Past News Articles About Audio Description

Thank You to my Associates
- by Fred Brack, Webmaster

While I am responsible for most of this website's content, I want to thank my three associates for their contributions this year.  Their dedicated work helps make this website complete!  (Posted Dec 16)

• Timothy Wynn, who updates the Daily TV Listing, which feeds into the TV by Network listing.  Big job!
• Vicki Vogt, Perkins School for the Blind, who feeds me a list of all cinema movies with AD weekly.
• Serina Gilbert, Social Media Coordinator, who publishes all described video updates to social media

New Prime Video Listing

After working with Amazon for a long time, we are finally ready to unveil a significant new feature for our listing of Prime Video audio described titles.  Because of the way copies of streaming titles are licensed (from different distributors depending on delivery mode), sometimes description is not available on some modes for the same title. (You have complained to us and Amazon about this!)  For example, a title may be listed as Free with Prime and Buy, but only the Buy version has an AD track.  Amazon is now able to provide us with this information, and we now list which modes have AD.  The complete list of delivery modes is:  Buy, Rent, Free with Prime, Free with freevee, or Channel Subscription (which means you must purchase a subscription to a specified streaming service through Amazon to receive AD).  In addition, Amazon has been consolidating titles with different video modes (SD, HD, UHD) to one landing page, making our listing a bit less cumbersome.  One slight downside though: They can only deliver title ratings in their internal format of ALL, 7+, 13+, 16+, and 18+.  Online, they may use either these codes or the MPAA ones. Visit our new Prime Video AD Titles listing!  (Posted Dec 23)

ACB's 2022 Audio Description Awards Gala Winners

ACB's second annual Audio Description Awards Gala took place on November 29, 2022.  It celebrated outstanding achievements in audio description in media and expanded awareness of its benefits.  You can view the one-hour ceremony at www.ADAwardsGala.org and read the list of award winners.  Congratulations to all of them!  (Updated Nov 30)

ACVREP Certified Audio Describer Open Forum

On October 24, 2022, the Audio Description Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) held an online Open Forum discussion where Audio Description writers, especially those who are blind or have low vision, were asked to share their process in crafting description.  Using these links, you can listen to the forum or read a PDF of the forum proceedings.  (Updated Nov 22)

Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

The 96th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Thursday, November 24, airs on NBC from 9:00 to 12:00 PM ET with an encore presentation at 2:00 PM ET.  Live Audio Description will be provided by Descriptive Video Works.  Read the Parade Press Release.  (Posted Nov 22)

Do You Have What It Takes ...

... to coordinate all the activities of the Audio Description Project, from committees to vendors and everything in-between?!  This is a full-time position at the ACB which may be performed remotely and requires some evening and weekend work and occasional travel.  Sighted, blind, and low vision applicants are encouraged to apply. Read the job description.  Application deadline is December 1.  (Posted Nov 15)

Halloween Videos With AD

Each year we publish a list of scary movies for Halloween, but it's always the same list of old titles (see some titles in our Other AD list).  This year we are sharing Mac the Movie Guy's lists of titles (updated Oct 23).

• 10 Titles On Amazon With Audio Description To Frighten Prime Subscribers
• 10 Movies On Netflix With Audio Description To Scare you Silly This Halloween
• 10 Movies On Disney Plus With Audio Description To Make Your Halloween Not-So Scary
• 10 Titles On Paramount Plus With Audio Description To Make Your Halloween Scarier
• 10 Titles With Audio Description On Peacock To Make Your Halloween Spooky
• 10 Titles With Audio Description On Hulu To Make Your Halloween Spooky
• 10 Scary Titles On HBO MAX Right Now With Audio Description
  

AD for Live Theatre in Florida

Central Florida Audio Description Initiative was founded in 2021.  This year they have already provided audio description at 20 live theatre performances!  Read: Orlando's CFADI uses audio description to make live theater accessible to those with limited vision.  (Posted Oct 18)

REQUEST FOR INPUT - Certification for Audio Describers - OPEN FORUM ANNOUNCEMENT

If you are a writer of audio description, especially if you are blind or have low vision, the committee looking into certification of audio describers wants your input.  The deadline to request to speak has passed, but you can submit written comments through Oct 31.  To find out how to attend the open forum on Oct 24 at 4:30 PM EDT, follow this link to the Audio Describers Open Forum.  (Updated Oct 16)

Ways of Not Seeing

For some varying opinions on the quality and need for audio description, read this article from Art in America, where Georgina Kleege, a blind writer and UC Berkeley professor, expresses some controversial views on museum description, and then author Andrew Leland interviews four blind or low vision artists.  (Posted Oct 11)

Ways of Not Seeing

For some varying opinions on the quality and need for audio description, read this article from Art in America, where Georgina Kleege, a blind writer and UC Berkeley professor, expresses some controversial views on museum description, and then author Andrew Leland interviews four blind or low vision artists.  (Posted Oct 11)

Vibrant Verbal Description Tour: Air India

Every month, Poster House in NYC offers virtual Vibrant Verbal Description Tours via Zoom specifically for community members who are blind or have low vision.  Their tours allow you intimate access to the items in their current shows and permanent collection.  The next tour will focus on Air-India's Maharaja:  Advertising Gone Rogue, on view at Poster House through February 12, 2023.  Please email access@posterhouse.org or call (914) 295-2387 by October 15 to sign up for this event.  You will be emailed poster images for reference as well as information about accessing Zoom the morning of the virtual tour.  (Posted Oct 7)

VOTE for the 1st People's Choice AD Award

As part of the ACB's second annual Audio Description Awards Gala on November 29, we will be awarding one commercially available video movie or series with the first Audio Description People's Choice Award.  You can see the list of ten nominees at www.acb.org/2022-AD-Peoples-Choice, where you can cast your vote.  Voting ends Monday, October 10th at 11:59pm ET.  (Updated Oct 7)

Audio Description for the Insect Zoo

Supported by a grant from the Aid Association for the Blind of the District of Columbia, the Smithsonian Institution's "Insect Zoo" based at the National Museum of Natural History is now enhanced by audio description.  Read or listen to a described tour of the O. Orkin Insect Zoo, where visitors get to observe, learn about, and possibly even handle insects and other arthropods.  You will find the tour at the link above, and you can read more about this project.  (Posted Oct 5)

Chet Avery, Audio Description Pioneer
1937 - 2022

(Excerpted from Joel Snyder's post.) In the 1960s, Chet conceived of audio description as a formal process that could convey the visual images of theater performances to people who are blind or have low vision.  Chet wondered aloud if the "audio caption" idea (ASL, for people who are Deaf) could be employed using the same equipment – except with an individual voicing descriptions during the pauses between lines of dialogue and critical sound elements.  A fellow committee member was Margaret Rockwell, a blind woman with a PhD in Education. Margaret (later Margaret Pfanstiehl) founded The Metropolitan Washington Ear.  The Ear went on to build the world's first audio description service.  Visit Chet's Tribute Page, and also read these two essays by Chet's granddaughter addressing the value of audio description: Over the Rainbow and Through the Woods, and Now You're Talking.  (Updated Sep 20)

Queen's Funeral and Events Recording

The broadcasters at the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) are used to incorporating description into their commentary, so you may find this series of recordings to be quite satisfactory listening if you rely on audio description. The announcement, the King's Address, Services of Thanksgiving and the State Funeral.  (Posted Sep 20)

All Superfest Disability Film Festival Films to be Described

All 20 films at this year's Superfest Disability Film Festival will be audio described this year.  You may attend virtually and activate AD via the Eventive Media Player, or attend in person and listen via an app.  The virtual option begins at 12:01am PT on Thursday October 20 and lasts until 11:59pm PT on Sunday October 23.  See the Superfest Virtual Schedule information page.  (Posted Sep 9)

It's All About Audio Description!

The September 2022 ACB Braille Forum is all about audio description. Read "The Audio Description Project is Making a Difference," the case for "Audio Description at Every Performance," "Smart TV for Dummies," the ADP Achievement award and BADIE award winners, a preview of our fall Awards Gala, and more.  (Posted Sep 2)

US National Parks Service (NPS) Descriptathon

Once again the NPS is running its Descriptathon, the ninth this time, from October 18-20, during which dozens of audio describers will co-create an audio described Park brochure to be released at the end of the event.  140 National Parks have already benefited from the project.  The Descriptathon's approach is defined as, "A workshop that combines a hackathon, gamification studies, software training, Audio Description, and university-level pedagogy."  The details are extensive, so be sure to follow the link above to read all the details.  Feedback from participants has been excellent.  (Posted Aug 30)

Kim Charlson Receives Award for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership

The Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Awards honor a select few arts administrators, individuals and organizations whose dedication has resulted in the advancement of inclusion of people with disabilities in the cultural arts and whose efforts serve as an example to all in the field.  Kim Charlson, co-chair of the Audio Description Project, was selected out of a diverse pool of nominees to receive an Award for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership. This award recognizes a lifetime of achievement in arts access, and was presented to Kim for her avid championing of audio description and life-long accessibility advocacy. Read the full press release.  (Posted Aug 30)

The ACB Media "Tuesday Topic" Will Be Audio Description

Questions arising at last week's Tuesday Topics have lead to this week's show on ACB Media One from 7 to 9 PM Eastern on Tuesday, August 23.  Get information about podcasts on AD and more.  Here's the Zoom link:  https://acb-org.zoom.us/j/87991221181 (join by 6:45); or if you just want to listen, tune in to ACB Media 1 (with Alexa, say "Ask ABC Media to play Media 1").  There will be a repeat at 7 AM on Wednesday and at 6 AM and 6 PM on Sunday on ACB Media One.  (Posted Aug 21)

The Netflix Commitment to Accessibility

Earlier this year, Netflix held several "Accessibility Screenings" in several locations.  Described by one as "a grand peek behind the curtain at Netflix's accessibility efforts," the screening included an open-AD presentation of "The Gray Man."  The ACB's executive director Eric Bridges was there and is quoted in the following article:  With Accessible Movie Screenings, Netflix Pushes On Normalizing Entertainment Equality For All.  Note that we currently list nearly 2000 Netflix titles with English AD and over 1500 titles with Foreign AD (in the USA).  (Posted Aug 16)

Section 508 Subcommittee Report

What's the Committee been up to?

• Assisted in training 500 primarily state and federal employees on the value of audio description
• Gave feedback to several federal agencies on how their YouTube videos are not meeting section 508 requirements
• Successfully nominated the Centers for Disease Control and Office of the Associate Director for Communications for the first ADP Public Sector Award.

Read the full 508 Subcommittee report.  (Posted Jul 29)

James Webb Telescope Images With Alt Text

The first gallery of images from the James Webb telescope have been presented with very detailed alt-text for images.  If you have a screen reader, you should be hearing these descriptions as soon as you enter the web page. James Webb Telescope First Images Gallery.  You may also read the story behind the images.  (Posted Jul 22)

Performing Arts, Museums, and Parks Subcommittee Report

What's the Committee been up to?

• Advocating with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum leadership regarding integration of AD
• Researching audio described cruise ship entertainment
• Consulting with the U.S. National Park Service to make its online brochures more accessible

Read the full Subcommittee report.  (Posted Jul 19)

Next ADP Audio Description Institute is Almost Sold Out

If you want to learn how to become an audio describer and/or understand what is involved in audio description, the next Audio Description Institute is August 8-12, 2022, 1 - 5 pm each afternoon, and will be held virtually. See the ADI Announcement for details and to register.  Registration closes July 29.  (Updated Jul 19)

ADP Conference July 1-8 Agenda

This year's ADP Conference will be held as usual in conjunction with the annual ACB Conference.  You may attend in person in Omaha, Nebraska, or virtually via Zoom.  You will find full information on our Conferences page, including a pointer to the full agenda and how to register.  Here are our sessions:  (Updated May 31)

• Panel Presentation: Audio Description, "Nothing About Us Without Us": Blind Consultants, Voiceover Talent, and Production Professionals Involved in Creating AD
• Panel Presentation: Audio Description Update on TV Broadcast and Cable Networks and the CVAA
• Panel Presentation: Self Description: Too Much or Just Enough - Blind Community Perspectives
• A Day in the Life of an Audio Engineer/Describer
• ADP Awards Presentation
• Take a Walk in the Park: Get Up and Get Moving as You Explore our Midwest National Parks through the National Parks Service's Healthy Parks, Healthy People Program
• Update and Audio Describe Your Profile Photo (on-site only)
• Get to Know More About the 2022 Audio Description Project Award Winners
• Brett Oppegaard, The UniDescription Project  (ACB General Session)

ACB Announces 2022 Audio Description Award Recipients

The following awards were presented on July 4 during ACB's 61st annual conference and convention.

• Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts/Individual: Maryfrances Evans, Executive Director, Iowa Radio Reading Information Service, Des Moines, IA
• Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts/Organization: Prime Stage Theatre with Nathan Ruggles, Audio Describer, Pittsburgh, PA
• Achievement in Audio Description — Media/Individual: Norma Jean Wick and Tony Ambrosio, Descriptive Video Works, Ontario, Canada
• Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Individual: Holly Griesemer, Management and Program Analyst, National Park Service Midwest Region/Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance and Accessibility Programs, Omaha, NE
• Achievement in Audio Description — Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers/Organization: Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
• Achievement in Audio Description — International: World Blind Union, Toronto, Canada
• Achievement in Audio Description — Public Sector: Centers for Disease Control Accessibility Program and Office of the Associate Director for Communications, Atlanta, GA
• Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award for Research and Development — Audio Description: Dr. Elisa Perego and Dr. Christopher Taylor, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
• Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description:  Mark Turits, Vice President, Captioning and Audio Description/Access Services, Paramount Global, New York, NY

Read the Awards Press Release.  (Updated Jul 12)

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular to be Audio Described

According to an NBC Press Release, the two-hour show will be audio described on Monday, July 4 from 8-10 PM EDT on NBC and will stream on Peacock.  An encore presentation will follow from 10-11 PM ET/PT on NBC.  (Posted Jun 29)

Audio Description for the Tony Awards

For the first time, CBS, The Broadway League, and the American Theatre Wing will broaden access to THE 75TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS® by providing audio description for the live telecast.  The broadcast will take place Sunday, June 12 (8:00-11:00 PM Eastern) on CBS and Paramount+.  Premium users of Paramount+ will have access simultaneously, while all users will have access on-demand starting Monday.  Read the CBS Press Release.  (Posted Jun 10)

Vudu Now Listing Titles With AD

The transactional streaming service Vudu is now listing a few titles with audio description for rent or purchase.  Because they have indicated to us that they plan to request AD tracks from vendors from now on, we have integrated them into our service.  You can view the titles on our new Vudu AD page.  (Updated Jun 19)

Webinar: Audio Description on the Rise.
Why Everyone is Doing it and You Should, Too!

Vitac held the subject webinar on June 1, 2022, and has kindly published a video of it.  Learn what audio description is, how it's created, and how it's being used, as well as how audio description can benefit all audiences.  This recorded webinar features information from Dr. Joel Snyder, Audio Describer, and Carl Richardson, ADA Coordinator/504/Diversity Officer; details on what's involved in producing audio description; highlights of what consumers want in their audio described programs; and provides updates on audio description regulations and requirements.  Watch the Vitac Webinar.  (Posted Jun 7)

The ADNA Presents: Volume I: Know Your Narrator

The ADNA (Audio Description Network Alliance), run by voice-over artist Roy Samuelson, has released its first compendium of its popular Know Your Narrator podcast.  Enjoy more than a dozen interviews with AD Narrators.  There's even a Kindle version available.  Visit: The ADNA Presents: Volume I: Know Your Narrator.  (Posted Jun 7)

Audio Description at Every Performance

In April 2022, Dr. Joel Snyder, ADP Founder and Senior Consultant, presented a paper in Belgium and Italy that focused on increasing the availability of audio description for theatrical presentations.  "The current practice of offering audio description at one or two performances in the run of a show was established over 40 years ago; it has never represented equity and in my opinion can no longer be tolerated." Read his paper to learn more about the history of audio description and Joel's views on how it must change!  The Audio Describer As Cast Member: Audio Description At Every Performance.  (Posted May 31)

The Routledge Handbook of Audio Description

The Routledge Handbook of Audio Description is now available in hardcopy and eBook, including Kindle and BookShare.  In 38 chapters written by industry experts (including Joel Snyder and his wife), it "provides a comprehensive overview of the expanding field of audio description" in all fields.  (Updated May 20)

Colleen Connor: Audio Description Advocacy Icon

Recently, Bold Blind Beauty ran an article on Colleen Connor, the owner of Audio Description Training Retreats (ADTR).  You can learn about her background in a DC museum, rewriting the audio described tour of the museum, and how this lead to her co-ownership of ADTR, of which she is now the sole proprietor. Read the article about Colleen.  (Posted May 17)

Adventures in Audio Description

Adventures in Audio Description is a new article on the American Printing House for the Blind website.  Among other things, it points out that AD is not just for people who are blind.  (We agree!  See our article, The Advantages of Audio Description for People Who Are NOT Blind!)  (Posted May 6)

Annual ADP Achievement Awards

It's that time again, time to honor those who have excelled in making audio description both better and more available.  Please nominate an individual or organization for any of the following awards:

• Achievement in Audio Description, separately for Individuals or Organizations
  • Performing Arts
  • Museums, Visual Art, Visitor Center
• Achievement in Audio Description - Media, Individual*
• Achievement in Audio Description - Public Sector/Government agencies-federal, state, local
• Achievement in Audio Description - International
• Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl Memorial Award in Audio Description - Research and Development
• Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description

(* The Media award for Organizations will be given at the Fall Audio Description Gala.)  The call for nominations extended until Sunday, May 15, 2022.  Read the full Awards announcement.  You can submit nominations online or in text.  (Updated Apr 29)

Addressing Fashion in Audio Description

Any audio describer will tell you there is never enough time to properly describe a show, so compromises have to be made.  But sometimes describers may not realize what may be important, or more important, to blind listeners.  This article, Blind and Low-Vision Viewers Care About Screen Style — So Why Does Audio Description Skip It?, presents the arguments:

• Characters' outfits are rarely viewed as important enough to describe
• What a character is wearing really informs a lot about who they are
• Fashion descriptions ... need an upgrade
• There should be a knowledge of fashion, even if it's just having an understanding of the fashion vocabulary
• It's important for blind and visually impaired people to have access to knowing what the current trends are.

