.

More information is available on the FCC website.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal has laid out its plans for making the Olympic Games Paris 2024 more accessible to more viewers than ever before with enhanced closed captioning, expanded audio description, and improved digital content accessibility.

Closed captioning, which provides text of the coverage audio for viewers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, will be available for all Olympic events airing across NBCU’s broadcast and cable networks. NBCUniversal will also provide closed captioning for all digital live streams with commentary across Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

In addition, it will be providing more audio description services – interspersing broadcast audio with skilled voices describing Olympic scenes and context – for viewers who are blind or visually impaired for the Paris Olympics than any previous Games. 

All coverage on NBC, including daytime, primetime, and late night, and the Gold Zone whip-around show on Peacock, will feature audio description provided by Descriptive Video Works. In a first for a U.S. broadcaster, audio description services for NBC coverage will be provided in stereo, enhancing the quality of sound for viewers, the company reported. 

Additionally, improved web content accessibility, including keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers, will be available on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock. Livestreams and replays which offer audio description will have English audio description as a language choice within the players on these digital platforms. To easily find all events with audio description, click here.

“We’re excited to provide all viewers with more accessibility to our Olympics coverage than ever before,” said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics. “With the goal of enabling all viewers to enjoy the unprecedented excitement of the Olympic Games in Paris, we’re proud to provide closed captioning on all live coverage and the most audio description ever.”

All of this audio description and closed captioning will be available to Comcast Xfinity customers who experience the Games on the Xfinity X1 platform, including on the live Olympic Games coverage delivered in 4K, on Xfinity Stream, and on Xfinity Flex.

“For over a decade, Comcast NBCUniversal has been committed to connecting people to moments that matter,” said Tom Wlodkowski, vice president of accessibility at Comcast. “NBCUniversal’s accessible coverage for this year’s Olympic Games is an important part of our mission. As a consumer of Olympics programming with audio description, I could not be more excited to share in the joy that these Paris Summer Games will bring.”

As part of a push to improve the accessibility of its content, PBS Kids has announced that it has integrated American Sign Language (ASL) interpretations into multiple series that will be available for free on PBS Kids digital streaming platforms. 

This new content builds on PBS Kids’ extensive accessibility offerings, the network reported. Working with series producers from GBH Kids, Fred Rogers Productions, along with Bridge Multimedia and The Described and Captioned Media Program, PBS Kids integrated ASL interpretations into six popular PBS Kids series, with 10 episodes for each.

The series with ASL-integrations include: “Work It Out Wombats!”, “Pinkalicious & Peterrific”, “Arthur”, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”, “Donkey Hodie”, and “Alma’s Way”. The series with the ASL interpretations went live on April 18. 

PBS Kids also reported that its efforts to improve accessibility included research into their audience and their needs. The research found that for its audience, kids aged 2-8, is learning to read, but many are not yet independent readers. For those younger deaf and hard-of hearing (HoH) kids, they can’t simply access the audio content of a story via captions, but are in need of and benefit from seeing the ASL translations.

As part of the effort, PBS Kids and Bridge Multimedia also closely studied the optimal ASL placements and integrations within programming through user testing. 

This research-based attention to detail involved the placement of the ASL interpreter on-screen, who was moved around based on proximity to the character who is actively speaking. The interpreter also wears props (i.e. glasses) to look more like the character they were interpreting, PBS Kids reported. 

In addition PBS Kids also focused on the facial features of animated characters that indicate the ASL playlist on the website. For example, an initial design for the animated Deaf and hard-of-hearing (HoH) character did not include eyebrows. Following input from expert advisors indicated that eyebrows are an important aspect of facial communication that Deaf and HoH people rely on, the characters were redesigned. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As part of its tentative agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting, Federal Communications Commission has announced that it will vote on a proposal to increase the accessibility of the Emergency Alert System by making it easier for TV, radio and other outlets to send multilingual emergency alerts.

At the Feb. 15 meeting, the FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to simplify the process for alert originators to send multilingual emergency alerts over television and radio. (PS Docket No. 15-94).

