Phase in of Audio Description Rules to DMAs 81 Through 90
On October 27, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted the 2020 Audio Description Order, which expanded the Commission’s audio description rules.
The Commission’s audio description rules require certain television broadcast stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to provide audio description for a portion of the video programming they televise to consumers.
As of January 1st, 2023, the Commission’s audiodescription rules will aply to the following DMAs(designated market areas):
- Madison
- Waco-Temple-Bryan
- Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen
- Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg
- Colorado Springs-Pueblo
- Shreveport
- Syracuse
- Champaign and Springfield-Decatur
- Savannah
- Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City and Dubuque
In the United States, the FCC requires 87.5 hours per quarter of audio described content on primetime or children’s programming on the major broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox) and the top five cable networks that broadcast a significant amount of prerecorded content.
We at Dicapta wholeheartedly applaud the expansion of these rules, as it means that more people with disabilities can enjoy accessible programming. Having 90 DMA’s in adopt the FCC’s Audiodescription rules is unprecedented, and hopefully in 2024 this number will increase again.