Something for all of us describers to think about!  (Posted Apr 26)

Social Audio Description

Social Audio Description is an entirely remote audio description collective that describes many digital productions.  Their focus is independent media and promotional trailers (view a sample), but they have described educational webinars and music videos for bands too.  They describe for the world as it is, taking special care to describe race, ethnicity, and cultural aspects.  They also often hire Blind and visually impaired audio description writers, video editors, narrators, and quality control advisors.  Social Audio Description champions diversity and the human voice, and many of their team members are Blind, LGBTQ+, and nonwhite.  (Posted Apr 15)

Best Picture Nominations

The following movies, all of which now have AD tracks, were nominated for Best Picture Oscar.  (Updated Apr 15)

• Belfast:  DVD, Google Play, iTunes, Prime Video *Best Original Screenplay*
• CODA:  Apple TV+ *Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor*
• Don't Look Up:  Netflix
• Drive My Car:  HBO Max *Best International Feature*
• Dune:  DVD, HBO Max, Prime Video *Most Awarded*
• King Richard:  DVD, HBO Max, Prime Video *Best Actor*
• Licorice Pizza:  Cinema, iTunes, Prime Video
• Nightmare Alley:  DVD, HBO Max, iTunes, Prime Video
• The Power of the Dog:  Netflix *Best Director*
• West Side Story:  DVD, Disney+, HBO Max, iTunes, Prime Video *Best Supporting Actress*
  

Grammy Awards to be Audio Described

CBS has announced that this Sunday's Grammy Awards will be the first-ever live event audio described by the network.  The Grammys begins at 8:30 pm EDT.  Read the CBS Press Release.  (Posted Apr 1)

FCC Online Forum on Audio Description

The FCC held a Video Programming Accessibility Forum - Online Audio Description on Monday, March 28.  The Forum explored the state of audio description availability for online video programming, including best practices and technical issues, and also how to enhance accessibility, such as voluntary actions to promote online audio description.  You can now watch and listen to the forum on YouTube.  (Updated Mar 29)

ACB Commends CBS on Expanding Description

CBS now offers AD with nearly all of its regularly scheduled scripted primetime programs (in addition to posting shows on Paramount+ and CBS.com with AD).  CBS recently added AD to seven primetime series:  Bull, Ghosts, United States of Al, S.W.A.T., Good Sam, Magnum P.I., and Undercover Boss. Read the ACB Press Release.  (Posted Mar 24)

The Paralympics Are Audio Described

WHAT:  Opening and Closing Ceremonies and all events
WHERE:  NBC, Peacock (Premium), NBCOlympics.com (must have provider sign-in), and NBC Sports Apps.
WHEN:  March 4-13.
AD BY:  Descriptive Video Works
DETAILS:  Read our 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Q&A.

A Change in Our Listings of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs

Back in 2003 when this site was started and continuing through 2012, about all we had to announce with audio description was DVDs.  Now, the vast majority of described programming is on streaming services.  And yet we've been giving DVDs the same amount of emphasis that we did back then.  So to both cut down on manual workload and treat DVDs similarly to other services, we are redoing how we present DVDs to you.  We will not take away all the by-year listings prior to 2022 with their detail of DVD cover, actors, studio, and plot, but we will no longer be recording that level of detail.  Your access to ALL aspects of DVDS (Current Year, Last Year, All Years, Children's DVDs, By-Rating, and By-Genre listings) will be through one revised DVDs page in the navigation area.  The Current Year list will begin with the most recent offerings, just as we do for other services; so if you are a DVD fan, look there from now on for newly-issued DVDs.   By popular request, we will continue with abbreviated listings of new DVDs on this page.  (Updated Feb 4)

Audio Descriptions Make Conventions More Accessible to Blind and Visually Impaired

For three years now, Jehovah's Witnesses have been including audio description in their extensive collection of conference videos.  "The continued production of the audio descriptions is part of the ongoing efforts of Jehovah's Witnesses to make spiritual food readily accessible to the world's estimated 43 million people who are blind and 295 million people who are visually impaired."  Their approach is interesting:  "When considering a segment of the convention, the Witnesses' team initially listens to the audio only, without seeing the video portion, mimicking the experience of someone who is blind or visually impaired." Read the JW story about AD.  (Posted Feb 4)

Podcast:  Subtitles for the Blind

Want to hear a great podcast, very professionally produced?  David Pogue has produced a 49 minute podcast covering the history of audio description, lots of samples, problems and solutions, and a nice pointer back to this website!   Well worth your time.  Listen to Subtitles for the Blind or read the transcript.  (Updated Jan 26)

RIP:  Miles Neff, AD Voiceover Artist Extraordinaire

When it comes to the history of professional voiceover artists who excelled at audio description, it will be hard to beat Miles Neff.  Miles narrated nearly 1500 movies or TV series episodes from 2000 to 2015 for WGBH Media Access Group.  His distinctive baritone was always nuanced to the action on screen.  When the car chase or fight began, he would put you right there with the action, but never to dominate it.  He set the bar for those to follow.  You may not have known his name, but you would surely recognize his voice.  Miles died on October 8, 2021.  (A remembrance by Fred Brack; Posted Jan 25)

Deadline for BADIE 2022 Contest Extended!

Once again, the Audio Description Project and the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) are co-sponsoring an exciting opportunity for blind and visually impaired young people, ages 7 to 21:  the Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE) contest.  Young people choose an audio-described film or video from the more than 6,000 educational titles available through DCMP - visit www.dcmp.org.  They watch the film, then write an evaluation of its audio description, commenting on the extent to which the description enhanced or detracted from their experience with the film.

Contest winners receive first, second, and third place prizes, and the grand prize winner is awarded an iPad Mini and the chance to read his/her winning essay at the ACB's National Conference and Convention. Teachers of first place winners also receive prizes.

To register for the contest, find guidelines and prize information, learn how audio description is created, and get tips for writing a good review, visit www.badiecontest.org.  The deadline for contest entries is February 21, 2022, and winners will be notified in late March of 2022.  (Updated Jan 11)

Year-End 2021 Webmaster Report

The number of audio described titles we list on the ADP website grew dramatically during 2021.  In January, we hit 5000; and now at the end of December, we have almost reached 7000, a nearly 40% increase!  The key reasons for the increase were:

• The addition of two new streaming services with AD:  HBO Max and Peacock
• The addition of titles from the Google Play Store
• The conversion of CBS All Access to Paramount+, and their increase in described titles
• With cinemas reopening, those titles added to the list also
• Prime Video added 500 new titles for predominantly older movies and series all at once, though the fact that they had their description voiced via Text-To-Speech was not without controversy.

During the year, 129 movies with AD made it to cinemas as they reopened.   42% of the 106 now out of the cinemas made it to DVD, though some more may come in 2022.

125 DVDs with AD tracks were releaseShout! Factory described about 60% of theirs.  Sony and Paramount hit 40%, while Lionsgate brought up the rear as usual with 13% of their 70 DVDs (the highest number of total DVDs by far for all studios).  On the other hand, RLJ Entertainment dba Image Entertainment released 25 DVDs, none of which had AD.

New user options were added to the website during the year:

• USA AD Service Providers were made available by categories, plus Search by name
• A search of titles on the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) website was added to our own Search page for described titles
• Weekly updates of all new AD offerings by service were mailed to the ADP Email Discussion List and made available online, sorted by service
• We added a page of older (pre-2000) movies with AD, sortable by Vendor or Decade
• Several streaming service listings were updated to include year of release and to allow users to display titles by year
• Listings were updated to allow the user to display Series and Movies separately (that was a user suggestion)
• The TV By Network page was enhanced to include more information, like shows currently active, last seen dates, and comments
• New TV Networks were added to both the Daily and By Network page:  E!, Hallmark, and TLC.
• We started posting Website Tips.

Internal website work included the move to new servers, which changed our external URL; some color and white space changes to align better with the ACB website; working with several streaming vendors to get weekly listings directly from them rather than having to search on our own; and eliminating over 50 separately maintained pages by automating programming and using a common web page to display results.

What's ahead for next year? We'll see what the proposed merger of HBO Max and discovery+ brings; and we have heard that two more streaming services will be adding audio described titles. The ACB is approaching a third service to urge them to add AD titles, too.

Finally, I would like to thank my associates who contribute to the website:

• Vicki Vogt from Perkins Library, who supplies the weekly Cinema data
• Timothy Wynn, who curates the daily TV listings (that's a LOT of work!)
• Serina Gilbert, who has taken over as Social Media Coordinator, promoting all new website content

Fred Brack, ADP Webmaster, 12/31/21

SOVAS

SOVAS, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, included 3 categories of audio description narration (voiceovers) for the first time this year, and the winners were announced Sunday December 19 as follows:

• OUTSTANDING AUDIO DESCRIPTION - TV OR FILM - BEST VOICE ACTOR: Chris Snyder for his voicing of the audio description for Imagination Videobooks' "Jenny Noon the Girl on the Moon"
• OUTSTANDING AUDIO DESCRIPTION - THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE - BEST VOICE ACTOR:  Bridget Melton for "Duchess! Duchess! Duchess!", Steppenwolf Theatre (Bridget also wrote the AD script.)
• OUTSTANDING AUDIO DESCRIPTION - MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL SITES - BEST VOICE ACTOR:  Ben McAuley for his voicing of audio description at the Pochet du Courval Glass Museum

Congratulations!  You can also listen to the 7-minute audio description presentation. (Posted 12/21/21)

A Midsummer Night's Dream FREE Audio Described Broadcast Ballet

Following the success and feedback from their previous digital audio described broadcast events, this week you'll be able to experience this spectacular ballet in the comfort of your own living room.

The RNZB in collaboration with Audio Described Aotearoa is delighted to present a FREE audio described live broadcast of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The performance lasts 110 minutes, plus 10 minutes of exclusive behind the scenes content.  This broadcast features the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra recording from 2015.  You must sign up to watch, and the times are 4pm EST Wednesday Dec 8 through 7am Saturday Dec 11.  (Posted Dec 5)

ADP Section 508 Subcommittee Report

The Audio Description Project is guided by a Steering Committee and six subcommittees.  Periodically we offer reports of subcommittee activity.  This report was submitted by Committee Chair Patrick Sheehan.

The Section 508 subcommittee of the Audio Description Project (ADP) has focused on three tracks concurrently in the first half of 2021. These are education, acquisition and AD training from the AD Institute. In the spring of 2021 members of the 508 ADP presented to GSA's bi-monthly 508 meeting promoting the use of AD as either a Reasonable Accommodation (Section 501) or as part of general program access (Section 504). Although the technical standards for implementing AD in the federal government are clear (Section 508) it is sometimes difficult to know when AD is considered a reasonable accommodation or a program requirement. Knowing what has to be done sometimes is easier then figuring out who is responsible for incorporating AD into multimedia projects. This work is ongoing in the federal sector with agencies having differing levels of maturity of AD programs within their agencies.

The 508 subcommittee completed its Vendor Capability Survey and mailed this out to around 120 commercial AD vendors in July. This survey serves two purposes one is to draw attention to the federal sector as an opportunity for commercial AD vendors to apply their expertise. This survey also serves as one step in the market research process that agency procurement officials can use as part of their acquisition strategy for future procurements. The 508 subcommittee is eager to demonstrate to the 508 community that there are an abundant of vendors who can do this kind of work and it will not break the bank.

Lastly, members of federal agencies have enrolled in the Audio Description Institute which met virtually in March this year. The reaction of video and multimedia producers to the training has been very positive. They were unaware of the rigor that is part of the AD process and were surprised at its application in television, movies, theaters and museums. The media producers all agreed that having both the technical producers of AD and consumers as part of this training was worthwhile and very informative. (Posted Dec 3)

American Council of the Blind
Salutes Audio Descriptions Award Winners

In its inaugural year, the Audio Description Awards Gala honored significant achievements that paved the way for creating the Audio Description standard, as well as recognized the best of television, streaming, and the film industry's commitment to accessible media via audio description.  In a one-hour broadcast on November 18th, eight individuals and organizations were honored.   Rewatch the video!  You will find all the honorees in our Press Release on AD Award Winners.  And please use this opportunity to DONATE to the ACB on behalf of the ADP.  (Updated Nov 21)

TV Series Described on CBS

The story of described shows on CBS is a little complicated, which is why we are listing them in this article.  At the end of the 2020-2021 season, CBS starting adding description to quite a number of series (thank you CBS!) -- but not on network TV.  Instead, the description was only available "on demand" via the fee streaming service Paramount+, the free CBS app, or at cbs.com.  And now in the fall of 2021, while all of the series still have description, only one has moved over to CBS TV with description, and one has left CBS TV to only be available on Paramount+!  Subject to change, here is the current list, with the hopes that the "On Demand" titles will be carried on TV soon with description.  Bold titles are available on TV and streaming.  (Updated Nov 16)

• B Positive
• Blue Bloods
• Bob Hearts Abishola
• Bull (On Demand)
• CSI: Vegas
• FBI: International (On Demand, some episodes)
• Ghosts (On Demand)
• Magnum P.I. (On Demand)
• NCIS
• NCIS: Hawai'i
• NCIS: Los Angeles
• S.W.A.T. (On Demand)
• SEAL Team (Moved to Paramount+ Nov 1)
• Survivor (On Demand)
• The Equalizer
• The Neighborhood
• Tough as Nails (On Demand)
• United States of Al (On Demand)
• Young Sheldon
  

ACB Resolutions re Audio Description

Each year at the ACB Convention, various people and committees urge the ACB Board to adopt resolutions affecting people with vision impairment.  The Board has just acted on this year's proposed resolutions, and these particular ones concern audio description (posted Nov 2)

• Resolution 2021-11 - PBS Audio Descriptive Content
• Resolution 2021-22 - Text-to-Speech and the Voicing of Audio Description

Audio Description in Spanish

At the present time, we list some titles with audio description in Spanish for three different streaming services.  (Posted Nov 2)

• Netflix:  158 in LatAm Spanish, 118 in Spain Spanish (separate page)
• Disney+:  4 titles (search for Spanish in Foreign Language AD section at bottom of page)
• Hulu:  2 titles (search for Spanish in main listing)

Described Documentaries on discovery+

The fee ($5-$7/mo) streaming service discovery+ does not support audio description of its titles in general, which is why we don't list them in navigation.  However, discovery+ has just released two titles with audio description:  Crutch and Introducing, Selma Blair (both documentaries about people with disabilities) ... but you have to know where to find them!  They are separate videos in the "Extras" category of the two main titles.  We link to them directly in this article and also via our Other Media navigation link.  (Posted Oct 26)

FYI:  Streaming Service Costs

Here is a list of subscription streaming services supporting audio description.  (iTunes and Google Play are not subscription services.)  Prices are listed low-to-high as of Oct '21, followed by the number of described titles that we list for them on this website.

• Peacock: $0/mo (over 70)
• Apple TV+: $5/mo (over 80)
• Paramount+: $5/mo (over 160)
• Hulu: $6/mo (over 180)
• Disney+: $8/mo (over 760)
• Netflix: $9/mo (over 1700)
• Prime Video: $9/mo (over 3000)
• HBO Max: $15/mo no ads (over 360) - $100/year w/ads

All prices above are rounded up by 1 cent!  Sometimes you can prepay for a year of service and get a couple of months "free."  Since these are base prices, paying more money for some of the services will get you additional simultaneous streams, or higher quality video, or more content, or fewer/no ads -- or some combination.  Six of the services have "free" options; see our Streaming page for details.  (Updated Oct 26)

SOVAS 2021 Awards Include Blind and Sighted AD Narrators

SOVAS, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, is including 3 categories of audio description narration (voiceovers) for the first time, and the nominees include both blind and sighted voice talents.  Many of you will recognize some of the names -- Roy Samuelson, Joel Snyder, Chris Snyder, Tansy Alexander -- and we congratulate all the nominees and wish them good luck on December 19th!  Read the nominations.  (Posted Oct 19)

The ADP Performing Arts, Museums and Parks Sub-Committee Report

The Audio Description Project is guided by a Steering Committee and six subcommittees.  Periodically we offer reports of subcommittee activity.  This report was submitted by Committee Chair Sheila Young.