The FCC said this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks to remove technical and logistical barriers associated with the translation of EAS alerts by creating templates or pre-scripted alert messages that have been pre-translated into non-English languages and prerecorded audio files. These messages can then be initiated by alert originators for distribution to the public by the TV and radio broadcasters, cable service providers, and other “EAS Participant” services that make up the EAS public alert distribution system.

The FCC said that its proposals aim to: 

• Make it much easier to issue multilingual EAS alerts by creating template alert scripts that would be pre-translated into the 13 most commonly spoken non- English languages in the United States (based on U.S. Census data) – Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Korean, Russian, Haitian Creole, German, Hindi, Portuguese, and Italian – as well as in English. These pre-translated template-based scripts and audio files would be produced by the Commission, and would be pre-installed in the EAS equipment operated by EAS Participants.
• Seek comment on the feasibility of developing and implementing American Sign Language (ASL) versions of the template alerts, including how ASL translations of the template script would be processed and displayed.
• Establish a process through which alert originators can initiate template alerts, which EAS Participants that participate in state and local EAS alerting would be required to transmit on their channel(s) in the template language that corresponds to the programming content of such channel(s). The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking also seeks comment on whether to require EAS Participants to issue the template alert only in the language that corresponds to the programming content of their channel(s), or whether they should also be able to include additional languages.

 The FCC said that other items for the Feb. 15th meeting include:  

• Empowering Consumers to Block Robocalls and Robotexts – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to strengthen consumers’ ability to revoke consent so that it is simple and easy, codify previously adopted protections that make it simpler for consumers to revoke consent, and require that callers and texters implement requests in a timely manner.  The item also proposes and seeks comment on clarifying that the TCPA applies to robocalls and robotexts from wireless providers to their own subscribers and for the first time proposes to give consumers the ability to revoke consent and thereby stop these communications. (CG Docket No. 02-278)
• Expanding Opportunities for Wireless Microphone Use – The Commission will consider a Report and Order to revise the Part 15 and 74 technical rules to permit recently developed, and more efficient, wireless microphone technology. (RM-11821; ET Docket No. 21-115)
• Facilitating Capabilities for In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose a framework for licensing space stations engaged in in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing—or “ISAM”—operations, which would facilitate the development of these novel space activities that support sustained economic activity in space and would advance opportunities for innovation in the new space age. (IB Docket Nos. 22-271; 22-272)

More information on the tentative agenda for the meeting is available here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission has announced that the agenda for its October Open Meeting on Thursday, October 19, 2023 will include votes on its controversial plans for net neutrality, as well as votes on new rules for wireless emergency alerts, improved video accessibility, the E-Rate program for schools and libraries, the unlicensed use of 6 GHz band and other issues. 

The meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. and will be streamed live at  www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

The FCC described the agenda items as follows:  

• Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet  (WC Docket No. 23-320). The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to reestablish the Commission’s authority over broadband Internet access service by classifying it as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act, which would allow the Commission to protect consumers by issuing straightforward, clear rules to prevent Internet service providers from engaging in practices harmful to consumers, competition, and public safety; establish a uniform, national regulatory approach rather than disparate requirements that vary state-by-state; strengthen the Commission’s ability to secure communications networks and critical infrastructure against national security threats; and enable the Commission to protect public safety during natural disasters and other emergencies. 
• Modernizing the E-Rate Program for Schools and Libraries (WC Docket No. 13-184). The Commission will consider a Declaratory Ruling that would clarify that the use of Wi-Fi on school buses is an educational purpose and the provision of such service is therefore eligible for E-Rate funding. 
• Broadband Connectivity and Maternal Health— Implementation of the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (GN Docket No. 23-309). The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry that will seek comment on its proposed plan to improve and enhance maternal health data in the Mapping Broadband Health in America platform, in order to ensure that future updates to the platform reflect input from stakeholders and other interested parties and improves the user experience. The platform was updated in June 2023 to incorporate publicly available data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity pursuant to the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act. 
• Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band (ET Docket No. 18-295); Expanding Flexible Use in Mid-Band Spectrum Between 3.7 and 24 GHz (GN Docket No. 17-183). The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that would expand unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band by permitting very low power devices to operate in two sub-bands, a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to expand very low power device operations to the remainder of the band, and a Memorandum Opinion and Order that would address a remand from a court challenge of a previous decision in the docket. 
• Connect America Fund (WC Docket No. 10-90); Connect America Fund – Alaska Plan (16-271); Universal Service Reform – Mobility Fund  (WT Docket No. 10-208); ETC Annual Reports and Certifications (WC Docket No. 14-58); Telecommunications Carriers Eligible to Receive Universal Service Support (WC Docket No. 09-197). The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on the use of high-cost program funding to continue supporting fixed and mobile services in Alaska. The accompanying Report and Order makes administrative changes to streamline high-cost program rules. 
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (PS Docket No. 15-91); Amendments to Part 11 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System (PS Docket No. 15-94). The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would improve Wireless Emergency Alerts by making WEA messages available in additional languages, including American Sign Language (ASL); supporting maps that show the location of an emergency; making it easier to conduct public-facing WEA performance and public awareness tests; and providing alert originators and members of the public with access to information about where and how WEA is available within their communities. 
• Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (MB Docket No. 11-43). The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that will enhance support for individuals who are blind or visually impaired by expanding audio description requirements to additional market areas. The Order would help ensure that a greater number of individuals who are blind or visually impaired can be connected, informed, and entertained by television programming. 

