On March 31st, the Federal Communications Commission released proposed changes to video description rules “…to expand the availability of -- and consumer access to -- video described programming.”

The proposed changes are as follows:

• Increase the required amount of video described programming on each included network carried by a covered broadcast station or MVPD from 50 hours per calendar quarter to 87.5 hours;
• Increase the number of networks subject to the video description rules from four broadcast and five non-broadcast networks to five broadcast and ten non-broadcast networks;
• Adopt a no-backsliding rule, which would ensure that included networks remain subject to the requirements even if they fall out of the top five or top ten ranking;
• Remove the threshold requirement that non-broadcast networks must reach 50 percent of pay-TV households in order to be subject to our video description rules;
• Require that covered distributors provide dedicated customer service contacts who can answer questions about video description; and
• Require that petitions for exemptions from the video description requirements and related filings be electronically filed with the Commission.

The deadline to send public comments on the proposed changes will be 30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.

See the complete proposal and news release.

On March 31st, the Federal Communications Commission released proposed changes to video description rules “…to expand the availability of -- and consumer access to -- video described programming.”