We on the ACB/ADP Performing Arts, Museums and Parks subcommittee have had a busy productive spring and summer filled with exciting national Audio Description Project outreach engagements.  These activities have included conducting presentations at the American Alliance of Museums and the ACB's annual national conference on the importance of providing high quality professional audio description of media/theater/exhibits to their constituents with low vision/blindness.  One of our ACB conference sessions featured a dynamic expert panel discussion on best practices for audio describers when describing an individual's race, gender and or disability.

Our subcommittee members are also initiating collaborations with our colleagues at several US presidential libraries to expand their audio described exhibit offerings.  Additionally, we are embarking on an advocacy partnership with accessible theater activist Mark Lasser, to ensure the availability of live audio description throughout New York City's network of Broadway Theaters.  Many of our members as well are in the midst of preparing to return as volunteer audio describers and consultants in October at Descriptathon 8, a program co-sponsored by the University of Hawaii Communications Department and the US National Park Service, to create audio described national park brochures for park guests with low vision/blindness.  (Posted Oct 19)

Old Movies, Now Audio Described

Each of the major streaming service offers some really old movies which now have retrofitted audio description tracks.  While some of the tracks are TTS (Text-To-Speech, synthesized voice), most are not.  The oldest movie is from 1928!

We have built a special interface to pull out those old movies for you, first by service, but with options to list by decade.  Visit our new Older Audio Described Movies by Streaming Service page.  (This link is also at the top of the main page and on the Master AD List.)  How far back does your streaming service go?  Here are the oldest films for each service.  (Posted Oct 12)

• Apple TV+:  A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
• Disney:  Steamboat Willie (1928)
• HBO Max: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• Hulu:  The X-Files TV Series( 1993)
• iTunes:  Grand Hotel (1932)
• Paramount+:  The Elephant Man (1980)
• Peacock:  The Sixth Sense (1999)
• Prime Video:  Our Town and His Girl Friday (1940)
• Netflix (not available yet)

Milestone:  All 180 Episodes of Seinfeld Description Voiced by Satauna Howery

There's no doubt about it:  Seinfeld was one of the most popular TV series ever; but of course it didn't have audio description.  But now it does!  And all 180 episodes have been voiced by "our own" Satauna Howery, a member of the ADP Media Committee and a very experienced (blind) voiceover artist.  Listen to the story behind the recording, and start watching Seinfeld with AD on Netflix!  (Posted Oct 1)

Webinar:  The Rapid Expansion of Audio Described Content Providers and Subscribers

If you missed the webinar, the feedback was good, and you can now watch the webinar online.  A text transcript is also available.  (Posted Sep 28)

Remembering Elizabeth Kahn

In 2009-2010, we had a page honoring Audio Description Advocates.  The last one we honored was Elizabeth Kahn of Cary, NC.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth passed away unexpectedly last week after a short illness.  We want to take a moment to honor her contributions to audio description via this updated version of our 2010 comments.

In 1992 when the executive director of Arts Access of Raleigh, NC, invited Elizabeth Kahn to audition to be an audio describer, she knew this was a marriage made in heaven.  Born with a severe vision impairment - fortunately improved with several eye operations - Elizabeth grew up in New York City, the daughter of a music and arts critic.  She got to attend theater, concerts, opera and ballet for free from the best seats in the house.  Unfortunately, even in the best seats she could only take in the big picture; details, like facial expressions and props, were beyond her.

Elizabeth was able to benefit from her broad cultural and academic background and her experience with low vision to serve both as a describer/trainer and advocate for making the arts accessible for people with blindness and low vision.  She was a musician with a Ph.D. in music history and comparative literature.  She was a founder of the Classical Voice of NC, who posted a wonderful tribute to her.  She was particularly interested in developing strategies and techniques for describing opera, musical theater and dance, and contributed significantly to Dr. Joel Snyder's book, "The Visual Made Verbal" in the section where he discusses Opera.  Elizabeth noted, "There are numerous challenges when it comes to describing with music because that's what people come to hear.  No one wants a describer yakking in their ear non-stop, even when it might mean missing some visual details."

The longest-serving member of the board of Arts Access, Elizabeth trained several generations of local describers, as well as groups in the Carolinas and Maryland.  When the Captioned Media Program suddenly needed to include description for its K-12 videos, Elizabeth started Bill Stark and his team on its way.  She also worked as a describer and sighted guide for members of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and became an audio-describing docent for the NC Museum of Art.  She will be missed.

Fred Brack and Joel Snyder, 9/28/21

Our New Look

Sighted and low vision users may note our "new look," with increased white space in response to a growing trend in website design.  There are also some small color changes and a few other layout updates.  (Posted Sep 21)

New Website Feature:  New AD Titles

Each Friday we have been sending out an update to our Email Discussion List of all the videos with AD released in the previous week.  The response has been positive, so we are now offering this information online, right here.  If you follow the link at the top of this page or on the Master AD List to See the latest updates, we'll show you whatever new shows have been released in the 10 days prior to our latest updates.  (We generally update on Tuesdays and Fridays.)  You can click a button (link) to see only your specific streaming service or category of interest, or you can read through the entire list.  The list includes current Cinema, DVDs, TV Series, and nine streaming services.  (Posted Sep 14)

The ADP Discussion List
Did You Get Dropped?

We recently discovered that in late June, over 40 people were dropped from the ADP Email Discussion List because "the system" determined that their emails were no longer valid.  Regardless of whether or not this was a mistake or true, we invite you (and anyone else who would like to join us) to (re)enroll in the Discussion List (just send a blank email).  For more information, read about the Discussion List on the About Us page.  (Posted Aug 27)

Audio Description for the Paralympics

NBC will be providing audio description on the SAP channel for all broadcast programming of the Paralympics, including those aired outside primetime hours, from August 24 through September 5.  Some of the broadcasts will be on NBC, some on NBCSN (Sports Network), and some on OC (the Olympic Channel).  The details will be in our daily TV listing.    Read the ADP Q&A on How to Access AD for the Paralympics and the Schedule from NBC.  (Updated Aug 24)

Audio Description: How Blind People Watch TV

The Television Academy's The Emmys recently featured the title presentation at an online event for members, but the presentation has now been made available to all on their website.  Moderated by AD narrator Roy Samuelson, the show features four panelists from the Media Access Group, Apple, AFB, and a podcast host.  Enjoy!  Audio Description: How Blind People Watch TV.  (Posted Aug 21)

The Vale: An Audio-Based Game

The Vale: Shadow of the Crown, an audio-based adventure game by indie studio Falling Squirrel, is now available on Xbox and PCs.  The game was developed in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and made for and tested by blind and low-vision players.  If you want to navigate a medieval setting as the young lady Alex, the blind second heir to a kingdom, check out this article:  Xbox game The Vale transports you to a medieval world through sound.  (Posted Aug 20)

ADP Conference Recordings Available

We had a great Conference via Zoom this year, where we offered ten presentations plus two audio described commercial video presentations as part of the ACB's virtual Convention.  Visit our Conference page where you will find a pointer to the 2021 ADP Conference Recordings as well the full list of winners of ADP Achievement Awards.  (Updated Aug 20)

Seeing for Blind Audiences

That's the title of an article on The Emmys' website.  The subtitle is, "For blind consumers of entertainment, Audio Description completes the experience."  Of course we all know that, but exposing visitors to The Emmy's website to the concepts is surely a positive step!  The writer interviewed voice artist and audio description evangelist Roy Samuelson plus voice artist Satauna Howery, who happens to be blind (and a member of the ADP Media Committee).  Both of them discuss how they got into voicing audio description and the process behind it.  Read: Seeing for Blind Audiences.  (Posted Aug 13)

New Website Feature
by Fred Brack, Webmaster

During my presentation on the ADP website during the recent ACB/ADP Conference, someone named Bob asked if I could add an option to only show series or movies for Netflix.  I had never thought about doing that, and it seemed like a good idea.  One thing lead to another, and I have changed the entire method of offering refinements of the various streaming services' listing of titles with AD!  Here are the features and advantages:

• For the sighted, large buttons replace text links.
• You can now refine each list of streaming titles by just movies or series.
• Depending on the option selected, titles are indexed by first letter, year of release, ratings, or genres (clickable links to move within the lists); and for screen reader users, the counts within subcategories are now correct.
• You will now be able to see all of a vendor's minor genres (like Arts, Westerns, or LGBTQ) rather than me lumping them under "Other."
• From a site maintenance perspective, this change eliminates around 60 files from the website and eliminates almost all of the reprogramming to add these features for additional vendors.

Questions, comments, problems?  Write the webmaster via the link at the bottom of each page.  (Posted Aug 10)

Audio Description for the Olympics
AND the Paralympics

NBC will be providing audio description on the SAP channel for all Olympic competitions aired during primetime hours, plus the opening and closing ceremonies on July 23 and August 8.  LISTEN Sunday, August 8th on ACB Media 1 at 8 pm EST to the live NBC broadcast of the Olympic Closing Ceremonies with audio description.  For the Paralympics, audio description will be provided for all broadcast programming, including those aired outside primetime hours, from August 24 through September 5. Read the NBC Press Release.  (Updated Aug 6)

AT&T TV Becomes DirecTV Stream

In yet another name change, AT&T's streaming service, rolled out in the fall of 2019, is becoming DirecTV Stream (read the press release).  It was AT&T TV, and before that, DirecTV, U-Verse TV, AT&T Now, and AT&T Watch TV.  DirecTV has been established as a separate video company for all of AT&T's former video businesses (including DirecTV and U-verse) except HBO Max (which is spinning off separately).  No action is required for existing users.  (Posted Aug 6)

ADP Achievement Award Winners

The winners of this year's ADP Audio Description Achievement Awards have been announced. Read the full list of winners and see The Audio Description Honor Roll (which includes this year's winners).  (Posted Jul 22)

AD Is Going To The Voice Arts Awards

SOVAS (Society of Voice Arts and Sciences) has added a category for Audio Description Voiceovers to its award program. Watch this video about the awards.  (Posted Jul 6)

World Blindness Summit June 25-30

On June 29, Dr. Joel Snyder, founder of and senior consultant to the Audio Description Project will lead a virtual 90-minute session for the 2021 General Assembly of the World Blind Union:   "Audio Description Around The Globe".  In November 2018, the World Blind Union and the American Council of the Blind released its "Survey of Worldwide Audio Description Activity" revealing for the first time the extent of audio description activity in various genres around the world.  The session will review the results of that report and brings together leaders in audio description from nine countries to discuss the extent to which audio description has become a meaningful method for improving access to the arts and other events:  Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Also this summer, the WBU, in conjunction with the ACB, will release the Spanish edition of Dr. Snyder's book The Visual Made Verbal: A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description.  Be certain to join the WBU for this important session on Tuesday, June 29 at 10:30 am, EDT. Access to all General Assembly sessions is free; register for the Assembly and find more information.  (Updated Jun 22)

  Now available, audio and video of the event at https://youtu.be/E2NXpm8BQW8. 

Describers Talk the Talk,
So Help Us Walk the Walk!
(Hint: We need a little more help...)

Support the Audio Description Project by a donation to our team, The Describers, participating in the ACB's annual fund-raiser, the Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk on July 18.  You can register an individual or team member and/or make a donation at our Walk-A-Thon Team Page.  We would like to bust through the top of that "thermometer" measuring our progress towards our goal!  Will you help?  (Updated June 25)

Two New Sources for Audio Described Titles

On June 8th we introduced two new listings of audio described titles:  (NBC's) Peacock streaming service and the Google Play Store.  Peacock jumped from one title to 11 this week, so we consider them "in the game" now and are giving them their own page, even though the list is short to start.  We have known about the Google Play Store for some time and are now giving them their own page, also.  You will find the links in our Navigation area on each website page.  (Updated Jun 10)

Announcing:  Audio Description Gala

The American Council of the Blind proudly announces the inaugural launch of the ACB Audio Description (AD) Awards Gala on October 21, 2021.  The AD Gala will celebrate audio description through recognition of leaders in the industry and by expanding awareness of the benefits of audio description.  For more information, please read the press release on the AD Gala.  (Posted Jun 4)

Commentary on Streaming Services
by Fred Brack, Webmaster

As webmaster, I spend most of my time tracking and organizing the more than 6,000 audio described video titles available on twelve different media and services; but most of those titles are on eight streaming services, so let's talk about the services.  The numbers in parentheses are the number of titles with AD they offer as of June 8, 2021.

• Apple TV+ (66) is unique in that it was created with the intent of providing 100% Apple TV+ originals, all audio described in nine languages on day one.  Naturally, this means fewer titles than the other services, but a guarantee that everything will have AD.  A few non-Apple titles have appeared (Charlie Brown movies), but they all have description.
• Disney+ (710) has a huge library to draw on (including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars) and is exceptionally popular with parents, as they have no adult-rated (R or TV-MA) programming.  In addition, Disney has been adding description to older titles that didn't have it, all the way back to 1928!
• Google Play Store (45) is new to our website and offers AD for movies.
• HBO Max (255) is our newest streaming service with AD.  It's off to a good start, though there are some startup problems, like shows with missing or faulty AD.  We try to identify problems for you.  They have a nice listing of audio described titles by movies, series, originals, etc.  Watch our listing for pull dates.
• Hulu (122): Despite the settlement agreement reached with the ACB in October 2018, Hulu (owned mostly by Disney) has been slow to pickup audio description tracks for movies and TV series they license.  The ACB continues to negotiate with them.
• iTunes (1594) has been easy to work with and gives us a reliable listing of titles with AD each week.  Unlike the other services, the titles are all movies.
• Netflix (1600) retains its title as the dominant streaming service, but it is being challenged (according to the analysts) by Disney and HBO Max. Their number of AD titles is neck-and-neck with iTunes.
• Paramount+ (58) grew out of CBS All Access and has been adding titles with some regularity, though AD is missing from many movies.  Notable is the fact that they have added AD to eight CBS series which are not described on CBS TV; and if you have an ad-free subscription, you can watch all the CBS shows with description (and more) without advertisements. (You can also watch them for free, with ads, on the new CBS app.)
• Peacock (12) began offering AD titles (mostly for their own Originals) in June 2021.
• Prime Video (2884) has the largest number of audio described videos, with a rapid increase this year due to describing literally thousands of movies and TV show episodes that never had description, with the "catch" that the description is via synthesized voice, not a human.  Many titles (including all Originals) are free to watch with a subscription to Amazon Prime.  We are having trouble getting updates.

Several general notes:

• For all services, we offer a breakdown by video rating.
• For four of the streaming services we offer links to see titles by genre.
• For five of the services, we offer a link to see a title listing by year of release.

In streaming news, AT&T and Discovery have announced that WarnerMedia (which owns HBO Max) will split off from AT&T and join Discovery to form a new company named Warner Bros. Discovery in mid-2022.  The Discovery+ streaming service does not currently offer any AD, so a combined streaming service (if that happens) could be advantageous.  In any case the combination is expected to be powerful competition.  But right on the heels of that announcement, Amazon has acquired MGM Studios and their massive catalog of titles.  (Updated Jun 8)

The FCC Wants to Know
What Changes You Want to the CVAA
Comment Period Ends June 7!

We detail WHAT you might want to comment on and HOW to submit your comments to the FCC on the subject of how you feel the FCC may need to take greater control over what shows are distributed with audio description (the essence of the CVAA).  Read our article on how to submit comments.  If you don't comment, they will assume you are satisfied with the status quo.  The deadline for comments has been extended to June 7.  (Updated May 30) 

BADIE Contest Winners Announced

The winners of the BADIE (Benefits of Audio Description In Education) contest have been announced.  Congratulations to Grand Prize winner Bennett Lehman from Wisconsin, whose win was acknowledged by his local paper.  Read about all the winners.  (Posted May 28)

Television Academy Allows AD Narrators Admission

The Television Academy is the organization responsible for The Primetime Emmy Awards.  The criteria for "Active" membership in the Academy (which then allows voting for Emmy nominees) requires "credits" which are obtained via work in TV.  New this year, the Academy now allows AD Narrators (professional voiceover artists who voice TV series audio description) to use their credits to qualify as members with the potential to vote.  This is not an award for AD work (like SOVAS, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, recently announced), but it is a great step forward in acknowledging the role of audio description in the visual arts.  Voiceover artist Roy Samuelson was instrumental in lobbying for this change, and you can read Roy's article for more information.  (Posted May 30)

ACB/ADP Achievement Award Nominations
Last Day to Nominate:  May 23!