WASHINGTON D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission has issued a tentative agenda for the Thursday Oct. 19 2023 Open Meeting that includes votes on proposed Net Neutrality rules, use of the 6 GHz band, new rules for video accessibility and wireless emergency alerts. 

The Oct. 19 meeting could be impacted by the increasing likelihood of a government shutdown scheduled to take place on Oct. 1 if Congress is unable to pass new funding. The FCC’s plans for a shutdown include keeping 236 employees working to perform essential services and furloughing its remaining 1,235 full time employees. More details on the FCC’s plans for the shutdown are available here and here. 

If the meeting goes ahead as scheduled, the Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to reestablish the Commission’s authority over broadband Internet access service by classifying it as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act. 

The FCC said that would allow the Commission to protect consumers by issuing straightforward, clear rules to prevent Internet service providers from engaging in practices harmful to consumers, competition, and public safety; establish a uniform, national regulatory approach rather than disparate requirements that vary state-by-state; strengthen the Commission’s ability to secure communications networks and critical infrastructure against national security threats; and enable the Commission to protect public safety during natural disasters and other emergencies. 

The Full Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on net neutrality is available here. 

During the meeting, the FCC said it would also consider: 

• Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band - The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that would expand unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band by permitting very low power devices to operate in two sub-bands, a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to expand very low power device operations to the remainder of the band, and a Memorandum Opinion and Order that would address a remand from a court challenge of a previous decision in the docket. (ET Docket No. 18-295; GN Docket No. 17-183)
• Accessible Video Programming – The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that will enhance support for individuals who are blind or visually impaired by expanding audio description requirements to additional market areas. The Order would help ensure that a greater number of individuals who are blind or visually impaired can be connected, informed, and entertained by television programming. (MB Docket No. 11-43)
• Improving Wireless Emergency Alerts – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would improve Wireless Emergency Alerts by making WEA messages available in additional languages, including American Sign Language (ASL); supporting maps that show the location of an emergency; making it easier to conduct public-facing WEA performance and public awareness tests; and providing alert originators and members of the public with access to information about where and how WEA is available within their communities. (PS Docket Nos. 15-91, 15-94)
• School Bus Wi-Fi Declaratory Ruling – The Commission will consider a Declaratory Ruling that would clarify that the use of Wi-Fi on school buses is an educational purpose and the provision of such service is therefore eligible for E-Rate funding. (WC Docket No. 13-184)
• Broadband Connectivity and Maternal Health; Updating the Mapping Platform – The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry that will seek comment on its proposed plan to improve and enhance maternal health data in the Mapping Broadband Health in America platform, in order to ensure that future updates to the platform reflect input from stakeholders and other interested parties and improves the user experience.  The platform was updated in June 2023 to incorporate publicly available data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity pursuant to the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act. (GN Docket No. 23-309)
• Support for Alaska Connectivity – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on the use of high-cost program funding to continue supporting fixed and mobile services in Alaska.  The accompanying Report and Order makes administrative changes to streamline high-cost program rules. (WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271, WT Docket No. 10-208)

Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live.

