ADP Updates

This page will be updated periodically as we have news from our committees to report.

May 2023

There was a lot of talk about awards in this month's Steering Committee meeting! With three committees dedicated to recognizing excellence in audio description, the excitement has been building. Even the advocacy-focused committees seem to be feeling some spring fever and are ready to change the world.

ADP Awards: These long-running awards have honored dozens of outstanding contributors to the field of audio description. Nominations closed on May 5, and the committee met the following week to evaluate the entries. Winners will be announced at the ACB Convention in July.

Audio Description Awards Gala: Now in its third year, the Awards Gala is a star-studded tribute to film and television producers that have demonstrated strong commitments to audio description. The committee is meeting regularly to select this year's winners and make plans for the second annual People's Choice Awards – stay tuned for updates on how to nominate and vote. Winners will be announced in a streamed awards show on November 14.

BADIE: The essays are in! The Benefits of Audio Description In Education contest received a record number of entries from students of all ages and across the country. Committee chairs Susan Glass and Carl Richardson report that the essays were of an impressive quality and choosing winners was not easy. The committee is on track to announce the winners in mid-May.

Media: We can't tell you half of what the Media committee is up to – they have literally dozens of goals for this year. They continue to make connections with industry leaders (don't miss chair Carl Richardson's conversation with representatives from streaming services at the ADP Conference in June). Some ongoing efforts include: advocating for audio description to follow films and shows as they move from broadcast to streaming; working with broadcasters to ensure audio description for live events, such as the coronation of King Charles III; promoting easier AD-creation and access on user-generated content platforms; and educating movie theaters about the correct maintenance and use of AD equipment.

Performing Arts, Museums, and Parks: The committee has been busy preparing for the ACB Convention, selecting audio described tours that will be available on ACB Media during convention week. We're sending a letter to a variety of theatre associations to inform them about what audio description is and why it's important, and offer our help if they're ready to make their performances more inclusive. We've also been brain-storming ways to get updates for the state listings on the ADP website of theatres, museums, and parks that offer AD. (Hint: we'll need your help!)

Section 508: This committee focuses on improving the accessibility of government websites' audio and video content through the inclusion of captioning and audio description. Recently, we worked to increase the number of nominations for the ADP Public Sector award to encourage the continuance of the excellent AD being produced. The committee is monitoring government surveys on accessibility and proposing AD-focused sessions for upcoming inter-agency conferences.

That's it for the May 2023 ADP Update – we'll bring you the latest news from the committees next month. In the meantime, enjoy audio description and keep advocating!