It's time again (the 13th time, to be exact) to nominate an individual or organization for an ADP Achievement Award.  This year the categories have been restructured a bit to allow separate nomination for individuals and organizations for Media, Performing Arts, and Museums.  Read the full nomination criteria and options for submitting a nomination at 2021 ADP Achievement Award Nominations.  You can also see previous winners in The Audio Description Honor Roll.   (Updated May 21)

CBS Expands Shows With Description

Ah, but there's a "gotcha" here!  CBS has recently started describing many of its TV series that did not have description before, but they have not activated the description on local CBS affiliate feeds yet.  Huh?  How do you access these shows with description then?  The answer is either via Paramount+, a subscription service, or with the free CBS app.  (Note, the old CBS app migrated itself to become the Paramount+ app, so you may need to redownload the app called CBS to get the current version.)  And if you choose the free CBS route, while watching these shows is completely free, note that the series episodes have a limited lifetime unless you can sign in via a TV provider (meaning your cable or satellite company logon ID).  If you watch via Paramount+, the episodes will remain available.  So here is the list of shows NOT currently described on CBS TV but available via either app (along with those that are described on live TV).  (Posted May 11)

• B Positive
• Bob Hearts Abishola   
• Bull
• Kids Say the Darndest Things
• Magnum P.I.
• S.W.A.T.
• Tough as Nails
• United States of Al

Where to Watch the Academy Awards Best-Picture Nominees

• Nomadland (Winner):  DVD, Hulu, iTunes, Prime Video
• Judas and the Black Messiah:  iTunes, Prime Video
• Mank:  Netflix
• Minari:  iTunes, Prime Video
• Promising Young Woman:  DVD, iTunes, Prime Video
• Sound of Metal:  Prime Video
• The Father:  Only available in theaters
• The Trial of the Chicago 7:  Netflix

Other categories are mentioned in this Where to Stream article.  (Updated May 11)

Audio Described Dance This Weekend

The Public Media Channel All Arts is premiering three dance films with audio description over three days starting this weekend as part of an event called Past, Present, and Future Festival, with audio description by Bridge Multimedia.  The presentations take place Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at 8pm EDT.  You can read the Press Release, watch a Festival trailer, or visit the All Arts website to consider viewing options.  [NOTE:  The three movies should be available on-demand after the initial showing]  (Posted May 7)

We Support the TBS Petition to the FCC
Comment Deadline is June 1

On April 29, 2021, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comment on TBS's petition for limited waiver of the requirement to provide 87.5 hours of audio described programming per calendar quarter.  Parent company WarnerMedia is requesting this waiver for TBS because the audio description re-run rule does not adequately count the full quantity of audio description aired by TBS.  This waiver request is similar to that sought successfully by NBC-Universal for USA Network in 2019, but with two clear differences.
(1) TBS pledges to air at least 1,000 hours of described programming each quarter, equal to that of USA Network.  In addition, TBS pledges to average more than 1,400 hours of described programming per quarter over the waiver period.
(2) WarnerMedia commits that it will describe 100% of newly produced, non-live programming aired between 6:00 a.m. and midnight ET within three business days of receipt from the production company not only on TBS, but also on TNT and TruTV, TBS sister networks, which are not subject to the Commission's audio description requirements.  (The USA commitment was 75%.)
The ACB encourages all interested parties to file comments in support of the TBS waiver request.  Comments are due by June 1, 2021.  To file your comments, write them up in a file and go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings and enter the generic proceeding number 11-43.  Alternatively, go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express and type your comments directly.  It's OK to be brief!  (Posted Apr 30).

UK Survey Wants 100% of Shows Described

A United Kingdom based survey on Change.org wants 100% of TV shows, films, and streaming service originals to be audio described.  As they say in the petition, "audio description should be included in the filming budget and not just thought of if the network has money leftover."  Also see this related article entitled, Report: audio description missing from three-quarters of Netflix content.   (Posted Apr 23)

Search of DCMP Catalog Now Available

We have updated our Find a Video search (above and on our Master AD List page) to give you an option to also search the DCMP (Described and Captioned Media Program) website, which offers free described and captioned versions of primarily educational films for family members and educators with early learners through Grade 12 students who are blind or deaf.  A subset of titles are free to all without meeting that qualification -- and we now note which matched titles are free to all.  Search DCMP.  (Updated Apr 20)

Sighted People Benefit from AD, Too

While we tend to think of audio description as an accessibility accommodation for people with visual impairment, it turns out lots of sighted people can benefit from AD too.  In some cases these are folks with other challenges, such as learning disabilities, but have you considered things like listening to a movie while driving or doing something in a room with no TV?  How about giving people learning English more exposure to the language, or for explanation of items that might not be clearly visible or names you are not sure about?  We cover all of this in a new article entitled, "The Advantages of Audio Description for People Who Are NOT Blind!".  We even give you an option to print the page as a handout for a friend.  (Posted Apr 20)

Audio Description Awareness Day Challenge

While not sponsored by the ACB, Friday, April 16th, was designated Audio Description Awareness Day by Bold Blind Beauty, and it came with a specific challenge:  Watch an audio described program with a friend and post your experience on social media by the end of April using the hashtag #TADAChallenge.  Listen to this short video to learn more:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbIfLvHrzrM.  (Updated Apr 20)

IKEA's Audio Catalog

Not exactly audio description, but you may be interested to know that IKEA has produced its extensive catalog in audio format.  (Posted Apr 6)

HBO Max Begins Audio Description

HBO Max has begun its long-awaited offering of audio described Originals, movies, and TV series, initially supporting web browsers, the iPhone, and iPad.  We have posted all the titles we can find on the ADP website and have integrated them into our Master AD List.  Most of the titles are unique to HBO Max, so our Master List total has risen considerably and you have lots of new offerings.  You will find our listing in the Titles With AD navigation list above.  You can also use this direct link to HBO Max Titles With AD on the HBO Max website.  (Updated Mar 30)

In the UK:  100 AD Videos, Discounted

Thanks to a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England, VocalEyes is offering artists and arts organizations a significant discount on film/video audio description services over the period May 3rd to August 31st 2021.  The opportunity is limited to one project per individual or organization.  Learn more at 100 Videos Described.  (Posted Mar 26)

Paramount+ Has Arrived With AD; HBO Very Soon

CBS All Access morphed into Paramount+ on March 4, with expanded programming and more audio description.  We have added nine new described offerings and are now giving them their own listing page:  see Paramount+ AD Titles (the link is also in the navigation area above now).

HBO Max has committed to begin offering audio description by the end of March ... so stand by!  We wait with bated breath (and you thought it was spelled "baited" didn't you!).  (Updated Mar 23)

Describing People ... and "Poetic Audio Description"

One of the challenges facing audio description writers is how to describe people.  The question of race has been a hot topic lately, but there are other issues, too, like how to describe a person who is "overweight" or has an apparent disability or other noticeable characteristic.  A new podcast entitled "In Place of Catastrophe" tackles this head-on by asking all the participants up front to describe themselves.  You may be surprised at some of the frank descriptions.  The podcast itself "explores transgenerational resilience within a disability justice framework.  Over the course of 7 episodes, we’ll share some of our research into creating poetic audio description for dance and multi-sensory performance for blind and partially sighted audiences."  Visit their website, In Place of Catastrophe.  (Posted Mar 16)

Audio Description in Games

Are you into gaming?  Here's an interesting article for you:  Meet the audio description experts making games more accessible to the visually impaired.  (Posted Mar 16)

FCC Confirms Nonbroadcast Networks
Required to Provide AD Starting July 1

The FCC has finished its final selection process for the five nonbroadcast networks required to provide audio description for the next three years starting July 1.  The process involved naming the top 10 based on surveys, then allowing requests for exemptions.  As usual, news and sports networks requested exemption, and those exemptions were granted.  The five remaining networks are:  Hallmark, HGTV, History, TBS, and TLC.  Hallmark and TLC will be new; Discovery and USA will be dropped.  (Posted Mar 9)

FINAL WEEK, Deadline March 15th!
Enter the 2021 BADIE Contest

Time is running out for school-age children to submit their reviews of audio described videos and potentially be rewarded with prizes.  The 2021 Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE, rhymes with lady) contest is open for submissions from children aged 7 to 21.  Read about the BADIE Submission Process.  The deadline for entries is Monday March 15.  (Updated Mar 9)

Introducing Our New ADP Coordinator:
Jo Lynn Bailey-Page

A message from Joel Snyder, PhD, Founder and Senior Consultant, Audio Description Project.

I have an exciting announcement that addresses the growth of the Audio Description Project (ADP) and its place within the American Council of the Blind (ACB).

It has been a privilege to direct the activities of the ADP since its founding 11 years ago under a contract with my company, Audio Description Associates, LLC.  We've grown a great deal, and with that growth comes more administrative responsibilities.  That work will now be assumed by ACB staff in the person of the new ADP Coordinator and Grant Writer, Jo Lynn Bailey-Page.  My company still maintains a contract with ACB to provide a range of consulting services including the direction of our training programs and special projects (we're right now in the midst of our 18th Audio Description Institute, our first virtual Institute with 60 registrants from 22 states and 3 countries).  So please join me in welcoming Jo Lynn in her new capacity! 

And from ACB Executive Director, Eric Bridges:

On behalf of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), I am proud to announce the newest member of our team:  Jo Lynn Bailey-Page!  On March 1st, Jo Lynn will join us as Audio Description Project Coordinator & Grant Writer.  She will be supporting Tony Stephens, Director of Development, with coordinating all aspects of the Audio Description Project as well as preparing and submitting grant proposals to potential funders.  For the last five years, Jo Lynn served as a Grant Writer Contractor for ACB.  Her accomplishments include securing funding opportunities for ACB's Online Community Engagement and "Get Up and Get Moving" initiative, creating the Grants Power Grid to target major corporations, and expanding our grants pipeline to fifty-plus submissions.  Jo Lynn also has 10 years' experience working as an Independent Audio Describer, providing live audio description and developing scripts for performances and exhibits.  She also is leading ACB's active participation in the UniDescription Project with the University of Hawaii and the National Park Service.  She has a Bachelor's in Music, Vocal Performance from George Mason University and is a graduate of Joel Snyder's Audio Description Associates Training Institute.  While many of you have probably met her during our conventions and DC Leadership Conferences in the past, please join me in welcoming Jo Lynn by leaving her a message at 202-467-5081 or jbailey-page@acb.org!  (Posted Feb 26)

All About Audio Description

That's what's covered in many of the articles in the February issue of the ACB's Braille Forum.  Check it out!  Don't miss ACB’s Audio Description Project: What We’ve Accomplished and All About the Audio Description Project Website among the many interesting articles.  (Posted Feb 26)

Biden Inauguration With Audio Description

Archived Video:  The Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (Wednesday, January 20, 11 am ET); Featuring: Swearing-In Ceremony, Pass In Review, Arlington National Cemetery Wreath Laying Ceremony, Presidential Escort, Parade Across America
Audio Description:  https://youtu.be/cctCd8jI0e8.

Archived Video:  Celebrating America (Wednesday, January 20 at 8:30 pm ET)
Audio Description:  https://youtu.be/tm33Axg0TIY. 

NOTE:  These are the Wilde/Melton recordings, not NBC's.  (Updated Feb 9)

Bridging the Gap: Media Accessibility and AD

The Sundance Film Festival is sponsoring a panel discussion entitled “Bridging the Gap” – Media Accessibility & Audio Description.  The discussion will take place via Zoom on Sunday, January 31, at 2:30 pm Eastern time (11:30 am Pacific), and enrollment (via the link above) is free.  Moderated by Michele Spitz (Woman of Her Word voiceover artist and philanthropist), six panelists will participate.  Their titles include writer, director, head audio description writer, voiceover artist, post production manager, and AD enthusiast.  Join them!  If you can't make it, check the site later for a recording.  See also:  RespectAbility Sets Accessibility and Inclusion Lab Conversation Series at Sundance.  (Updated Jan 26)

AD Service Providers Now Categorized

Due to the growth in the number of providers (now approaching 100), the AD Services page has been revised to categorize each service provider (vendor) and to allow visitors to narrow in on exactly what they are looking for by selecting the category to display.  In addition, buttons on the page now allow for simplified new submissions or updates to existing entries.  Categories include:  Writing, Voicing, Audio Engineering, Full Service (all 3 previous services), Quality Control and Consulting, Training, and Local AD Providers (e.g., local live theatre).  Existing providers may wish to verify our choice of categorization, and those not already listed are welcome to submit new listings.  (Posted Jan 19)

Google Play Store Audio Described Titles

Google appears to offer audio described titles for sale or rent in their Google Play Store.  They seem to have 26 movies, and possibly 23 TV series (but beware the "More Movie Results" heading on the same page).  Once we figure out a way to get a regularly updated listing, we will formally list them on our site.  For now, you can click our Other Media link in the navigation bar where you will find a link to Google's listing.  Basically, you go to the Google Play Store, select "Movies & TV," then search for "audio description."  Or just click here for Google Play Store AD titles!  (Posted Jan 19)

Audio Description for Horror Films

If you like horror films, you may be interested in joining a new Facebook group:  Audio Description Horror Films.  The founder, Jaye Adams, is an "upcoming independent horror filmmaker" who pledges his films will be "inclusive of AD"; and he will use the FB group "to collaboratively help shape these films."  He urges sharing of information about the best described horror films, including comments about description quality. 

[deleted - outdated]  (Posted Jan 15)

ADP Website Year-End 2020 Report

During 2020, I tried to find ways to make the ADP website more informative and usable. Here are some of the updates that occurred during the year, in no particular order, in case you missed a few:

• The FindAVideo page was added to let you search the Master AD List for described titles
• Spectrum Access titles were added
• CBS All Access titles were added, temporarily on the Other AD titles page
• A count of titles on the Master AD List was added to the main page
• A page with all the described title counts of all the services was added with links to those services
• Year of release was added to the alpha list of all DVDs
• A sort-by-year feature was added for services that provide this information (DVDs, Disney+, and Prime Video)
• A sort-by-rating feature was added to all services
• A compilation of all described videos with Christmas themes was created, is updated weekly, and will be available year-round
• Disney+ titles described in languages other than English are now listed at the bottom of the Disney+ AD Titles page
• Free-with-Prime titles are now listed at the bottom of the Prime Video AD Titles page
• Free-on-IMDb titles are now listed at the bottom of the Prime Video AD Titles page
• An index of podcasts on audio description was added
• A discussion of The Process of Adding Audio Description to a Video was added
• A new page, Commercials With Audio Description, was added in December

Here are key audio description statistics during the year in order of number of described offerings:

• The total number of unique described videos available on all media jumped from 3661 to 4909 (34%).
  [Note:  that number dropped on January 1 due to 60 shows just removed from Netflix]
• For Prime Video, the growth was 1652 to 2148 (30%)
• For iTunes, the growth was 1193 to 1473 (23%)
• For Netflix, the growth was 1093 to 1462 (34%) - see note above
• For Disney+, the growth was 308 to 663 (115%) [new in Nov 2019]
• For Hulu, the growth was 68 to 105 (54%)
• For Apple TV+, the growth was 12 to 44 (267%) [new in Nov 2019]
• The number of DVDs decreased from 170 (an all time high) to 115 due to COVID-19 closing movie theaters
• The 115 DVDs represents 31% described out of 368 commercial DVDs known to be released in 2020
• Stats for the big-name studios are:  Universal (61% of 54 with AD); Warner Bros (57% of 28); Paramount (48% of 23); Sony (85% of 20).  Lionsgate (and subsidiary Artisan) continues to bring up the rear with only 5% of 65 DVDs described.
• We welcome two newcomers to description:  Shout! Factory with 45% of 20 described; and IFC Films with 100% of 6 described.
• The two biggest distributors of DVDs offering NO description are Image Entertainment (27) and Gravitas (22).
• And by the way, visitors to this website grew by 45% during the year!

Our goals for 2021 include the following:

• Add described titles for HBO Max
• Add described titles for Peacock
• Add a separate page for CBS All Access titles, which is expected to turn into a larger service called Paramount+
• Starting in July, add described TV shows from the Hallmark TV network and TLC (The Learning Channel), both of which will inevitably be in the final list of TV networks required to offer description starting July 1
• Maybe add a page for the Hallmark Movies Now streaming service, if they begin offering AD as a result of the inevitable FCC mandate for Hallmark just mentioned
• Continue to expand our listing of Performing Arts Venues, Museums, Parks, and Tours that offer audio description

Is there something else this website can provide for you?  Please contact me using the webmaster link at the bottom of each page.  Here's to an increasingly well-described 2021!   Fred Brack, Webmaster

Denise Marie Decker

We were all saddened to learn of the sudden loss of our friend and colleague Denise Decker on November 4, 2020.  She was such a dedicated advocate and a passionate leader in ACB's work on audio description.  She served as Chair of the Audio Description Project Performing Arts, Museums & Parks Sub-Committee.  Denise lived in Washington, DC, and this past August NPR broadcast an interview featuring her insights on the audio description produced in the U.K. for last year's Academy Award-winning Best Picture "Parasite."  Her eloquent comments cited the importance of audio description as a tool for providing broader access to culture for people who are blind or have low vision.  You can listen to the interview on-line.  We send love and peace to Denise's family and friends.  Contributions in honor of Denise may be sent to:
   American Council of the Blind
   Audio Description Project - Denise Decker Memorial
   6200 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 155
   Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

Foreign Films Released in the USA Need AD!

Read Lack of Dubbing or Audio Description Tracks on Foreign Films Create a “Hundred-Foot Concrete Wall” for People with Low Vision..  (Posted Dec 25)

Going, Going, Gone ...