With more than a dozen important NextGen TV developments around the show floor and in the ATSC booth at the 2023 NAB Show, it was easy to miss what might be an emerging killer app for ATSC 3.0: accessibility.

No one could be faulted for missing it, however, because recognizing this killer app took a bit of sleuthing, the ability to piece things together and a pinch of imagination—a bit like solving a jigsaw puzzle.

The first piece: an OTA- and cable TV-delivered demo in the ATSC booth by NBCUniversal, Comcast, Sinclair, Pearl TV and Dolby. The group teamed up to show the viability of delivering a NextGen TV descriptive audio track and a second language—Spanish for the demo—with superior immersive sound.

The second piece: an info tidbit from ATSC president Madeleine Noland about ongoing work to add portrait-oriented video to the NextGen TV standard.

The third piece was a demonstration by the NextGen TV Korean Alliance in the West Hall where South Korea’s Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), KBS, Aircode, EQ4aLL and LowaSIS showed a system to insert an AI-driven sign-language avatar in a portrait-oriented picture-in-picture into NextGen TV to inform viewers with hearing impairments of emergency messages.

Consider these developments in the context of some facts about the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 million people 40 years old and older have vision impairments, and 1 million are blind. That’s today. How much higher will these figures get as Baby Boomers age?

According to NIH’s National Institute of Deafness, 15% of Americans 18 years and older—some 37.5 million people—report having some level of hearing impairment. A total of 8.5% of adults 55 to 64 experience a hearing impairment; 25% age 65 to 74; and half of those 75 and older have a disabling hearing loss, it reports.

Finally, an article from the U.S. Census Bureau published in December 2022 reveals about 20% of the U.S. population—some 67.8 million people—speak a language other than English at home—up nearly 300% from 1980. The five most frequently spoken languages at home other than English are: Spanish or Spanish Creole, 41.7 million; Chinese, 3.5 million; Tagalog, 1.8 million; Vietnamese, 1.6 million; and Arabic, 1.3 million.

Taken together with NextGen TV developments, it’s not unreasonable to envision a future in which millions of new and currently underserved television viewers are drawn to broadcast television, either to watch news, sports and entertainment with AI-driven, sign-language “speaking” avatars, or to listen to descriptive audio of on-screen action or second, third or beyond high-quality audio tracks in their native tongues–perhaps translated and spoken by AI algorithms in the cloud or on-prem at minimal expense.

What would attracting millions of new viewers to television do to rate cards and ad revenue? What would it do to demonstrate a deeper commitment to serving the public interest at license renewal? 

Does ATSC stand for Accessible Television Systems Commitment? No. But for broadcasters, it most certainly could—and should. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The FCC has agreed in part to delay the implementation of a requirement that television broadcasters aurally describe visual but non-textual emergency information, such as maps or other graphic displays.

The current waiver had been scheduled to expire on May 26, 2023. The new ruling extends the waiver for an additional 18 month period ending November 26, 2024. 

In granting the extension of the waiver, the FCC’s Media Bureau noted that: “It is undisputed that the broadcast industry still has not been able to identify an automated technical solution to ensure timely, accurate, and reliable descriptions of images and dynamic video conveying visual emergency information over existing broadcast systems. While [the American Council of the Blind] ACB and [the American Foundation for the Blind] AFB question whether the broadcast industry has made a good faith effort to achieve the accessible emergency information requirements,  according to NAB, it has engaged with stakeholders both inside and outside the broadcast industry over the course of the current five-year waiver period in an effort to find a viable technical solution for automated creation and delivery of aural descriptions for visual non-textual emergency information.”

Congress, through the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), directed the FCC to identify methods to convey emergency information in a manner accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The FCC adopted its first rules on the issue in 2013 with a compliance deadline of 2015 but compliance was delayed by waivers until May 26, 2023, when the FCC granted another extension to the waiver. 

After receiving comments from the NAB, SBE, ACB, AFB and others, the FCC ruled that “We decline at this time to require that broadcasters implement an interim manual solution at this time, as suggested by ACB and AFB. As discussed above, NAB alleges that in most instances emergency content provided in graphic displays is duplicative of emergency information provided in textual crawls and transmitted aurally on a secondary audio programming stream.  We recognize concerns raised by commenters that mandating a manual solution could lead some broadcasters—particularly, broadcasters that serve smaller communities and may not have adequate staffing or resources—to forego the use of non-textual graphic displays altogether rather than risk a possible FCC penalty. Therefore, a requirement that broadcasters implement a manual solution could effectively result in the provision of less emergency information to the public.  Nevertheless, we strongly encourage broadcasters to provide the critical details of graphically displayed emergency information through non-automated means whenever possible during the pendency of this waiver.”

