The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington recently invited Carl Richardson, one of the ADP co-chairs, to share his knowledge. Access the recording for an overview of the history and mission of audio description. Learn where audio description is available across broadcast TV, streaming platforms, and movie theaters, and how to access and enable audio description on your devices.

Remember that amazing audio description experience you had last year? The Audio Description Project wants to hear about it! Now is your chance to nominate the best AD you’ve encountered for an ADP Award.

The ADP Awards are sponsored by the ACB’s Audio Description Project to recognize achievement in audio description in seven categories, including media, performing arts, museums, the public sector, and research and development. Nominations will be accepted through April 6, 2026, and the winners will be announced in July at the American Council of the Blind’s conference and convention.

Who Can Submit a Nomination?

Everyone! You are welcome to nominate yourself, your local theatre or museum, or a well-known institution. Complete and submit the nomination form today.

Who Is Eligible for an Award?

Any person, organization, or institution that fits in one of the categories below and is involved in the research, development, production, design, creation, and/or delivery of great audio description is eligible.

What Are the Criteria?

The most important criterion is that the person or organization consistently develops, creates, and/or makes available excellent audio description. We encourage you to address the quality of the AD and other accessibility elements in your nomination.

• The AD script – clear, concise, and vivid word choices that describe crucial visual elements without offering opinions, explanations, or interpretations
• The AD voicing – narration that enhances the experience by using a tone and energy level appropriate to the content
• The AD sound – a smooth balance of dialogue, background noise, musical soundtrack, and audio description
• Total access – how easy is it to access the audio description? Is the website and/or physical spaces accessible?
• Inclusion – to what extent are people on the blindness spectrum involved in the creation of audio description, as writers, editors, sound engineers, or testers?

What Are the Award Categories?

There are seven categories. The same individual or organization may not be nominated in multiple categories.

• Media

• Performing Arts

• Museums, Visual Art, Visitor Centers

• Public Sector (government agencies – federal, state, or local)

• International (people and organizations working primarily outside the US)

• Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl Memorial Award for Audio Description Research and Development

• Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description

Submit Your Nomination!

Help us celebrate the people and organizations that are contributing significantly to the growth of high-quality audio description. Submit your nomination online by April 6, 2026. If you have questions or would like assistance, contact audiodescription@acb.org.

Here are some 2025 highlights from Fred Brack, the ADP webmaster and data wrangler. Thanks, Fred!

Looking back at 2025, I would like to review some of the major accomplishments and changes in the world of audio description as reflected on the ADP Website.

While the major change was the June switchover to our new website managed by the same company responsible for the ACB website, there were months of preparation involved and continued meetings two to three times a week discussing ongoing enhancement plans. A huge amount of time has been spent adding pointers to IMDb (the Internet Movie Database) for as many titles as we could identify, in addition to verifying and adding genres and more in our Master Title database.

Because we were unable to list weekly additions to streaming service titles originally, I began extracting and compiling this data behind the scenes for publication weekly. Later, that data was made available online. We were also able to restore “comments” about titles, including things like any fees beyond subscriptions involved in accessing them. Along the way, we had (and still have) two very experienced screen reader users testing our website, making recommendations for changes.

Four additional streaming providers were added during the year: The Roku Channel, Howdy (a subscription version of The Roku Channel), MGM+, and PBS (streaming, not TV).

Here’s how our providers ended the year. The first number is the year-end 2025 number of described titles offered. This is followed by the increase and the percentage over the year-end 2024 number.

• Apple TV: 306, +47, 18%
• Apple TV Store (iTunes): 2617, +249, 11%
• Disney+: 1280, +41, +3% (but not updated recently)
• Fandango: 922, +285, 45%
• HBOMax: 1175, +54, 5%
• Hulu: +137, 21%
• MGM+: n/a, new this year
• Netflix: +307,11%
• Paramount+: +77, 16%
• Peacock: +72, 21%
• Plex: +16, 59%
• PlutoTV: +4, 5%
• Prime Video: +597, +10%
• ReelAbilities Stream: +26, 54%
• Roku Channel: +9, 12%
• Tubi: +2, 2%
• Spectrum Access: +150, 20%

In analyzing the numbers above, the annual increase gives you some idea how individual services are growing their described content. To the extent that a service focuses on recently released titles, there is a greater likelihood that any given title will have audio description. Overall growth of titles carried will also boost the number, while removal of titles for cost-cutting measures may decrease the number. We certainly must congratulate Fandango at Home for its 45% growth, Plex for its 59% growth, and ReelAbilities Stream for its 54% growth. Fandango is especially impressive given its total described title count of nearly 1,000.

