WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau has issued a reminder that stations in TV markets 101 to 110 must implement its new audio description rules by Jan. 1.
On Oct. 17, 2023, the FCC adopted the 2023 Audio Description Order, which continues expansion of its audio description rules to an additional 10 designated market areas (DMAs) per year until all markets are included.
The audio description rules are designed to make video programming more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired through “[t]he insertion of audio narrated descriptions of a television program’s key visual elements into natural pauses between the program’s dialogue,” the FCC said.
FCC audio description rules require certain television broadcast stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to provide the audio description for a portion of the video programming they televise to consumers, the FCC said.
The FCC also noted that, as set forth in the 2023 Audio Description Order, compliance deadlines going forward will apply to the relevant DMAs as determined by Nielsen as of Jan. 1, 2023. Under that procedure, the rules will extend to the following DMAs on Jan. 1:
- Tri-Cities, Tennessee-Virginia
- Reno, Nevada
- Greenville-New Bern-Washington, North Carolina
- Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, Iowa
- Tallahassee, Florida-Thomasville, Georgia
- Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, Nebraska
- Evansville, Indiana
- Ft. Wayne, Indiana
- Johnstown-Altoona-State College, Pennsylvania