The FCC granted the waiver with, however, a number of conditions and is requiring the NAB to submit quarterly status reports to the Media Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.

The FCC ordered that these reports shall, at a minimum, include the following elements:

• "Information detailing the extent to which broadcasters need to invoke the waiver.  NAB may assess broadcasters’ continued need for the waiver, for example, by monitoring an appropriate sample size of broadcasters and determining the number or percentage of instances among this sample where a radar map or other graphic image used during the presentation of emergency information conveys critical details that are not provided in an accompanying crawl and transmitted aurally on a secondary audio programming stream. 
• Description of NAB’s outreach to the disability community and its efforts, in consultation with the disability community, to develop standards or best practices to be used by broadcasters in ensuring that the critical details of non-textual images displaying emergency information are accurately provided to viewers who are blind or visually impaired and to train broadcasters on the use of such standards or best practices.  
• Description of NAB’s efforts, in consultation with broadcast industry experts and relevant non-broadcast technical experts, to develop automated solutions for complying with the requirement to aurally describe visual, non-textual emergency information, such as solutions afforded by AI-based systems or the ongoing adoption of ATSC 3.0 in more television markets, and any progress made toward the development of such solutions.
• Description of training and best practices for broadcasters to offer effective communication of critical emergency information conveyed in graphic images in textual crawls and aural transmissions on secondary audio programming streams even if the critical emergency information is in a different form than the description of visual material, as well as tangible efforts by NAB to conduct or encourage such training and best practices for specific broadcasters.  
• If at any time during the course of the waiver period, the industry, in consultation with the disability community, determines that there is a preferred and effective alternative to an automated technical solution, any subsequent reports should explain what steps are being or will be taken, using such alternative solution, to ensure that viewers who are blind or visually impaired will have access to the same critical details that are provided in a non-textual manner," according to the FCC. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Telemundo and Hearst Television were among the award winners honored Nov. 29 by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) at the 2022 Audio Description Awards gala streamed at www.AdAwardsGala.org and by Pluto TV.

The broadcasters were recognized for their outstanding achievement in Spanish Media in the United States.

Honorees were selected from a diverse group by the ACB’s Audio Description Awards Committee.

Besides Telemundo and Hearst Television, winners included:

• Larry Goldberg, Outstanding Audio Description Visionary 
• Microsoft, Audio Description Game Changer: Innovation  
• Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Audio Description Game Changer: Inclusion 
• Described and Captioned Media Program, Audio Description Game Changer: Education  
• Paramount Global, Outstanding Achievement: Live Events  
• AMI, Outstanding Achievement: International Media- 
• Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+/Lucasfilm/Audio Description by Deluxe), Audio Description People's Choice Award. 

The gala celebrated the inclusivity and accessibility of media by recognizing the audio description achievements of those in television, streaming and the film industry in making media more accessible to better serve low-vision audiences.

More information is available on the ACB website.

PHILADELPHIA—In a move that is designed to make it easier for customers with disabilities to access and enjoy content, Comcast is launching the industry’s first Large Button Voice Remote, a new device that is designed for users with mobility, dexterity, or vision impairments. 

The Large Button Voice Remote, which is available to X1 and Flex customers at no additional cost, combines Comcast’s voice control technology with industry-first advancements in accessible hardware design, inclusive packaging, and customer experience. 

The result, Comcast believes, is a hardware breakthrough that allows all viewers to easily navigate and enjoy all the entertainment, news, and information Xfinity has to offer.

“For more than 60 years, Comcast has pioneered advancements in entertainment and connectivity and delivered industry-shaping experiences to customers,” says Fraser Stirling, global chief product officer at Comcast. “Our long-standing commitment to accessibility has unlocked profound innovation across our portfolio time and time again - shaping everything we do from the way we design our products, to the content we create, to the experiences we deliver. Inclusive design, for us, is just better design.”