At year-end, we had 13,109 unique titles available with English audio description tracks from Cinema, DVD, Spectrum Access, and over 20 streaming services. This was an increase of 24% over year-end 2024, which was 2% more than 2024 over 2023. Clearly, the number of described titles available is increasing nicely, even though we have a long way to go.

Our Master Title database contains nearly 18,000 titles, meaning there are over 5000 additional titles that have audio description tracks only in non-English languages or they aren’t currently available anywhere in English. For those speaking non-English languages, there were 12,630 titles in 64 languages other than English available (in the USA) with audio description, the most prominent of which was LatAm Spanish at 1888 titles, closely followed by Brazilian Portuguese.

While I, personally, focus on the services listed above, my associate, Timothy Wynn, scans numerous sources of TV listings and uses his network contacts to compile a weekly database of everything that is on TV with audio description. We believe we have the most comprehensive listing of described TV content anywhere, and we have Timothy to thank for that. At the same time, I am grateful to Vicki Vogt of Perkins Library for compiling the list of movies available in Cinemas with audio description.

Please enjoy the ever-increasing number of audio described titles available as updated weekly on our website. You can also help spread the word about the ADP website, especially to newcomers to the blindness community who might not know about the exciting world of audio description.

Welcome to the Awards Gala Spotlight Series! Over the next few weeks, we’ll focus on some of the 2025 award recipients so you can learn more about the great audio description contributions our awardees are making.

Meet SOVAS

At the 2025 Audio Description Awards Gala, the ADP gave its first award for Talent Promotion to the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS). SOVAS trains and celebrates voice actors, but their mission is far more expansive. They strive to uplift a community, foster global inclusivity, and create meaningful connections between artists and the people their work serves.

Everything SOVAS offers, including education, mentorship, job development, and recognition through the Voice Arts Awards, is rooted in the belief that storytelling and communication have the power to improve lives. Their work took on an even deeper purpose when they learned about audio description.

SOVAS and AD

According to Rudy Gaskins, Chairman and CEO, and Joan Baker, Vice President, audio description “became our gateway into understanding the challenges faced by people who are blind or have low vision.” What began as an educational opportunity quickly grew into a calling. They realized how essential AD is and how perfectly aligned it is with the audience of passionate voice actors who want their work to have real impact.

Through audio description, SOVAS joined a community of individuals and organizations dedicated to creating a richer, more accessible life experience for people who are blind or have low vision. Gaskins and Baker note that we all share the responsibility of making the world more inclusive. “Serving this community,” they say, “is not only an honor, it also continues to deepen our commitment to building a voiceover industry that listens, learns, and lifts everyone.”

SOVAS is committed to spreading awareness of AD among voice actors as a pathway to meaningful employment, while ensuring that high-quality AD is created for the end users who depend on it. To further this mission, SOVAS developed an annual international contest for voice actors that provides four real-world, paid AD jobs in both Spanish and English. As part of their international awards show, the Voice Arts Awards®, they have implemented multiple award categories specific to a wide range of AD genres, including live theatre, film, television, museum tours, and more. This initiative is a powerful way to recognize the quality of the work and the importance of AD to the industry and end users.

Learning through Community

Interacting with blind and low-vision audiences is important to SOVAS. The community is invited to share their knowledge at the annual SOVAS career conference, and they are engaged to review and vet all materials SOVAS disseminates to blind and low-vision communities. SOVAS also offers paid speaker roles to blind and low-vision professionals in an online webinar series.

Additionally, the SOVAS International Ambassadors Committee (SIAC) brings together leaders in the field to help shape SOVAS’s approach. Dr. Joel Snyder, the founder of the ADP, serves on this committee. To get involved in the International Ambassadors, visit sovas.org/international-ambassadors/.

Learn more about SOVAS by visiting SOVAS.org, where you’ll find detailed information about programs, initiatives, events, and resources for the global voice acting community. You can also follow SOVAS on social media to stay updated and engaged:

• Facebook: SovasVoice

• Instagram: @societyvoicearts

• LinkedIn: Society of Voice Arts and Sciences

To access the Awards Gala, visit ADAwardsGala.org. And check back here soon for another Awards Gala spotlight!