On the first day of each month, Netflix (and other streaming services, too) lose or drop their licenses for a whole bunch of videos, and a smaller number get added to the service on the first of each month.  Occasionally we are able to capture the Netflix drops in advance, and we add "Pull date" notices in our listing.  We've just done that for 25 Netflix offerings, so watch 'em now, before they are gone!  Search for "pull date" in our Netflix listing.  (Posted Dec 25)

Lost in Translation:
Audio Description Needed in Commercials!

If you are blind, you can relate to this experience had by Sumaira Latif, Leader, Company Accessibility, Procter & Gamble, as she previewed a company commercial for the "Flash" brand :  "Everyone in the room kept laughing when it started playing, but all I could hear was the song ‘Flash’ by Queen. What I didn’t know was that it was a dog singing the song, and that the creativity and humour embedded throughout the advert was intended to make consumers smile."  Read:  Lost in translation: Why audio description must go onto the accessibility agenda; or view the Flash commercial with AD.

You may also wish to read this excellent article, ‘The voice of blind people hasn't been heard’: inside the fight for audio-described ads, which covers the same story but goes further, showing additional described advertisements and discussing the challenges associated with getting them published.  "P&G has proven its campaigning power in the UK market, American broadcasters may soon follow.  The world’s largest advertiser is now audio-describing all of its ads in the US, as well as in the UK and Spain..." 

We have finally found some audio described commercials and are pleased to present this new page of Commercials With Audio Description!  (Updated Dec 22)

Q&A on Audio Description With Dr. Joel Snyder

ADP Project Director and President of Audio Description Associates Dr. Joel Snyder was recently interviewed by Equal Entry Services, a company whose primary focus is on how people with disabilities actually use technology.  "[T]here is simply no good reason why a person with a physical disability must also be culturally disadvantaged."  Read the Q&A on Audio Description With Dr. Joel Snyder.  (Posted Dec 22)

The Mandalorian’s Audio Description is Truly “The Way"

If you are a fan of Disney's The Mandalorian, then you will "get" the title of this article.  The audio description of The Mandalorian has received a lot of praise from viewers, and this article goes into detail as to why.  "First of all, the descriptive language they use is impressive ... clear, concise, and graceful as if the words came from a book." 

While the language is the choice of the audio description writer, how that language is expressed verbally is equally important.  "[Nicole] Zanzarella’s voice fits perfectly into the show. She is never hard to understand, and the narration is entirely seamless. She also does a great job of not filling every moment of silence with narration. Instead, she gives the audience enough time to enjoy the fantastic soundtrack that accompanies the space western."  Read The Mandalorian article!  (Posted Dec 18)

Christmas-Themed Videos With AD

Did you know that over 100 movies with Christmas themes are available with audio description from streaming services or on DVD?  Neither did we!  That's why we researched this topic and compiled a listing for users of this website.  We even allow you to sort the list by vendor so you can check out your favorite streaming service's offerings.

With the same movie sometimes available from different vendors, Netflix has over 50, followed by about 25 each from Disney+, iTunes, and Prime Video, plus 15 or so titles on DVD.  So check out our complete list of Christmas-Themed Videos!  You'll find a link at the top of that page to sort by vendor.  (Updated Dec 18)

New Website Feature

We recently introduced the option of sorting AD titles BY RATING for each of the streaming services and the master DVD list; and now where the data is available (only Disney+ and Prime Video plus DVDs at present), you can sort titles BY YEAR OF RELEASE, which is particularly interesting for Disney+, which goes back to 1928.  (Posted Dec 15)

Charlie Brown Comes to Apple TV+
Some Shows Free to All

Snoopy, Charlie Brown and friends land at Apple TV+ in expanded partnership with WildBrain for new original shows and specials.  (Updated Dec 11)

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
• A Charlie Brown Christmas

Addressing Diversity in Audio Description

ITV in the UK has written an article covering their "journey in investigating and implementing new guidance for 2020, to govern how our Audio Description service (AD) conveys race and other visible diversity cues to blind and visually impaired audiences."  Read:  Audio-describing diversity, or addressing the elephant in the room.  (Posted Dec 8)

FCC AD Quality Working Group Report

The FCC recently released a report on Audio Description Quality developed by its Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) and a working group convened to examine the quality of audio description on broadcast television.  Carl Richardson, co-chair of the ADP, and Joel Snyder, Director of the ADP, served on the DAC as well as the Audio Description Quality Working Group.

Last year, the FCC focused on quality issues in the provision of closed captioning and the genesis of the report on audio description quality was, in part, the FCC's acknowledgement of the importance of audio description and both the potential benefits and the challenges in composing and enforcing audio description quality rules.  The FCC asked the DAC to develop guidance on best practices regarding the universal tenets of the composition of audio description.  We have posted the complete report on our Audio Description page under "Guidelines for Description."  (Posted Dec 8)

FCC Prepares For Changes July 1

The FCC has released a Public Notice listing the top 10 nonbroadcast networks for purposes of determining which five of them will be required to offer Audio Description starting July 1, 2021.  The first four of them are News or Sports which will undoubtedly ask for and be granted an exception.  By our analysis, these are the most likely networks to be required to offer audio description starting July 1, 2021:  Hallmark, HGTV, History, TBS, and TLC.  Hallmark and TLC would be new.  Discovery and USA would be dropped.  (Posted Nov 10)

An Advocacy Update From the ACB

In a recent episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, hosts Claire and Clark discuss the recent updates in the audio description marketplace.  They speak with Sam Joehl, President, ACB of Virginia, about the work of the Federal Communications Commission and their Disability Advisory Committee, and they speak with Dr. Joel Snyder, Director, ACB’s Audio Description Project about ACB’s ongoing work to increase audio description availability.  Listen to the episode.  (Posted Nov 10)

FCC:  +40 DMAs and
Video Description Audio Description

The FCC has adopted an Order expanding the number of designated market areas (DMAs) required to carry audio description from 60 to 100 over the next four years.  In addition, "The Order also replaces the term 'video description' with 'audio description' throughout the Commission’s rules, implementing a recommendation of the Commission's Disability Advisory Committee and harmonizing the Commission's terminology with that used by consumers and other Federal agencies."  Read the FCC Press Release or the full Report and Order or Final Ruling or article:  FCC Expands Audio Descriptions for Broadcast TV.  (Posted Oct 28; added article Nov 10)

CBS All Access AD Titles Now Listed

Although we have been unable to get CBS to respond to a request for a weekly list of described titles, there seems to be enough interest in this service (despite its accessibility problems) for us to list titles we know about.  Therefore we have added CBS All Access described titles to our Other Media list, so they will also appear in the Master AD List.  Please send us titles we don't have listed.  For more information about this streaming service, see our entry in Streaming Services.  (Posted Nov 3)

The Guggenheim Museum, New York City

If you can't make it to the newly reopened Guggenheim Museum in New York City, you can enjoy an audio described tour which addresses "the stunning architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic building.  Each of the 10 tracks in the guide describes a sensory aspect of the museum; for example, actor Maggie Gyllenhaal describes touching the thick, pitted paint layers coating the museum walls."  Read or listen to this article:  Guggenheim's Audio Guide Brings The Art Museum To Listeners' 'Mind's Eye'.  You will find the tours themselves on the museum's The Mind's Eye Programs page.  (Posted Nov 3)

Audio Describing Video Games

Audio describing a video game is a challenge, and this article addresses how one company is doing it:  How Do You Audio Transcribe an Entire Video Game?  And here is another more recent article:  How audio description within games could make them more accessible for blind and low vision players.  (Updated Nov 3)

Red Bee Media Reflects on 20 Years of AD

Red Bee Media is an international media company offering audio description services in at least five countries.  One of their describers, Marie Campbell, offers a reflection on twenty years of growth in Happy 20th Birthday, Audio Description.  As a reminder, we have a listing of both USA domestic providers of audio description services as well as international AD services.  (Posted Oct 27)

4K UHD Blu-Rays Have an Inclusion Problem

That's the title of a recent post by Alex Howard Movie and TV Reviews.  Alex's experience has been that a lot of 4K discs do not include AD tracks, although the DVD and/or Blu-ray discs do.  The only good news there might be that 4K discs are typically packaged along with a Blu-ray version.  If you have purchased 4K discs, read Alex's article and post your experience on our Discussion List.  (Posted Oct 20)

Settlement Agreement Signed by HBO

WarnerMedia and HBO have agreed to a "Settlement Agreement" with the ACB and certain other claimants regarding the accessibility of their website, mobile devices, applications, and programming content for the product known as HBO Max.  Audio described content should be arriving by the end of March 2021 with additional application support by September 2021.  They are committing 1500 hours of described content by March 2021, doubling in the following 12 months, and doubling again in the following year.  Plans include listings of described content and training of customer service agents.  Full compliance is committed by November 2021.  Read the full HBO Settlement Agreement or the ACB Press Release.  (Posted Oct 19)

New Website Feature:  DVD and Streaming Titles by Rating

We just added movie ratings to our complete DVD listing; and at the same time we added a new feature to our lists of streaming titles with AD, plus our alphabetized DVD listing:  a clickable link to "Titles by Rating" will be found just below the breakdown by genres (if present) at the top of each listing.  (Posted Oct 19)

Celebrating the CVAA

On Thursday, October 8, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the CVAA, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.  Listen to Stevie Wonder's video message about the importance of the occasion.  You can also view the entire one hour event or read the ACB Press Release on the CVAA.  (Posted Oct 13)

The Process of Adding Audio Description to a Video

In this new article we explore the entire process of contracting for, writing, recording, implementing, and delivering an audio description track to you on a video.  If you've ever wondered how it's done and want an insight into some of the skills and challenges involved, then read The Process of Adding Audio Description to a Video.  (Posted Oct 6)

Halloween Videos With AD

You may not have visited our Other Media page under Titles with AD; but if you do, you will find four videos posted on YouTube with scary themes appropriate for Halloween:  Carnival of Souls, Night of the Living Dead, Nosferatu, and Popeye - "Fright to the Finish".  We thank Audio Description Associates and VITAC for cooperating in the production of these annual favorites a number of years ago.  (Posted Oct 6)

All ADP Conference Audio/Video Now Available

We have obtained the last of the July ADP Virtual Conference audios and videos.  Visit our Conferences page to access them.  (Posted Sep 22)

Describing Diversity in Theatre

The subject of how to describe diversity (for example, actor's races) in theatre has become a topic of great interest in the past year or two.  VocalEyes UK has just published the results of a project started in mid-2019 involving both users and providers of audio description, as well as theatre professionals.  The results of an online survey, interviews, and workshops were used to prepare the report.  In addition to the report, links to additional resources are provided at the Describing Diversity Report website.  (Posted Sep 22)

Netflix adds AD to Avatar: The Last Airbender

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ just got more accessible to blind audiences, according to an article in the LA Times, which features comments by blind filmmaker James Rath.  This is not the first time that Netflix has added an AD track to a movie or series that they acquired without AD.  Kudos to Netflix!  (Posted Sep 15)

Flight Paths - a New Way of Storytelling

There's a new online partially animated production called Flight Paths which integrates audio description with the main audio of the video.  "Take a journey with old and contemporary tales of blind visually impaired travelling artists, inspired by the Goze - blind female performers of Japan.  Combining animation, aerial movement and creative audio description, witness stories of travel, blindness and migration through interactive navigation."  Take off now with Flight Paths!  (Posted Sep 15)

New Site Feature:  Find Described Video

Want to know if a favorite movie or TV series is audio described?  Instead of searching manually through the Master AD List, you can now simply type the title (or part of a title) in the box at this top of this page (or a similar box on the Master AD List page) to find out.  Give it a try!  The only caveat for use is that if you type more than one word, they must be in the proper order (e.g., "potter deathly" will not find "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," but "harry potter", "deathly hallows", or even just "potter" or "deathly" will work).  This option has been added to the mobile device Menu also.

 You can now also check all media AD counts.   See also our official Find a Described Video Press Release!  (Updated Sep 15)

Audio Described Trailers

Don't we wish more movie trailers were audio described?  Here's one from Netflix for a movie about the story of the Paralympic games, now available on Netflix.  And another one from a company trying to raise funds to tell the story of the 2018 Race Across America featuring four professional blind athletes.  And of course all Apple TV+ trailers are described.  (Updated Sep 1)

Podcasts on Audio Description

We know of three recent podcasts regarding audio description of movies.

1. Audio Descriptions in Movies for the Blind, interviewing ADP Project Director Dr. Joel Snyder, from Newstalk in Ireland.
2. The Importance Of Audio Description For Subtitled Movies, interviewing Denise Decker, Chair of the ADP's Performing Arts, Museums, and Parks Committee.
3. Advocates For Deaf And Blind Laud Netflix's New Playback Features, interviewing Everette Bacon from the NFB.
4. And don't miss the archive of All Things Audio Description from ACB Radio's August 16th Sunday Edition With Anthony.  It features Roy Samuelson and five other people involved in audio description.  As the ACB Radio site is being worked on, we point to a temporary file you can access to listen.

Want more?  Visit our Podcasts page for recurring series and individual podcasts.  (Posted Aug 25)

NY Times "The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now

Here is the subset of the movies from the NY Times article on August 6 that have audio description on Netflix as determined by your webmaster on August 14th, subject to change, of course.  You may or may not agree with the NY Times on "best"!  (Posted Aug 18)

• 13TH
• 22 July
• Airplane!
• American Factory
• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
• Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
• Da 5 Bloods
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Jurassic Park
• Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids
• Marriage Story
• Mudbound
• My Happy Family
• Okja
• Private Life
• Schindler’s List
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
• The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
• The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
• The Irishman
• The Little Prince
• The Old Guard
• The Social Network
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
• Uncut Gems

On the list, not on Netflix with AD, but available elsewhere:

• Lady Bird (iTunes, Prime Video)
• The Karate Kid (DVD, Spectrum Access)

New Museum, New AD Feature

The new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs offers the following:  "Audio descriptions:  If guests select audio descriptions as a preference during registration, these [6-minute] audio descriptions are triggered automatically by a tactile floor strip and provide an introduction upon entering each gallery."  In addition, "Touchscreen interactives feature tactile keypads designed to assist with screen navigation."  (Posted Jul 31)

Broadway Sacramento Honored for Audio Description

Broadway Sacramento is one of this year's recipients of an ADP Achievement Award.  Station KCRA in Sacramento just did a very nice video covering the honor.  Listen to Sacramento theater company honored for its inclusive shows.  (Posted Jul 7)

PS:  See also the Disney Press Release about their award.  (Added Jul 21)

AD Narrator & ADP Staff Podcasts

The ADNA (Audio Description Narrators of America) website has recently added podcasts with AD Narrators, the professional voice-over artists who read the audio description for movies and TV series.  As a bonus, site owner Roy Samuelson (a narrator himself) has interviewed a number of us at the ADP and will be rotating in those interviews clearly identified as "BONUS" content!  Give us bonus people and the real AD Narrators a listen at TheADNA.org “Know Your Narrator” Interviews.  You'll need to bookmark the page and return weekly to hear new podcasts, or subscribe to new podcasts via your favorite podcast App.  (Updated Jul 20)

ADP Convention Follow-Up

The 2020 ADP Virtual Convention is over, and it was great!  We had from 50 to 150 people at each of our informative sessions, most of which had time for Q&A at the end.  And the ACB Banquet speaker, AD Narrator Roy Samuelson, was outstanding.  If you missed any or all of it, we are posting links to the audio tracks on our Conferences page as they become available.  (Posted Jul 11; new audio added Sep 8)

Winners of the 2020 ADP Achievement Awards

The American Council of the Blind proudly announces the 2020 Achievement Awards in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council's Audio Description Project.  Read the full awards announcement.  Formal presentation was Tuesday, July 7, at the ADP Virtual Convention.  Summary (Updated Jul 11; originally posted Jun 19):

• Achievement in Audio Description – Performing Arts: Broadway Sacramento
• Special Recognition Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts: Mary Hanks
• Achievement in Audio Description – Media: Disney+/The Walt Disney Company
• Achievement in Audio Description – Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers: Michele Hartley
• Achievement in Audio Description – International: VocalEyes (U.K.)
• Special Recognition Achievement in Audio Description – International: Audio Described Aotearoa Ltd. (New Zealand)
• Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description – Research and Development: United Airlines
• Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description: Matthew J. Kaplowitz

ADP Convention Agenda

This year's ACB Conference will be held as a virtual conference (via Zoom) from 9:30am to 9:30pm daily starting July 3.  The ADP Conference will be held each afternoon Mon-Fri at various times, plus some pre-conference specials.  If you did not preregister, the one-time cost to attend the ADP Zoom sessions (and all the ACB sessions) will be $35 during the Conference.  Registration will open on Thursday July 2 from noon to 5:00 PM eastern time.  To register please have your credit card available for payment and call (612) 332-3242.  This is the only way for you to register, you cannot register online.  Here is the agenda (or read the detailed agenda, including the ACB Radio sessions):

• Fri Jul 3, 6pm:  2020 Academy Award Winner for BEST PICTURE, Parasite.  The catch is that this film is NOT available in the USA with audio description, but WE HAVE A COPY WITH DESCRIPTION!  Audio only.
• Sat Jul 4, 7:30pm:  Disney's Pick of the Litter, with one of the participants present to answer questions.  Audio only.
• Sat Jul 4 9pm:  Described 2019 Fireworks from the Mall in Washington, DC.  Audio only.
• Mon Jul 6 4:30pm:  Features and Functions of the ADP Website
• Mon Jul 6 7:30pm:  Entertainment and Media Industry Update with panelists discussing their audio description offerings
• Tue Jul 7, 12:30pm:  AD Achievement Award Winners
• Tue Jul 7, 3pm:  FCC Legislative Update
• Wed Jul 8 4:30pm:  The National Park Service and Audio Description
• Thu Jul 9 3pm:  Strategies for Cord-Cutting or Do You Stream?
• Fri Jul 10 3 pm:  Audio Description and Quality Control-the Hiring of Description Producers/Describers and Audio Editors
• Fri Jul 10, 8pm: ACB "Banquet" speaker:  Roy Samuelson, a leading Audio Description Narrator.  Roy will be sharing how his firm informs, inspires, and recruits relevant organizations into a new initiative in blind audience empowerment.
• All week: Various audio described tours on ACB Radio, replayed at 9am, 9pm, and 3am.  (Updated Jun 30)

Dolby Atmos AD - Please!