Comcast said that the new device is built on a deep understanding of consumer preferences and needs and that the Comcast design team worked side-by-side with the disability community to test and refine the creation of its new Large Button Voice Remote. 

Accessibility features and functionality were the top priorities throughout the remote’s development. The result of a rigorous research and design process is a one-of-a-kind remote unlike anything available on the market today—one that combines high functionality with elegant design to offer something for everyone to love, the company said. 

New Horizon’s, Inc., an organization that provides housing and support services for people with physical disabilities participated in the research and testing. Carol Fitzgerald, CEO of New Horizon’s noted that “technology can help level the playing field for people with disabilities. When companies like Comcast design products and experiences with accessibility at the forefront, they not only create better products for everyone, but they also help to unlock more independence for millions of people with disabilities. We’re very proud to have been part of the creation of the Large Button Voice Remote which is truly a game-changing innovation.”

Key features the operator reported include: 

• Easy Navigation. At the heart of the remote is Comcast’s voice control technology. Users can find what they want—and find it faster—using voice commands to change channels, search for shows, get recommendations, and more. The remote also includes a prominent accessibility shortcut button that offers quick, easy connection to personalized X1 and Flex accessibility settings. With this button, users can enable popular accessibility features like Comcast’s Talking Guide, closed captions, large text capabilities, audio description, and more, to suit their needs.
• Enhanced Visuals. Locating and navigating the Large Button Voice Remote is easier than ever, thanks to its large backlit buttons and high contrast colors. Plus, the increased font size on all the remote’s buttons improves readability.
• Precision Features. In addition to its enhanced functionality, the Large Button Voice Remote’s physical design provides remarkable ease of use. A removable wrist strap allows for more precise handling and control. An innovative battery compartment features a rubber pull tab design and “press to slide” battery cover making it easier to change batteries. An elevated, flat-back design allows for increased stability when the remote is used on a flat surface like a wheelchair tray or with other assistive devices.
• Accessible Set-Up. The inclusive packaging for the Large Button Voice Remote uses large typography and tactile features, including braille and an embossed arrow near the package’s opening, to orient users who are visually impaired. The remote comes with an audio guide that automatically begins playing step-by-step instructions upon opening—an industry-first that allows users to pair the remote to their television in less than a minute. The remote also uses haptic vibrations to create a multi-sensory experience that alerts users when pairing is complete.
• Leveraging Comcast’s Global Technology Platform to Improve Accessibility. The new Large Button Voice Remote leverages voice search technology within Comcast’s global technology platform, enabling customers to easily navigate the interface and discover programming across hundreds of networks and streaming services with just the sound of their voice. Processing more than 40 million commands a day in 5 different languages, Comcast’s global technology platform powers one of the largest and best voice engines for content discovery available anywhere. Combined with the work Comcast announced earlier this year to integrate accessibility features into its next-generation platform architecture, the remote further embeds inclusive design into the ethos of the company, empowering its global teams and the broader development community to create better, more innovative experiences for everyone.

X1 and Flex customers can request a remote, at no additional charge, through Comcast’s Accessibility Support Center, which was one of the nation’s first call centers specifically created to support customers with disabilities, Comcast said. 

Comcast’s Accessibility Support Center now has more than 140 agents specially trained on Comcast products and services, support for third-party assistive devices, and information related to Braille or large print bills. Comcast also offers support in American Sign Language—the fourth most-used language in the United States—through a partnership with Connect Direct, a subsidiary of Communication Service for the Deaf.

PARIS—Dalet has added new capabilities to its cloud-native media logistics platform Dalet Flex that support important accessibility requirements, expanded language options and camera data management capabilities. 

Dalet Flex is used by media companies, brands and sports leagues to streamline OTT, archiving, multiplatform and production workflows and to improve content supply chains and viewer engagement. 

The latest Dalet Flex release adds new tools and language support that enable customers to manage, create and deliver content with even greater efficiency starting from the moment they capture content, the company said. 

It also adheres to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines' principles, making it easier for everyone, including those with disabilities, to collaborate on projects with greater ease.