On December 1, 2025, the FCC released a Public Notice (PN) reminding broadcast television stations about the audio description requirements adopted in its October 17, 2023 Report and Order. The Report and Order expanded the audio description requirements by phasing them in for an additional 10 designated market areas (DMAs) each year until all DMAs are included.

The PN reminds television broadcasters that the audio description rules will extend to DMAs 111 through 120 on January 1, 2026. Accordingly, the audio description rules will extend to the following DMAs on January 1, 2026:

• Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches), Texas

• Sioux Falls (Mitchell), South Dakota

• Fargo, North Dakota

• Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts

• Lansing, Michigan

• Youngstown, Ohio

• Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, Washington

• Traverse City-Cadillac, Michigan

• Eugene, Oregon

• Macon, Georgia

Link to the Public Notice:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-999A1.pdf

For general information about audio description, visit https://www.fcc.gov/audio-description.

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) and its Audio Description Project (ADP) broadcast the 5th Annual Audio Description Awards Gala on Thursday, November 13, 2025. It was a star-studded celebration honoring excellence and innovation in audio description across popular entertainment, education, gaming, live events, and more.

The Gala recognizes the creators, platforms, and innovators transforming how audiences engage with media. This year’s show was hosted by Alie B. Gorrie and Ashley J. Hicks, two advocates and performers passionate about accessible storytelling.

Awards and Special Guests

Awards were presented to:

• Visionary - Matthew Kaplowitz, President and Director of Technology and Innovation for Bridge Multimedia
• Innovation - Earcatch
• Gaming - Ubisoft
• Popular Entertainment - HBO Max
• Live Events - Descriptive Video Works
• Education - Bridge Multimedia
• Spanish Media (USA) - Described and Captioned Media Program
• International - ShazaCin
• Talent Promotion - Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS)
• Inclusion Excellence - Social Audio Description Collective
• Writing - Liz Gutman
• Voicing - Dianne Newman
• People’s Choice Awards: Flow (film) and Dying for Sex (series)

Presenters and special guests included actors, authors, advocates, and influencers, such as: Isabella Rossellini, Mara Lauren Hutchinson, Jenna “Jennisary” of Descriptive Video Works, Paul from Matthew and Paul, Marilee Talkington, Juan Alcazar, Ben Mehl, Stephanae McCoy, Leona Godin, and Anne Mok.

Accessing the Awards Gala Recording

Access the recording on:

• ACB’s YouTube channel
• ADAwardsGala.org
• Peacock, courtesy NBCUniversal (subscription required)

The 2025 Audio Description Awards Gala exemplifies how creativity and technology can merge to make the arts more inclusive for everyone. The broadcast included open captions, open audio description, American Sign Language interpretation, and Spanish dubbing, captions, and audio description, ensuring a fully accessible experience across all audiences.

With Thanks to Our Supporters and Sponsors

ADP Supporter

Sony Corporation of America

Awards Gala Sponsors

Super Star

Comcast NBCUniversal

Take the Lead

Amazon

Netflix

Warner Bros. Discovery

Supporting Cast

Fox Corporation

Microsoft

NCTA – The Internet & Television Association

Paramount, a Skydance Corporation

Spectrum

VITAC

The Walt Disney Company

Waymo

Hosts

Alie B. Gorrie

Ashley J. Hicks

Production Credits

English Audio Description Script: Audio Description Associates, LLC, Joel Snyder, PhD

English Audio Description Narrator: Steve Saylor

Spanish Audio Description Script: Andrea Giménez, Dicapta

Spanish Audio Description Narrator: Andrea Herrera, Dicapta

Spanish Language Dubbing: Dicapta

Producer: Doug Roland

Editor: Zahari Zahariev

Screen Graphics Designer: Brian Williams

Hair and makeup for hosts’ studio shoot: Dorothy Bhadra

Contributing Partners & Friends

Audio Description Associates, LLC

Bridge Multimedia

Comcast NBCUniversal

Dicapta

VITAC

Learn more atADAwardsGala.org.