Disability advocate and writer Jonathan Mosen has written an interesting blog post about the shortcuts that providers take in not offering audio description tracks with the latest Dolby audio technologies.  Reflecting on how a person who is blind depends so much on hearing, he states:  "This sort of immersive sound experience is ideal for blind people."  Read:  Atmos Fear. Blind people like me are an ideal audience for stunning Dolby Atmos sound, but most studios are locking us out.  (Posted Jun 30)

Australia Now Offering TV AD

In Australia, both the ABC and SBS networks are now offering around 14 hours of Audio Description per week across their respective channels.  Click the network names to learn more.  (Posted Jun 23)

One Small, Easy Way to Make the Oscars More Inclusive

A recent article on the daily news site Slate reinforces (and references) the ACB's point made in a March letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (home of the Oscars) that any nomination for Best Picture must be accessible via closed captioning and audio description.  Read One Small, Easy Way to Make the Oscars More Inclusive.  See also a June 1 article:  Oscars: audio description brings film to life for blind people, it deserves an award too.  (Posted Jun 23)

Online Art Viewing

The Coronavirus has made online viewing of art more important than ever.  But is it accessible online?  Online Art Viewing Is Finally Being Embraced—But Does That Make It More Accessible? addresses this question (Posted Jun 16)

Audio Described Dance

For a limited time you may view the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Chroma, Grace, Takademe, Revelations (Audio Description Version) on YouTube.  Feedback can be sent to access@lincolncenter.org.  Be sure to tell them if you want more!  (Posted Jun 11)

Live Remote Broadcasts With AD in Brazil

The worldwide need for social distancing has led to the creation of new solutions to everyday problems, and providing Audio Description is no exception.  Learn how this was accomplished in Brazil recently in the article, Live Remote Broadcasts With Audio Description in Brazil.  (Posted Jun 9)

Attention Content Providers:
Why Audio Description Needs To Be a Priority

What is it, examples, different types of AD, laws, how to provide it, standards, and even tools -- this article has it all!  Why Audio Descriptions Need to Be a Priority for Your Content.  (Posted Jun 9)

FCC Proposes Expanding Video Description
Updated With Alternate Response Method

The comment period for the FCC's proposal to start phasing in new television markets required to pass through audio description has begun.  The proposal is to start January 2, 2021, expanding at a rate of 10 markets per year for four years, bringing the current 60 markets to 100.  They will also consider expanding this number beyond 100.  Also, at the urging of the ACB/ADP, they have proposed using the term 'audio description' rather than 'video description' in the future in accordance with a recent recommendation from the Commission’s Disability Advisory Committee (in which the ACB participates).

YOUR COMMENTS ARE REQUIRED to get this implemented!  Read the FCC Proposal; then submit your comments using the Express form.  The Proceeding Number is 11-43 for the first field.  Comment briefly on either or both the market expansion and/or eliminating the term "video description."  The deadline is June 22.

Additional response option:  If you would like the ACB to submit your response for you, send your name, city and state, phone number and email address to advocacy@acb.org, along with your comments regarding either or both the market expansion and/or eliminating the term "video description" no later than Friday, June 19.  (Updated Jun 9)

Jun 24,2020: NAB Seeks Delay of Video Description Expansion.

Enhancements to This Website

With some extra stay-at-home time on his hands, your webmaster has made the following enhancements to this website:

• Spectrum Access listings have been added, both as a unique link in the navigation area and to the Master AD list.
• The Disney+ AD Titles listing now has a separate listing at the bottom of USA titles with foreign language description.
• For the Prime Video AD Titles listing, the "Included (Free) With Prime" titles are now broken out at the bottom, along with the list of free titles on IMDB TV, and the titles now all have links to Prime Video.  In addition, movie release years are now included in the listing, when available.
• In the Master AD List, if you click on "DVD" after a title, you go directly to the DVD description; and for the streaming services, you go to the index letter matching the first letter in the title, in the cases where titles are indexed.

The Oscars Needs an AD Award!

Here is another article (see previous one) expressing the need for the Oscars to recognize audio description:  Oscars: audio description brings film to life for blind people, it deserves an award too.  As the author writes, "As my research shows, audio description is a valid and valuable creative art.  Why, then, are audio describers not even acknowledged, let alone awarded, at cinema’s most glittering ceremonies?"  (Posted June 2)

Audio Description Narrator Training

In what may be a first-of-its-kind, distinguished AD Narrator Roy Samuelson is offering to train voice-over artists in the nuances required for excellent AD narration in this limited-attendance June 11th seminar.  Read more about the AD Narrator Seminar.  (Posted Jun 2)

Three Weeks in Athens, All About AD!

Last December, ADP Project Director Dr. Joel Snyder traveled to Greece on a Fulbright Specialist Grant for a three-week residency giving a series of seminars, workshops, and public programs on audio description.  Read about Joel's trip.  (Posted May 26)

Spectrum Access: Enabled Media

Remember Actiview?  It allowed you to download a limited number of Audio Description tracks to your iPhone for use in a cinema or at home for private listening to the AD track while watching a movie -- great if someone with you didn't need or want to hear the track.  Now Charter Communications (who owns the Spectrum brand) has picked up the App, renamed it Spectrum Access: Enabled Media, kept it free, and has over 300 AD tracks available for downloading!  (It also supports Closed Captions, but not Cinema at this time.)  We've created a list of Spectrum Access titles and integrated Spectrum Access into our Master AD List.  Thank you Charter!  (Here is Actiview's "Goodbye" message to users.) (Updated May 19)

Audio Descriptions for 360-Degree Video

Equal Entry, a global company which helps businesses accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities using technology, has released a video of a recent seminar entitled Audio Descriptions for 360-Degree Video.  The purpose of the seminary was "to share our research on audio descriptions (AD) for immersive media, and start a conversation with the wider accessibility community about where to go from here ... [to answer the question] Under what circumstances could there be a benefit to having a live audio describer for content that was not originally designed with accessibility in mind?"  Because the video was projected all around the participants, special challenges were encountered addressing which way the participant was facing.  (Posted May 19)

Call for Nominations for the
Annual ADP Achievement Awards
FINAL CALL!!!   HONOR SOMEONE!

It's that time once again when YOU get to nominate a PERSON or ORGANIZATION that you feel has made a major contribution to audio description over time.  There are SIX nominations categories, and you can submit your nomination online or by mail.  Full instructions are contained on our Call for Nominations page, or go directly to our online nomination form.  You can also listen to a 30-second PSA for the Awards.  Nominations close Friday May 29th!  (Updated May 26)

 "One World Together" on CBS With AD

CBS has released an audio described version of "One World Together."  You can access it via the CBS All Access App or online at this address:  CBS One World Together.  To access the description track online, you will need to use the Tool menu in the upper right of the screen for "Subtitles + Audio."  (Updated Apr 28)

Streaming Titles With AD: Recommendations

ADP Steering Committee Co-Chair Carl Richardson offers some recommendations for what audio described programming to watch on various streaming services while you are staying at home due to the Coronavirus.  (Posted Apr 7)

Audio Description Podcasts

Listen to this recent podcast entitled Enjoying the Movies After Vision Loss with Audio Description.  Then check out our list of current first-run films with AD in local cinemas, or read all about Audio Description at the Movies.

Life After Blindness has a new podcast entitled An Audio Description Extravaganza!, covering the following: "[A conversation with] audio description narrator and voiceover artist, Roy Samuelson about the creation process and the current state of audio described content. Then ... how to turn on the audio described track within 5 of the top video streaming services. And ... the availability of audio description, accessibility and the future of AD."

See our list of additional podcasts covering Audio Description.  (Updated Mar 31)

Audio Description Roundtable

On Sunday, March 29, the ADP conducted its first Audio Description Roundtable.  64 people connected via Zoom.  After brief statements by the four hosts (Kim Charlson, Carl Richardson, Joel Snyder, and Fred Brack), we opened the line to questions, and lots of good information about AD (streaming in particular) was exchanged!  You can listen to the Roundtable now, and hopefully you will join us in the future for another one.  (Posted Mar 31)

Airline Information and Entertainment Access Act

On March 19, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and his Senate Democratic colleagues introduced the Airline Information and Entertainment Access Act (S.3473).  This bill would require airline carriers to provide access to in-flight safety information, general announcements and entertainment options for people with disabilities.  Read more about S.3473.  (Posted Mar 24)

ACB Advocates for AD at the Oscars

In a letter addressing four separate topics, ACB President Dan Spoone has written to David Rubin, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (home of the Oscars).  Of special interest is our request that no picture be allowed nomination for Best Picture unless it has both an audio description track and captioning.  This was inspired by the fact that this year's award winner (Parasite) does not meet this criterion.  Other topics include the establishment of award categories related to AD and the development of AD for older films.  Read the David Rubin letter and an article referenced in it, "Oscars: audio description brings film to life for blind people, it deserves an award too." (Posted Mar 3)

:  See this June 2020 article on Slate emphasizing the problem and supporting the ACB's position:  One Small, Easy Way to Make the Oscars More Inclusive.

BADIE Contest Winners Announced

The winners of the BADIE Contest (Benefits of Audio Description in Education) have been announced!  The grand prize winner is Lina Minarra for her review of the film "Curiosity Quest: Guide Dogs," available from DCMP.  (Posted Mar 3)

Prime Video Web Player AD Shortcut

The Prime Video Web Player now supports a keyboard shortcut for switching audio languages and turning on Audio Descriptions.  This change enables Prime Video users to easily switch to a new audio language or turn on Audio Description by simply pressing the 'A' key when playing a title.  This will automatically switch to the next available audio track (including the AD track if available).  This shortcut works on all desktop browsers that support Prime Video.  Once a user has selected an AD audio track when playing a title, this setting will persist for future titles, and Prime Video will automatically select the AD track if available.  You can also see Other Keyboard Shortcuts On Prime Video.  (Posted Mar 3)

Improving Video Accessibility Without AD

In How audio can improve accessibility for TV and film audiences, the author explores how filmmakers can make films more accessible even before using audio description.  (Posted Feb 25)

8 of 9 Oscar Nominees for Best Picture Have AD
(but not the Winner!)

• The Irishman - Netflix
• Jojo Rabbit - Cinema
• Joker - DVD, ITunes, Amazon Prime Video
• Little Women - Cinema
• Marriage Story - Netflix
• 1917 - Cinema
• Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - DVD, ITunes, Amazon Prime Video
• Ford v Ferrari - Cinema

The ninth nominee, Parasite (now available on DVD), does not have description (nor is it dubbed in English).  On February 9, it won the award for Best Picture.  (Updated Feb 11)

Accessibility Partner Bridge Multimedia Honored

Cynopsis Best of the Best Awards.  Bridge Multimedia is a significant producer of audio description, and in particular, children's programming, much of which is featured in the Litton Saturday morning series of children's programming on four networks.  These Cynopsis awards given on February 6th honor them as an Accessibility partner of the winning programs.  (Posted Feb 11)

Free Described Movies on IMDb TV

IMDb, the Internet Movie Database, is owned by Amazon.  In addition to their well-known online database of movie data, they operate a FREE streaming service called IMDb TV which includes some audio described content.  There are several ways to access the content.  (1) Online in a browser via the link above.  (2) Via the IMDb TV App, if you have a Fire Stick or other Fire product.  (3) Via the IMDb TV App on your mobile phone.  (4) Or via the Prime Video App on any device (remember, Amazon owns both services).

What's the catch?  Ads.  Ads support the free viewing.  If you find a title via Prime Video, you will have a choice of watching right away, right there, free with ads, or renting or buying from Prime Video without ads.  Its free via any of the other IMDb TV options directly, though a free ID is required.  Unfortunately, there is no list from Amazon of IMDb described titles at present, so we are adding this information to our Prime Video AD Titles listing, since they are all a subset of Prime Video titles.  Here is a list of current titles.  (Originally Posted Jan 21; titles updated Feb 11)

[Since over time the titles change, visit IMDb Free AD Titles for the current list]

Audio Description Narrators of America
Last Week of the Contest!

theADNA.org (The Audio Description Narrators of America) is a new website which links Audio Description Narrators (the voice-over artists who read audio description scripts) with their film credits for blind and low vision audiences.  As the site continues to evolve, they need your help to grow the content by contributing publicly available information on narrators and the features and series they narrate.  So they are doing a 4 week promotion to get you more directly involved.

Beginning January 7th and continuing for the next 7 days, you can contribute video titles and their narrators by emailing admin@theADNA.org with as much detail as you can.  On the 14th, the highest contributor will receive a free month of the streaming service of their choice, up to $20.  They will continue this for an additional 3 weeks, giving out 4 one-month subscriptions!  At the end of the 4 weeks, the person who has contributed the most titles and their narrators during the 4 weeks gets one year of the streaming service of their choice, up to $240!  Really!  Only the first NEW submission of a pairing will count, of course.  While we encourage narrators themselves to submit their own titles (along with a brief bio), these awards are intended for our audiences.  Per ADNA management, all legal disclaimers for this kind of promotion apply.  (Updated Jan 29)

A World of Discovery with AD Services

Frankly we don't know more than the title (above) of this online "event," but Mystic Access is providing this free live event Thursday, January 30, at 8:30 PM Eastern time.  There are several ways to participate.  (Posted Jan 28)

• Join online
• Call 646-558-8656
• Call 669-900-6833
• The meeting ID is 289 606 006
• You can also find a local number
• Listen to the event later (about two weeks from now)

Over 300 Disney+ Described Titles Available

Earlier in December we released the first official list of audio described titles available on the new Disney+ streaming service in the USA.  Since then we have added more titles, and we are up to 309 as of January 7.  All Disney+ Originals include description, and there are movies from the first half of the last century there!  As a reminder, some Disney titles are under exclusive contract to other streaming services as far out as late 2021 and are not included yet.  We are able to list those titles appearing in the next 30 days however, and you will find trailers for future titles, many with description, on the service.  (Updated Jan 7)

Described DVD History

169 DVDs with Audio Description were released in 2019, three more than last year.  Historically, from 1997 to 2009, only 47 DVDs were released with description.  The number doubled in the next 5 years, but then started to take off in 2015.  We stand at a grand total of over 1200 available today (and yes, they are all still available).

A Look Back at Audio Description in 2019
by Fred Brack, Webmaster

As I look back at the events of 2019 from my perspective as the guy who collects and presents all the details of who-releases-what in the area of audio description, my number one impression is WOW! — what a huge increase in the amount of audio description available in 2019!  The increase is primarily in the area of streaming services.  We closed out 2018 with 2177 videos available with description on three streaming services (iTunes, Netflix, and Prime Video), and we are ending up 2019 with a whopping 4326 described titles (some duplicated of course) across six streaming services (now adding Apple TV+, Disney+, and Hulu), an increase of 99%.  On 12/31/2019, there were 3661 unique titles (movies and series) available with description in theaters, on DVD, on TV, and on the six streaming services.

Who stands out as major contributors to that effort?  Number 1 would have to be Amazon Prime Video, where the team bent over backwards to bring us 1212 more videos during 2019, an increase of 275% over YE2018, pushing Prime Video to the #1 supplier position with 1652 described titles.  I feel that number 2 is the team at Disney for premiering a new streaming service with over 300 described videos on day 1.  And some of those described videos were produced as far back as the 1930s!  And number 3 would be Paramount Studios, who took the time, effort, and money to go back and create audio description tracks for over 150 old movies that didn't have them, making them available to the streaming services.  I sure wish other studios would do the same.  Thank you, thank you to all who contributed.

Apple's iTunes and Netflix folks are to be complimented as well on their steady increase in described videos, and their willingness to listen to customer requests for specific description tracks.  And of course while it is in its infancy, the new Apple TV+ service has provided description for all its original offerings not just in English, but in eight more languages!  Wow again.

We have three studios audio describing all their mainstream DVDs:  Disney, Sony, and lesser-known Summit.  See my report elsewhere on this page.  We now have 1201 DVDs with Audio Description tracks available.