“Dalet Flex continues to deliver immense value with capabilities that make our customers nimbler and more inclusive,” states Mathieu Zarouk, director of product marketing, Dalet. “We are making it easier for everyone to use Dalet Flex from the moment the content is captured through the time it's distributed, monetized and archived. The camera card management, deep integration with tools like Adobe® Premiere Pro along with key accessibility design and language support, makes Dalet Flex the industry’s most robust, cloud-native media management, production and delivery platform on the market.”

The new Dalet Flex capabilities include:

• Greater Accessibility. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines were developed in cooperation with individuals and organizations from around the world, with the goal of providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility. Dalet Flex is being adapted to meet the guideline’s principles of perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. The improvements range from color adjustments for greater contrasts to aria labels identifying interactive elements of the page, to reorganizing HTML elements and styles so common items like checkboxes are easier to work with.
• Expanded Language Support. Users can seamlessly switch the Dalet Flex interface between languages, making it easier for customers to support multilingual workforces. Customers requiring other language support should contact their Dalet representative for assistance.
• Camera Data Wrangling. Integrated with Dalet AmberFin, Dalet Flex features advanced camera card and spanned clip management, providing a more efficient and natural management of content coming from camera cards. Users can archive or restore an entire card in a single operation. Dalet AmberFin and Dalet Flex let users browse card assets and, for spanned media, capture basic information about each underlying file. The ability to manage camera card data will enable users in the field or on-set to make content available to colleagues in a more efficient and organized manner. 

Those interested in seeing the features of Dalet Flex in action can register for a September 1, 2022 webinar here.  

BOSTON—3Play Media, a provider of video accessibility technologies and services, has announced that it is acquiring Captionmax, a provider of live and recorded captioning, localization, and audio description services. 

The acquisition includes the Captionmax subsidiary National Captioning Canada (NCC), which is the largest live captioning provider in Canada. 

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“Live video captioning is a tremendous area of growth and one that 3Play has been increasingly focused on for our customers,” said Josh Miller, co-CEO and co-founder, 3Play Media, said. “As we evaluated the market, we realized there are a lot of benefits to a combination with Captionmax. Its reputation as a trusted and high quality live captioning solution, particularly in the broadcast space, was a great complement to 3Play, which has a strong presence in the recorded captioning space across industries and is focused on the same goals of reliability and quality.”

Founded in 1993, Captionmax is a trusted leader in media accessibility. In addition to its strong presence in the broadcast end-market, Captionmax has established relationships in the enterprise, education, and streaming media markets. The company recently acquired NCC, which has continued to operate with its market-leading captioning brand serving major Canadian broadcasters, government, corporate, and not-for-profit organizations. 

“We are excited to join the 3Play team,” Truck Morrison, CEO, Captionmax, said. “We’ve been impressed with their rapid growth, demonstrated scale, and focus on technology. And, with the continued growth of the video market, we look forward to building the premier media accessibility platform together.”

Last month, 3Play Media introduced Live Professional Captioning, an live captioning solution that is the first to provide users with automated failover. If a captioner loses connectivity, internet, or power, the 3Play Media auto caption failover will take over within seconds and switch back immediately when the captioner reconnects. The acquisition of Captionmax/NCC, both of whom have exceptional, long-standing reputations in the broadcast market, adds immediate expertise, scale, and experience to 3Play Media’s platform-based offering in the live captioning market.

For more information on 3Play Media, visit www.3playmedia.com

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—In a new blog post, Comcast vice president of accessibility Tom Wlodkowski has laid out the company’s approach to building more accessible products and described how integrating accessibility throughout the tech stack has improved the user experience for everyone.

“When you make a product more inclusive you create a better experience for everyone,” writes Wlodkowski, who has been blind since birth and has been leading accessibility at the company for many years. 

He noted that as the company develops its next-gen entertainment platform, Comcast has transitioned to development on a web-based platform running an open-source JavaScript framework called LightningJS. This framework, which delivers enhanced video experience, innovation and speed to market, also helped embed accessibility into their entertainment products from the beginning. 

Comcast Cable, he writes, has for many years built entertainment products like X1 and Flex with accessibility top of mind. But until the last few years, traditional tech approaches in the cable industry meant that they had to retrofit solutions onto existing platforms after the fact.