The Audio Description Project (ADP) Gaming Subcommittee has released a new draft guidance document titled “Best Practices for Audio Description in Video Games.” This is the first comprehensive resource designed to help game developers understand and implement effective audio description (AD) tailored specifically to the interactive nature of video games.

While audio description has long been used in film, television, and theatre to make visual media accessible to blind and low vision audiences, video games present unique challenges and opportunities. The draft guidance provides insights and recommendations addressing complexities such as player agency, branching narratives, and dynamic gameplay environments.

The Gaming Subcommittee invites all members of the public, particularly those familiar with gaming and accessibility, to review the draft and share their feedback. Public comments can be submitted through a Google Form.

The comment period will remain open for 90 days, closing on February 19, 2026. After this period, the committee will review all feedback and make revisions before releasing the finalized version.

To access the draft guidance, click this link.

To submit feedback on the guidance, complete this form.

The ADP is proud to include the exciting world of accessible gaming on the website. Thanks to the hard work of the new Gaming Subcommittee, you can now find a list of video games with audio description and information about accessible gaming organizations and conferences, samples, podcasts, and much more.

To learn about video games with AD, visit the Video Games page under Where to Find AD.

To access links to myriad resources that will help you get started or improve your game, visit the Video Game Resources page (under Additional Resources within the ADP Archives).

The ADP's Gaming Subcommittee

The Audio Description Project (ADP) has formed a new Gaming Subcommittee. This groundbreaking group brings together accessibility gaming advocates, blind and low vision gamers, and audio description industry experts with the shared goal of advancing audio description within the world of video games.

The ADP Gaming Subcommittee is dedicated to the following key initiatives:

• Documenting Best Practices for implementing audio description in gaming environments 
• Advocating for the inclusion of audio description in both new and existing game releases 
• Providing a resource list of games that feature audio description and live gaming events with audio described content 
• Communicating updates and developments related to gaming audio description to the blind and low vision community 
• Offering education and support to blind and low vision gamers on accessible gaming features and tools 
• Gathering and analyzing gamer data related to audio description to inform and collaborate with game developers.

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly celebrates the 15th anniversary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). Signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 8, 2010, the CVAA remains one of the most significant legislative achievements for people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind in the digital age.

In addition to ensuring that smartphones are accessible to consumers who are blind or have low vision, the CVAA also established, for the first time, regulations requiring audio-described content on major broadcast and cable networks. This landmark provision has been championed by ACB’s Audio Description Project, which advocates for audio description across television, film, performing arts, and other media.

The law also allowed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish the National DeafBlind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as iCanConnect, which provides free equipment and training for people with both significant hearing and vision loss who meet the program's disability and income eligibility guidelines. iCanConnect is a national program administered locally in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands that helps people stay connected to friends, family, and the world through telecommunications equipment and assistive technology.

ACB was instrumental in garnering support for the CVAA, working alongside advocates, industry leaders, and partner organizations across the disability community. By uniting these voices and demonstrating the broad impact of accessible technology, ACB helped secure the bipartisan backing in Congress that made the CVAA possible. This collaborative spirit remains central to ACB’s advocacy today.

“The CVAA is a shining example of what’s possible when advocates, industry, and policymakers come together with a shared commitment to equity and inclusion,” said ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill.

ACB is now advocating for the introduction and passage of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA), soon to be introduced in Congress. The CVTA reaffirms our nation's commitment to accessible communications and video technologies for people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind. This legislation will build on the CVAA to modernize and expand requirements for further captioning and audio description availability, and video user interfaces.

“Just as the CVAA transformed access in the last 15 years, the CVTA will ensure accessibility keeps pace with innovation in the years ahead,” Thornhill added. “We urge Congress to support and pass the CVTA in the 119th Congress.”

About the American Council of the Blind

The American Council of the Blind is a national member-driven consumer organization representing Americans who are blind or have low vision. With 65 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve the quality of life for all people who are blind or have low vision. For more information, visit www.acb.org.

Contact:

Scott Thornhill

Executive Director

202-467-5081 sthornhill@acb.org

If you've been waiting all year to heat up the eggnog, grab some gingerbread, and indulge in movie merriment, great news: there's a list of more than 300 holiday movies with audio description right here in the ADP film and series title directory. Click on this link to access the list. You can filter the results by provider and rating to personalize it. Check back often, as new titles are added every week.