Finally, I would like to thank my two regular contributors to this website:  Sebastian Andrade-Miles for the weekly described TV listings, and Vicki Vogt for the list of current movies described in theaters.  I also appreciate the contributions of ADP Committee members (especially Carl Richardson) who send me pointers to articles and other information, and the various users of this website who do the same.  I wish all of our website visitors a Happy New Year filled with wonderful description opportunities for both providers and users!  (Posted Dec 31)

Year-End Report Card on DVDs by Studio

Here are my summary comments about described DVDs based on a study of 415 DVDs from 58 studios identified from January-December 2019.  (Posted Dec 31)

1. Disney, Sony, and Summit described 100% of their movie DVDs.  Outstanding!
2. Fox and Paramount described 88% and 80% respectively.  Very Good and Good, respectively.
3. Universal and Warner Bros described 57% and 56% respectively.  Room for Improvement...
4. Once again, Lionsgate takes last place among major studios with only 14% of their DVDs described, a terrible track record.  Come on, guys!
5. Shout! Factory (18 DVDs) finally got in the game with two (and only two) described DVDs mid-year.  More please!
6. Among the smaller studios releasing 10 or more DVDs this past year with none described, we have Cinedigm (13 DVDs), Gravitas (10 DVDs), and Image Entertainment (10 DVDs).  Time to get onboard!
7. The Watch List (5 to 9 DVDs, none described) consists of Magnolia and Well Go.  Better start thinking about AD!
8. In our analysis of all 415 DVDs identified by the DVDs Release Dates site and/or located in stores in 2019, only 41% (169) had description tracks, an 8% (3 percentage points) improvement over last year, though it is interesting to see that the total number of DVDs has been steadily declining.

Actiview Acquired by Charter Communications

  According to Actiview developer Alex Koren, Actiview and its App have been acquired by Charter Communications.  Where they go from here is unknown.  Alex was off to a good start offering description tracks on an iPhone for personal listening but got resistance from studios.  While we don't integrate Actiview's description tracks into our Master AD list anymore, you can still read which movies are supported on our Actiview Audio Described Titles page; however, we don't know the future of the App.  (Updated Dec 31)

Lots of Updates to Our Streaming AD Page

Recently we have made many updates to our page dedicated to which streaming services offer audio description.  We added Apple TV+ and Disney+ details of course, but we also added information about Apps like Channels and Philo.  If an App (like Philo) interests you but doesn't support Audio Description (it doesn't), then please take the time to write their Customer Service folks and ask for it!  Tell them you would be a subscriber if they added it.  Take a look at our Streaming AD page!  (Posted Dec 10)

The A-List Celebrity of the Blind & Visually Impaired Community

That's the title of the lead article in the December 2019 issue of "Captivating" Magazine, whose motto is "Inclusion is Limitless."  And who is this person they are writing about?  Why it's Roy Samuelson, master audio narrator and friend of the Audio Description Project.  You can view/listen to the interview or read the transcript, where you will learn how his interest in and later career in audio description narration started at a ride in Disney World.  (Posted Dec 10)

Facebook "Birthday Fundraiser" Yields Over $600 to Support the ADP!

Well-known audio narrator (the voice you hear providing audio description for TV and movies) Roy Samuelson began a "Birthday Fundraiser" on Facebook last September. The simple announcement encouraged friends to make a donation to the ACB in honor of his birthday, and all funds collected were sent by Facebook to the ACB to be used to support this project (ADP).  Way to go, Roy and friends!  If you have a lot of Facebook friends, maybe you could do the same!  Visit this Facebook page to setup a Birthday Fundraiser for the ADP, then drop us a note so we can follow-up.  (Posted Dec 3)

All Things Audio Description Podcast

On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update podcast, Claire and Clark discuss all things audio description with Dr. Joel Snyder and Carl Richardson. They highlight the great work of the Audio Description Project, including the Benefits of Audio Description in Education Contest, as well as the 16th Audio Description Institute, and the rapidly evolving landscape of streaming services providing accessible user interfaces and audio described programming.  Listen to the podcast.  (Posted Dec 3)

AD Titles Milestones Reached!

In a sense they are arbitrary, but we like "round numbers."  Congratulations to both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for breaking 1000 titles each the week of October 15!  (iTunes already did.)  And in turn, that lets us break the 3000 described titles mark [ OVER 3400 TITLES NOW! ] in our Master AD List (which has been reformatted slightly to make it easier to get more information about each title).  (Updated Nov 27)

Time is Running Out to Enter
The 2020 BADIE Contest!

Each Fall, the ADP, in conjunction with the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP), sponsors the Benefits of Audio Description in Education (BADIE) Contest.  Students ages 7 to 21 view an audio described video and write a review of that movie.  PRIZES will be awarded in each age category.  LAST DAY TO ENTER IS FRIDAY DECEMBER 6!  Read the details about entering the BADIE Contest!  (Updated Nov 27)

Cord Cutting With AD in Mind

With cable and satellite TV costs rising, many customers (1.7 million in 3Q19) are investigating cord cutting, looking for lower-cost alternatives.  This becomes even more important as the streaming wars heat up, with additional fees for their services.  But what is a person to do if they depend upon that good old SAP channel for audio description?  Your webmaster faced this decision and investigated many options.  You can read his report of how to approach the problem, what solutions are out there, and what he finally decided upon, with a complete review of that service on our new page, Cord-Cutting Options Supporting Audio Description.  We hope to keep expanding this page as we get other users' success stories -- and we have one already for The Channels App.  Send your feedback to the webmaster.  (Updated Nov 12)

New Website Navigation and Listings

With the addition of Apple TV+ and Disney+, we needed new navigation options to cover the described titles from both streaming services.  This necessitated a review of how we are offering those options to you, and we decided to revamp the header and navigation areas of our website pages as you can see above.  We have added a couple of other new navigation options:  Our Conferences and an "Other" listing of titles available with AD from sites other than the biggies we list (we expect this to grow over time).  We hope you find this useful and welcome your feedback.  (Updated Nov 12)

Audio-Described Painted Hall Tour - UK

Discover the UK’s Sistine Chapel:  the Painted Hall at Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College, an epic 18th-century masterpiece has now reopened following an £8.5 million makeover.  Painted between 1707 and 1726, the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College is Britain’s largest painted ceiling and hides many surprises.  The tour is delivered by an expert tour guide who has been trained in audio-description by VocalEyes.  Read more about the November 16th tour.  (Posted Oct 29)

Halloween Videos With Description

Some years back, VITAC, the nation's largest captioning company, Audio Description Associates, LLC, and the ACB's own Audio Description Project teamed up to caption and describe four public domain videos/films over four years at Halloween time. The cinematic horror treats are posted on YouTube, and we invite you to enjoy them … and try not be too frightened!  The links to the films are as follows:

• NOSFERATU
• NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
• CARNIVAL OF SOULS
• POPEYE - "Fright to the Finish"

Happy Halloween!  And for those of you with kids with visual impairment, you may wish to check out this piece from the AFB on Halloween Tips.  (Posted Oct 19)

FCC Report to Congress

On October 10, the FCC published its Report to Congress on the status of Video Description in the USA.  Read our summary of the FCC Report, with a link to the full report.  (Originally Posted Oct 10)

Nomination for Audio Description Narration

For most movies and TV shows, the job of getting description to you lies with two professionals:  an audio description WRITER, and the person who VOICES the description (a voice-over artist or narrator).  For what is perhaps the first time, a professional organization (SOLAS, the Society of Voice Artists and Sciences) has nominated an audio description narrator for an award.  The category is "Outstanding Narration – TV, Film or Web – Best Voiceover," and the nominee is Roy Samuelson for his work on Universal's 2019 release of Glass.  It's great to see any component of audio description get recognition like this, and we congratulate Roy on the nomination and wish him luck!  (And speaking of Roy, here is yet another article on audio description by or about Roy:  Bringing TV and Movies to Life with Audio Description.)  (Posted Oct 8)

Hulu Addresses Accessibility

On October 3, Hulu published a Press Release entitled Making Hulu More Accessible than Ever Before.  They have been addressing "accessible design," and for "this round of improvements, we focused on text legibility and screen reader capabilities."  They are beginning to roll out improvements in this area starting with Roku devices.  This is not the same as having AD tracks available on all devices, though, which is a future objective.  (Posted Oct 8)

FCC Grants Limited Waiver to USA Network

We previously reported that USA Network had requested a waiver from the FCC regarding the number of hours of described programming, specifically regarding repeats.  The FCC has decided the issue as follows:

"On October 7, 2019, the FCC's Media Bureau granted a limited waiver requested by NBCUniversal ... on behalf of its wholly owned nonbroadcast programming network, USA Network, of the Commission's video description rules, as long as USA Network airs at least 1,000 hours of described programming each quarter without regard to the number of repeats and describes at least 75 percent of any newly produced, non-live programming that is aired between 6:00 a.m. and midnight per quarter. However, the FCC declined to grant NBCUniversal's proposed safe harbor from the video description requirements for other similarly situated, top five nonbroadcast networks."  (Posted Oct 8)

Disability Advisory Committee Recommendations to the FCC

Several ADP committee members are on the FCC's Disability Advisory Committee (DAC).  On September 24th, the DAC finalized a recommendation to the FCC on the subject of Described Audio TV Listings.  Ultimately, they recommend that "the Commission encourage all networks, channels, cable, satellite, fiber, streaming, and other services that provide video programming with audio description to provide timely, accurate program listings in accessible form, including ... on aggregator services, on their own websites, and in program guides."  Interestingly, they also recommend that the FCC drop the term "video description" in favor of the well-established  term "audio description" and "encourage other entities to do the same as a best practice."  They also recommend that the FCC adopt and recommend that others adopt the well-known Graphic Artists Guild AD symbol (above right) as the official standardized logo.  Read the full DAC Recommendation.  (Posted Oct 1)

Lisa Hoffman

Our ADP friend Lisa Helen Hoffman passed away peacefully on September 23 with family and friends at her side.  I spoke with Lisa just a few weeks ago and can tell you that she was honored to have been selected to be a part of our work on behalf of ACVREP's development of a certification effort for audio describers and audio description consultants.  Lisa was an active audio description consultant as well as a long-time audio description consumer; her decades-long work with the Geva Theater in Rochester, NY and the University of Rochester's Memorial Art Gallery was well-respected and resulted in broad access to those arts institutions for people who are blind.  She was the recipient of the ACB Audio Description Project Achievement Award in Performing Arts in 2009.  More about her life and career is at: http://www.lhhconsulting.com/about-the-owner.html.

Lisa's commitment to audio description will be remembered so positively -- her devotion to arts access services is a model for all who care about the arts and their availability to all.  She will be greatly missed.  -- Joel Snyder  (Posted Sep 24)

Live Audio Descriptions Are His Forte

That's the title of an article in the online edition of The Hindu newspaper.  The article discusses the career of ADP Director and audio describer Joel Snyder.  Joel was recently in Chennai (the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu) for the Ability Foundation’s two-day workshop on audio description. Joel has trained audio describers in 62 countries, sometimes with a translator beside him.  (Posted Sep 17)

"What Just Happened"?

Yes, the words of many blind individuals watching a movie or play.  Read one person's thoughts on the "What Just Happened?" dilemma.  (Posted Sep 17)

Audimance: Immersive Audio Description

What? -- you say!  Think about dance, one of the more difficult mediums for audio describers.  What do you cover, what do you focus on?  A new App under development called Audimance addresses this problem by allowing users "to navigate among a number of audio streams synced with a live performance ... It is complex. It is layered. And each track has different viewpoints, different kinds of information."  Learn more in this article entitled This Is What Accessibility Sounds Like.  (Posted Sep 17)

The Process of Recording Audio Description

Voiceover artist Roy Samuelson, who specializes in recording audio description scripts for movies and advocates for audio description, has been interviewed yet again!  (See previous interviews.)  In this interview with Directors Notes, Roy discusses "the process of providing Audio Description," as well as the benefits to those with normal vision.  The article includes numerous samples of Roy's AD work.  (Posted Sep 10)

CBS All Access App Begins Offering AD

The CBS All Access App offers access to live content (in select markets) and over 10,000 previous episodes via streaming devices.  In August 2019, they began to offer audio described content for such programs as NCIS (current season); Star Trek Discovery; The Twilight Zone; and The Good Fight.  ABC has offered AD in their free Watch ABC App for a long time, but NBC and Fox do not offer AD in their apps; so CBS is a welcome addition.  There is a fee for service for most content ($6 or $10/month).  See more info on the CBS App.  (Aug 20; Updated Aug 27) 

Paramount Studios Releases 150+
New AD Tracks for Old Movies

In May, the Forrest Gump (25th Anniversary) Blu-ray disc was released.  What was different that you might care about?  It had an audio description track!  Forrest Gump was one of over 150 old movies that Paramount has been retrofitting with brand new AD tracks.  Most of them will not reappear on disc, but those tracks will make it to streaming services.  (Forrest is also on iTunes and Prime Video; plus check out Jack Ryan series like The Hunt for Red October on Prime Video for example.)  Read our interview about the new AD tracks with one of the key players responsible at Paramount to learn more (like something about a guy named Maverick who likes to fly planes...).  (Posted Aug 20)

Audio Description For Small Dance Companies

While audio description for people with visually impairment is not a wholly unknown service in the Bay Area (San Jose-based AudioVision frequently describes shows for both SHN and the Curran Theatres in San Francisco), it hasn’t much penetrated the strata of smaller and more experimental theater and dance companies.  Jess Curtis wants to change that.  Read:  Telling While Showing: New Audio Description Services from Jess Curtis/Gravity.  "Through Gravity, [Curtis] hopes to help foster a growing awareness of accessibility for all—and not just in the larger theaters.  In fact, with a grant from the Haas Foundation, Curtis' company can offer other Bay Area companies the opportunity to host audio description services at their shows for a reduced cost through the end of 2019."

Dr. Joel Snyder and Esther Geiger, a Laban Movement Analyst, went to San Francisco last year to train Jess Curtis and Gravity in audio description technique.  (Posted Aug 13)

[Photo Credit:  Meegan Hertensteiner dances in an audio-described production of Deborah Slater's Solos Lost and Found at SFIAF. (Deborah Slater)]

Audio Recordings of July's Mini ADP Conference

Audio recordings from the two sessions at July's Mini ADP Conference are now available.  Visit our 2019 Conference page to listen.  The panels were:

• Audio Description Accessibility and Technology:  Open Forum with Representatives from Major Providers and Streaming Services
• Audio Description Advocacy:  Legislative Advocacy; and Promoting AD in National Parks, Performing Arts Venues, Museums, and Educational Settings

Cord-Cutting and AD

Lots of folks are investigating cord-cutting these days.  Cord-cutting is when you drop a cable or satellite contract and use alternative, cheaper solutions to access networks of interest.  There are many considerations and numerous options; but of prime interest to visitors to this website is whether or not the proposed solution passes through audio description (the "SAP Channel").  If you have experience good or bad in this area, please write the webmaster or post to our discussion list.  (Posted Aug 20)

Commercials With AD

Some companies have released TV commercials with audio description.  We congratulation the companies for the brands we know about:  Bounty, Head and Shoulders, Pampers, Subaru, and Wells Fargo.  We are seeking permission to replay them here, but in the meantime we simply wish to acknowledge the accessibility efforts of these companies.  (Posted Aug 20)

Edinburgh Festival: Many Performances With AD

Each August, Edinburgh, Scotland, offers five separate events as part of the Edinburgh Festival.  Most run throughout the month.  ADA Scotland provides audio description for many of the events.  For a list of described events, please see the ADA Scotland AD Listings page.  (Posted Aug 13)

Audio Description for All

Audio narrator Roy Samuelson (NCIS, Bosch, movies) has written an article entitled Did You Know Of This Way To Enjoy Movies and TV Shows?.  While he "explains" audio description, he also notes:  "While supporting the blind and low vision community is an integral part of this work, sighted audiences can also enjoy the benefits of Audio Description, particularly when commuting, cooking, giving their eyes a break from staring at a screen, or helping keep track of multiple characters."  Those of us (like your webmaster) who are spouses or partners of AD users already reap these benefits!  Enjoy the article and share it with those who could benefit. 

July 30:  Roy has been interviewed in yet another podcast:  Blind Abilities Super Duper Extra: Spider-Man: Far From Home is Here, And Audio Describer Roy Samuelson Spins His Own Web on Audio Description.  You'll hear excerpts of shows he's done, some not released yet, and his discussion with a fan of his work.  You may also choose to read a transcript of the Blind Abilities podcast.  You'll find other podcasts with Roy referenced in this article from our archives. 

July 30:  And here's another interesting podcast, though not with Roy:  How Do You Watch Movies If You Can’t See?.  This one is on Spotify, for which you can get a free subscription.  The producer is "The Be My Eyes Podcast."  (Updated Jul 30)

Describe and Draw: Life-drawing workshop

Our friends in the UK have an interesting opportunity coming up on August 10th:  an audio described drawing class specifically designed for blind and low vision visitors.  No experience necessary, and free!  How about some places in the USA doing this?  (Posted July 30, via VocalEyes)

2019 ADP Achievement Award Winners

The following award winners were announced at the ACB Convention in Rochester, NY, on July 9:

Achievement in Audio Description - Performing Arts:  Hunter Gullickson, The Guthrie Theater - Minneapolis, MN.
Special Recognition Achievement in Audio Description - Montclair State University - Montclair, NJ.
Achievement in Audio Description - Media:  Microsoft/Xbox - Seattle, WA.
Achievement in Audio Description - Visual Art / Museums / Visitor Centers:  Hannah Goodwin, Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, MA.
Achievement in Audio Description - International:  Vera Arma, ARTIS Project - Viterbo Area, Italy.
Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description - Research and Development:  Dr. Brett Oppegaard, The UniDescription Project - University of Hawaii.
Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description:  Jon P. Skaalen - Minneapolis, MN.