Today, however, “we’re excited to be able to outfit our global technology platform itself to power new and existing accessible experiences,” he wrote. “For the past two years, we have been transitioning our entertainment products to a web-based platform running an open-source JavaScript framework called LightningJS. In addition to delivering significant benefits in terms of video experience, innovation, and speed-to-market, it has given us the opportunity to embed accessibility into the platform architecture from the beginning.”

“Similar to our approach with cybersecurity, our goal is to ensure we are building accessible design into our products from the get-go, not as an afterthought,” he wrote. “LightningJS is a key part of that effort.”

In the blog post he provided a few notable examples how the new, much more flexible approach has helped improve accessibility:

• “The scale of type across all our entertainment products has been increased and can be easily adjusted to improve readability of on-screen menus, program guides, etc.”
• “We defined a high contrast color theme that can easily be applied to all the components within an application with a single setting change, making our entertainment content easier to read and navigate for everyone.”
• “We are designing and developing the experience with motion in mind. Through reduced motion mode, we can more easily scale back the amount of animation on screen, creating better viewing experiences for those with motion sensitivities, while maintaining the default experience.”
• “Focus state, the ability to highlight interactive components for accessible navigation is important for customers with limited mobility that are using a screen reader or other accessible technology.  We’ve been able to take the focus state to the next level by using a larger scale, increasing the color contrast between the background color and art, and adding subtle animation to draw attention to the focus state. We plan to enhance this even further in future releases.”

“With this new design thinking and the new Lightning development framework – we took the opportunity to build out a shared component library of Lightning UI components,” he added. “Accessible design and features are baked in and help us ensure that detail and dedication to accessibility are standardized across all applications these components are used on. That means that wherever they are in our company, NBCUniversal, Sky, or Xfinity, developers will be able to adopt and use all the innovative accessibility features created by their colleagues across the globe.” 

“It really is true when they say, `when you make a product more inclusive, you make a better product,’ and I feel lucky to be part of bringing that to life,” he concluded. 

The full post can be found here. 

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission will be holding the `Video Programming Accessibility Forum – Online Closed Captioning' on December 2, to explore ways to improve accessibility of OTT content. 

The virtual forum will run from 1:00 pm to 3:45 pm ET on December 2. The FCC’s Media Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will co-host the Forum.  FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will welcome Forum participants and Senator Ed Markey will deliver keynote remarks.

The forum will also feature two panels with speakers from television, cable, and online video programming distributors, academia and consumer advocacy organizations.  

The FCC noted that consumers currently access video programming from providers that range from traditional entities, such as broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), to a growing number of online streaming service providers, including those that operate social media platforms.  

`The Video Programming Accessibility Forum – Online Closed Captioning' will explore the state of closed captioning availability for online video programming and discuss ways to enhance accessibility, including the Commission’s authority to adopt new rules, the FCC said. 

The Forum also will explore current and prospective best practices and other existing or possible voluntary efforts that could enhance the availability of closed captioning online.

The public event will be streamed live on fcc.gov/live and the FCC’s YouTube channel. Additional information is available here. 

WASHINGTON—The FCC has sent out a Public Notice to manufacturers and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) of the upcoming Dec. 20 deadline for compliance with the pair of Accessible User Interface Orders. The Accessible User Interfaces Orders—one which was issued in 2013, the other in 2015—require user interfaces, video programming guides and menus available on TVs, set-top boxes and other devices, as well as available for those with disabilities.

The specifics of the initial Accessible User Interface Order included the ability for digital apparatus and on-screen text menus and guides to be accessible and usable for the blind or visually impaired, if achievable. They must also offer devices with built-in closed captioning and/or video description capability something akin to a button, key or icon in order to activate. The Second Accessible User Interface Order added that the appropriate information, documentation and training requirements be made available to consumers and that contacts be provided to answer all potential questions.

Manufacturers of digital apparatus and MVPDs that lease or sell navigation devices are responsible for compliance with the rules by the deadline. However, MVPD operators with 400,000 or fewer subscribers as of year-end 2012 and MVPD systems with 20,000 or fewer subscribers that are not affiliated with an operator serving more than 10 percent of all MVPD subscribers as of year-end 2012 will be given a two-year deferred compliance deadline.

For more information on the FCC’s public notice, or the full requirements for compliance, click here.