FCC Releases Report on Industry Accessibility Compliance

If you’ve wondered about legislation and policies addressing accessibility in media and technology, you’ll be interested in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) biennial report to Congress. The report was submitted in accordance with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The report:

• assesses industry compliance over the past two years with sections 255, 716, and 718 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). These sections require telecommunications and advanced communications services and equipment, and Internet browsers built into mobile phones to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities,
• addresses accessibility barriers to new communications technologies and the effect of the accessibility-related recordkeeping and enforcement requirements under section 717 on the development and deployment of such technologies, and
• provides information about the number and nature of, and actions taken to resolve, complaints alleging violations of sections 255, 716, and 718 for the period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2023.

Access the full report here. (Posted Oct 9)

Upcoming ACB Community Events

The Audio Description Project has many committees that work hard to advocate for more and better audio description. Starting this month, committee members will be sharing their knowledge and inviting you to join the conversation through a series of Zoom calls held as ACB Community Events.

Our first call will be held Thursday, October 24, at 7pm ET: Audio Description and Digital Antenna Broadcast Television Accessibility. We will discuss using a digital antenna to access your local stations and other content. Topics covered will include using a basic antenna, using antenna apps, DVR options, and the estimated cost. Presented by Renee Arrington Johnson and Louis Johnson IV.

Future Schedule:
November 14, 7:30pm ET: The 4th Annual Audio Description Awards Gala and After Party.
December: ADP Media: Holiday Favorites with AD, with panelists Carl Richardson, Renee Arrington Johnson, and John Stark.
January: ADP Media: AD Career Paths for People who Are Blind or Have Low Vision, a panel discussion facilitated by Nona Haroyan.
February: ADP Media: Oscar Nominations with AD, with panelists John Stark, Carl Richardson, Renee Arrington Johnson, and special guests.
March: ADP Media:  Diversity and Audio Description, with panelists John Stark, Carl Richardson, and special guests.
April:  Section 508:  AD in Federal and State Government, presented by Pat Sheehan and Gary Morin.

We'll let you know when dates and times are selected. You'll be able to listen to the conversations on ACB Media, or you can join the Zoom call if you subscribe to ACB's Community Events email (to subscribe, send an email to ACB-Community-Events+subscribe@acblists.org). Stay tuned as we explore the art, science, technology, stories, and people of audio description!

Wanted: Two Voice Actors for Four Jobs

As a part of the SOVAS (Society of Voice Arts and Sciences) 2024 That’s VoiceOver event, voice actors are invited to register for the second annual Audio Description Audition Jam! Voice Actors worldwide are invited to register and audition. Auditions must be recorded by your own means and submitted as an MP3 file. Final submissions must be uploaded no later than October 5, 2024, at 11:59pm PST. Five (5) finalists will be notified by October 14, 2024, to be confirmed for the final audition round. The final audition round will take place live, onsite at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott before a live audience on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 1:10 PM PST.

Two finalists will be selected as the winners and each will receive two jobs (projects); one for Deluxe and one for Audio Eyes. See official rules/eligibility requirements for more information and submit your audition at https://sovas.org/audio-description-audition-jam/. Good luck! (Posted Sep 3)