Official Awards Announcement; all previous winners Honor Roll.  (Posted Jul 9)

Netflix Now Allows Describer Identification

Professional audio describers (companies and individuals) and audio narrators (the people who read the describers' scripts) are proud of their work and like to be recognized just like the actors and crew in a movie.  And this is something many viewers of the videos have requested, too.  Netflix has not allowed such identification ... until now.  From now on, Netflix is allowing these professionals to be identified at the end of each video ahead of the credits.  Thank you Netflix.  Listen for this in the future!  (Posted Jul 2)

Reading TV Subtitles Aloud

If you live in a country whose native language isn't all that common, you'll encounter a lot of TV in foreign languages.  Denmark is a country that, as many others, doesn't have a culture for dubbing TV and movies in foreign languages, which means that they rely heavily on subtitles.  But what if you're blind and you can't read the subtitles?  DR, the government supported TV and radio supplier in Denmark, has twin-channels for all their main channels that are specifically designed for people with a vision impairment.  When watching TV on these channels, subtitles will automatically be read aloud as they appear, ensuring a smooth TV experience for people who can't read the subtitles.  (Via ACVRep, Posted Jul 2)

Survey on Describing Diversity

VocalEyes (a London-based organization which provides audio description) in partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London, is running a research project exploring an important aspect of theatre audio description:  people’s opinions about when and how human characteristics, such as race, disability, age, body shape, or gender should be described.  They are seeking input from a wide group of people:  users of AD, describers, actors and other theatre professionals anywhere in the world.  If you are willing to take a brief online survey, please visit this page before July 31:  https://vocaleyes.co.uk/describing-diversity-survey/.  At the survey's end, you may request to be advised of results.  (Posted Jul 2)

USA Network Asks FCC for Waiver

USA Network has asked the FCC for a limited waiver of the Commission's rules requiring specified TV networks to provide 87.5 hours of video description per calendar quarter with restrictions on how repeats (frequent on USA) are counted.  In exchange, USA has offered to provide 1,000 hours of AD per quarter without regard to repeats and 75% of new non-live programming.  It is interesting to note that they also request that this waiver be granted to all other non-broadcast networks.  In our table of how much description networks are providing now (which includes repeats), it is interesting to note that USA Network continues to lead all other networks and well-exceed 1000 hours per quarter.  Initial comments are due by July 12.  FCC Notice.  (Posted Jun 18)

Technology Makes Museums More Accessible

Museums nationwide are working to make their collections more accessible for people with disabilities.  Some artists are making touchable adaptations of their works.  Or imagine passing your "hands along the raised figures in touchable versions of a Vietnam War photograph, [where] small metal sensors [touch] off recordings to explain whose picture [you are] touching and what had happened to him" -- an interesting form of audio description!  Read 3-D photographs? Technology makes museums more accessible.  Two other articles on museums address other accessibility features:  Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose and the first phase of Barrier Free Kerala, India.  (Posted Jun 11)

Pavarotti Comes to the Screen ... With AD!

The recently released movie, Pavarotti, which examines the life and career of opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, is one of the select documentaries to be granted funding for audio description by voiceover artist and media accessibility advocate Michele Spitz, who operates under the business name Woman of Her Word.  Read this Hollywood Reporter article or the Press Release.  (Posted Jun 11)

Input Requested on TV AD Listings

We at the ADP try to offer you consolidated listings of described TV offerings ... only because no one else does!  Most of the TV Networks either have no listing or unreliable ones.  The ACB is trying to influence the FCC to require networks to either offer accurate listings or contributed to a central database.  What do YOU think?  Where do YOU get your listing data?  Are the network listings ACCURATE and ACCESSIBLE?  Please drop a note to our own Carl Richardson, who is the Chair of the Video Working Group for the FCC, with your answers.  Thanks.  (Posted Jun 11)

Podcast Interviews With Roy Samuelson

Roy Samuelson is one of Hollywood’s leading voiceover talents in film and television.  You've heard his AD narration of TV shows like NCIS and Lethal weapon and movies such as Jurassic World.  Listen to this podcast where he is interviewed on That Blind Tech Show.  And now there is a second podcast interview available from The Association of Blind Citizens.  (Updated Jun 4)

LAST CALL for Nominations:
11th Annual ADP Achievement Awards

It's time once again to nominate individuals and organizations for our annual "Achievement in Audio Description" awards.  Categories are as follows:

- Achievement in Audio Description - Media
- Achievement in Audio Description - Performing Arts
- Achievement in Audio Description - Museums/Visual Art/Visitor Centers
- Achievement in Audio Description - International
- Dr. Margaret Pfanstiehl Memorial Award in Audio Description - Research and Development
- Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description

You can read the award nomination document and/or view past winners.  Deadline is June 7.  (Updated Jun 4)

Audio Described TV in Australia

Australia lags other developed nations in not offering audio description via over-the-air TV.  So recently, when a commercial with audio description was aired, it was like a breath of fresh air for viewers with visual impairment!  Read:  Australia’s first totally accessible ad hits TV screens.  (Posted May 28)

"The Vale" Arrives in August

Are you a gamer?  How about a game that is described as an "audio-based experience" that is specifically designed and developed with visually impaired players in mind?  It's coming in August.  Read:  'The Vale,' a Video Game for the Visually Impaired, Coming to PC in August.  (Posted May 28)

Actiview at the Movies

Actiview (a free iPhone App) periodically releases description tracks for first-run movies.  Using the App with your iPhone in a movie theater allows you better control over volume and type of earpiece than using a cinema's AD units, which are sometimes flaky.  At home, you can listen to description while others don't have to.  The following two description tracks were released recently for new movies:

• Poms (PG-13)
• UglyDolls (PG)

There are a total of 28 Actiview description tracks available for free.  (Posted May 14)

Audio Description in China

Meet the woman making film accessible to the visually impaired is the title of an article on Time Out Shanghai.  Han Ying, who is visually impaired, now edits audio description for films, and she discusses how she got the job and what some of the challenges are.  Her hope for the future is the same as many others:  "when someone walks into a cinema, with the help of a chip and a pair of earphones, they’re able to enjoy most of the latest films in most of the commercial cinemas and be surrounded by visually abled people."  Yes!  (Posted Apr 23)

FCC Seeks YOUR Input on "Video Description"

*** LAST CALL ***

 The FCC will continue to accept comments through MAY 1.
The ACB will forward your comments on your behalf through MONDAY APRIL 29.

In preparation for a report to Congress, the FCC is soliciting input on "recent developments in the video description marketplace."  Those topics which apply to consumers are as follows:

• The amount and types of programming described, including children's programming and specific examples of what is watched.
• The extent to which household members, both visually impaired or not, watch described programming.
• The ease with which consumers can access online guides, and how well the networks inform you of their described programming.
• How well are networks making available Video-On-Demand of previously described programming?
• Are there "any data points that quantify or otherwise capture the benefits of video description for audiences"?
• Other questions are primarily for networks to answer.

This is an extremely important opportunity for each individual who enjoys the benefits of described television programming to provide input!  Failing to respond means you are willing to let others decide how much described programming you receive.  PLEASE take the time to read the following document and provide your input.  FCC 11-43 Document.  (To read a version with all the footnotes removed, use this Screen Reader version of FCC 11-43 Document link.)  Then use the Online Express Input Form to submit comments.  In the online input form, type "11-43" in "Proceedings," press Enter, then continue through the form.  If you prefer to submit a Word or other format document, use the Regular Filings option, type "11-43" in "Proceedings," press Enter, then continue.  Deadline was April 1, but comments will be accepted through May 1!!!  Do it now! 

NEW REPLY OPTION:
You can email your personalized comments to advocacy@acb.org  and the ACB national office will file your comments on your behalf through Monday, April 29.
(Updated Apr 23)

Is AD the Future of TV Viewing?

Curtin research finds audio description key to future of television viewing.  That's the title of an article by an Australian University.  Curiously, they point out that "Australia is the only English-speaking nation in the OECD [a 36-country consortium] not to offer audio description on free-to-air television."  Their theory is “Audio description would be attractive to people who are multi-tasking while they are watching television and has the potential to become another television accessibility feature that is embraced by the mainstream population, just as closed captions have been.”  (Posted Apr 16)

The Wizardry of Audio Description

In the 1960s, Chet Avery, a blind theater-lover, now retired from the Department of Education, conceived of audio description as a formal process that could convey the visual images of theater performances to people who are blind or have low vision.

Many years later, he enjoyed sharing described versions of movies with his granddaughter, Kate.  Kate grew to love the described versions – "Grandpa's version" – and in an essay relates her enchantment with the described VHS tape of "The Wizard of Oz" (with description provided by WGBH).  Read Kate Avery's essay and enjoy a clip from the film.  (Posted Apr 9)

The CW's In the Dark

offers a Saturday morning kids' series called One Magnificent Morning with description.  Now they are offering an original prime time series Thursdays at 9pm called In the Dark.  Why is it described?  Presumably because its leading character is a blind woman!  And that, of course, has lead to the controversy that the actress (Perry Mattfeld) is not blind herself.  Read The CW’s In the Dark Is a Compelling Look at the Blind Experience.  Please note that since The CW is not a network mandated by the FCC to carry description, you may or may not be able to receive description locally.  Also note that this show has adult themes.  (Posted Apr 9)

Streaming Video Listings Unified

For the past few weeks we've been talking about modifications to our streaming video listings for Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, and Prime Video to add more and more features.  Now, finally, they all contain the same information:  Title, Type (movie, series, etc.), link to content, genre, and rating, PLUS we have separate by-genre listings for each service (except Hulu).  Please note that each service assigns a primary genre to each video, and their choice of genres may differ from service to service for the same title, plus we "consolidate" similar genres for convenience.  (Updated Apr 9)

ACVREP Audio Description Certification Subject Matter Expert Committee Formed

Last fall, the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) announced it was recruiting individuals who might wish to serve on its new Subject Matter Expert Committee for Audio Description.  Both a Certification Committee and an Advisory Board have now been formed.  The committee will be charged with crafting all material related to the certification process for audio description.  Read the ACVREP Announcement.  (Posted Apr 3)

*** Hulu Begins Audio Description ***

Hulu has begun providing Audio Description, and we are summarizing what we know on our new Hulu page plus including the programs in our Master AD List. Note that audio description is only available via a web browser initially.

And here is an article about Hulu beginning description.  (Updated Apr 3)

WMU Student Helps Launch AD for Theatre

The Kalamazoo (Michigan) Civic Theatre was approached by a patron about offering audio description.  Fortunately, they located Abby Tongue, a student at Western Michigan University's Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, who reached out to others, including the ACB, to prepare herself to offer her services as an audio describer.  Read the story of how this came about!  (Posted Mar 12)

The Oscars:  A Missing Award

They honor the script writers, but how about the audio describers?  "For blind cinema goers, audio description is a crucial part of any film.  It is just as important as acting, cinematography and score."  That's the premise of this article on The Conversation website entitled, Oscars: audio description brings film to life for blind people, it deserves an award too.  The article concludes with, "It may be too late for this year but it seems only right that an audio describer is properly awarded at the 2020 Oscars."  Read it and see if you agree!  By the way, the French Confederation for the Advancement of Blind People has addressed this issue, as noted in the article. Très bien! (Posted Feb 26)

“Access,” a Short Film About Accessibility

It took Chris Higgins nearly four years to complete "Access," a short documentary which "follows Cory Joseph through a typical day, showing how he uses his smartphone, braille display, tactile watch, and guide dog (named Vine) to navigate the world."  He struggled with editing to allow for audio description, but here's the great point of all this:  "Ultimately I decided that there should be only one version of this film, and it should include Audio Description, because that makes the film accessible to a wider audience.  I think there’s a lesson for creative people:  Even if you think you 'get it,' you might not be getting it.  Leave room to reconsider."  Wow!  Thank you Chris.  Read the Article and Watch Access.  (Posted Feb 15)

From Our Friends in the UK:
Where is TV Audio Description Heading in 2019

This article from the BroadcastNow website in the UK addresses the same frustration visually impaired TV watchers have in the USA and elsewhere:  a lot of top shows are not audio described or fail to be described later on other platforms.  (Posted Feb 15)  Also in the UK (From Jan 9):

• Ofcom seeking extension of accessibility rules to VOD providers
• Ofcom target video-on-demand accessibility

European Audio Subtitles Day

An Audio Subtitles Day will be held in Barcelona on March 4 "to raise awareness of the accessibility possibilities of existing subtitling assets."  (You may need to click through several lead-in pages,)  (Posted Feb 15)

2019 BADIE Contest Winners Announced

The 2019 winners of the Benefits of Audio Description In Education have been announced.  Congratulations to Grand Prize Winner John Holstein from the West Virginia School for the Blind for his review of Snowflake Bentley and Voyage to Mars -- and to all the other winners.  Read the BADIE Press Release.  (Posted Feb 5)

Theater of the Mind

In the article, Theater of the Mind: Washington Ear brings live theater to visually impaired, the accomplishments of The Metropolitan Washington Ear are discussed.  The first audio description of live theater took place in Washington in 1981.  Now, a team of 21 audio describers covers upwards of 60 plays a year in nine theaters.  This article is a great introduction to what audio description is and its benefits!  (Posted Feb 5)

Netflix Adds By-Genre AD Listings

At the urging of the Audio Description Project based on user feedback, Netflix has modified their Audio Description in English listing (only available to members) to include separate links for audio described programs by genre.  The genre options are as follows:  TV Shows, Action, Anime, Children & Family, Comedies, Crime, Documentaries, Dramas, Horror, Independent, International, Music & Musicals, Reality, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Stand-Up Comedy, Thrillers.  (Posted Feb 3)

Marilee Talkington Luncheon Address

Finally, we have excerpted the luncheon address by Marilee Talkington at our ADP Conference last July from an otherwise damaged conference recording.  Marilee is an actress with significant visual impairment.  She recounted for us her experience trying to break into the commercial world of acting, and we play (on the recording) an excerpt of her role in an NCIS episode last year.  Listen to the 40-minute MP3 file by clicking the link above.  (Posted Jan 18)

Audio Description in Israel

In 2018, Israel's Central Library for the Blind received the annual Audio Description Project's International award.  Later this month (January 2019), the Library will offer its first Audio Description training course.  Read about all the accomplishments the library has made in the past year regarding audio description!  (Posted Jan 15)

CVAA Accessibility Rules Now Apply to Video Games

A waiver offering video games temporary exemption from the Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 has expired, meaning that games released after the expiration date of December 31, 2018 have a set of new communication-focused rules to keep in mind to stay on the up-and-up with the Federal Communications Commission and dodge potential fines.  Read CVAA accessibility rules come into effect for games as FCC waiver expires.  (Posted Jan 9)

Inaccessible Specialty Video Websites

As a visually impaired gay man, author/journalist Belo Cipriani was excited when he "heard about GayMovie Database — a new, online database of over 1,000 TV shows, as well as short and long movies of interest to the LGBTQ community."  Unfortunately, it wasn't very accessible.  In this article, he discusses his frustration with the pervasive problem about websites ignoring accessibility upfront and the difficulties of retrofit.  Read Seeing in the Dark: Debunking digital inclusion.  (Posted Jan 9)

Audio Description Is For Sighted Folks, Too!

A December article in The Slate highlights how GOOD audio description can enhance ANYONE's enjoyment of a film.  In The Best Performance in A Christmas Prince Is the One You Never See On Screen, the author declares, "in the case of A Christmas Prince, the audio description serves another bonus function [beyond its intended audience], because it also happens to be the ideal A Christmas Prince––watching companion."  The author wisely reminds us, "Good audio description does not call attention to itself."  She then goes on to compliment describer Roland Bearne's audio description.  Bearne (pictured), a Brit, has been describing for almost 20 years.  (Posted Jan 1)

Happy 10th Birthday - Audio Description Project!

In January 2009, Joel Snyder and then-ACB president Chris Gray proposed the establishment of an initiative to promote and celebrate the development of audio description: the Audio Description Project (ADP). Kim Charlson led the ADP's steering committee until her "promotion" several years ago to ACB President. Since that time, Dan Spoone has ably steered the ADP toward its current vibrant level of activity with the important contributions of Dr. Joel Snyder, the Project's director, and Fred Brack, the ADP webmaster. For a review of the ADP's accomplishment over the past decade and throughout 2018, please read Our First Decade report.

Joel, Fred, Kim, and Dan

And Thanks Also to ...

Here's two more folks who bring contributions to this website each week. Sebastian Andrade Miles, who pours over TV listings each week to bring you our TV by Days listing; and Vicki Vogt from the Perkins School for the Blind Library, who each week compiles and circulates a detailed listing of all the described movies currently showing in theatres.  We extract them and offer her listing to you under Cinema above.  Thanks!  (Posted Jan 1)