[Blindtlk] Audio Description

[Ray Foret Jr]

the trick is to find where your audio setup menu is on your cable box.  That's how you access it; if it's even there.


Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!

Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!

Skype name:
barefootedray

On Jun 15, 2012, at 10:05 AM, Michelle Medina wrote:

> So my question is HOW do I access this?
> I'll phone into Newsline and it'll tell me that something is audio
> described, but according to my family I don't have the button required
> on my TV, or cable box to gain access. So do I need to buy some
> special TV and if so where would I obtain it?
> 
> On 6/15/12, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Beginning July 1, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, plus the
>> top five cable networks will begin providing
>> audio descriptions of some of their programming
>> for blind or sight-impaired viewers. The shows to
>> be described range from ABC's Modern Family to
>> CBS's NCIS to Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer to USA's Royal Pains.
>> 
>> For now, stations in the top 25 markets and cable
>> systems with 50,000 or more subs will be required
>> to offer about four hours a week of the new
>> service. The number of stations and hours will gradually increase.
>> 
>> Starting July 1, the country’s 21.5 million
>> visually impaired people will be able to enjoy TV more than ever before.
>> 
>> On that day, the Big Four broadcast networks and
>> the top five-rated cable networks will begin
>> offering four hours a week of so-called video
>> descriptions that clue in blind and partially
>> sighted viewers on what's going on when the
>> characters aren't talking. The descriptions,
>> audible only to viewers who want them to be
>> audible, are squeezed in between the dialog.
>> 
>> Video descriptions have been part of
>> broadcasting, cable, home video, but never to the
>> extent on TV as they will be beginning next month.
>> 
>> It's not altruism driving the surge in
>> descriptions. They were mandated by Congress in
>> the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.
>> 
>> According to the FCC's implementing rules, the
>> Big Four O&Os and affiliates in the top 25
>> markets will have to air 50 hours each quarter ­
>> or roughly four hours a week ­ of described programming.
>> 
>> Cable and satellite systems with at least 50,000
>> subscribers have to offer the same amount of
>> described programming for the top five-rated
>> cable networks ­ currently Disney, Nickelodeon, TBS, TNT and USA.
>> 
>> And with just weeks to go before the deadline,
>> the described programming plans of nine affected networks are shaping up.
>> 
>> ABC’s plan is to provide descriptions on some of
>> its Tuesday and Wednesday shows. This summer,
>> those shows include sitcoms Last Man Standing,
>> The Middle, Suburgatory, Modern Family, Happy
>> Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23.
>> 
>> In the fall, ABC will likely include most of
>> those shows and new sitcom The Neighbors and new drama Nashville.
>> 
>> CBS has been providing audio descriptions for
>> several programs since 2002. The lineup is CSI,
>> Criminal Minds, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, plus movies and miniseries.
>> 
>> NBC has broadcast a slew of shows with
>> descriptions, including the Betty White reality
>> show Off Their Rockers, drama Grimm and the
>> summer series Saving Hope. Described sitcoms
>> include The Office, Up All Night and Parks and Recreation.
>> 
>> At Fox, The Simpsons has been audio described for
>> several years. Beyond the animated sitcom, Fox
>> isn't prepared to say what it would be offering.
>> 
>> Disney Channel's described shows will include hit
>> sitcoms Jessie, A.N.T. Farm and the animated Phineas and Ferb.
>> 
>> Nickelodeon will offer descriptions for some of
>> its biggest hits, like the long-running animated
>> Dora the Explorer and preschool educational show Team Umizoomi.
>> 
>> Turner Broadcasting will have described movies as
>> well as TV series. Among the series: TNT’s The
>> Closer and TBS’s Tyler Perry comedies House of Payne and For Better or
>> Worse.
>> 
>> USA’s described programs will include off-network
>> shows NCIS and Law & Order: SVU, plus originals like Royal Pains and Suits.
>> 
>> “My hope is that more and more networks will
>> embrace these accessibility initiatives,” says
>> Joel Snyder, president of Audio Description
>> Associates. He serves as director of the American
>> Council of the Blind’s audio description project and is an adviser to the
>> FCC.
>> 
>> “If they do it right, they'll find ways to make
>> money from it. If they make their shows
>> accessible to these folks, there is a bigger
>> market for advertisers to sell their products.”
>> 
>> For the most part, video-described programs won't
>> include live shows or news. The networks, which
>> are providing most of this content to their
>> affiliates, need time to write description scripts for voice artists to
>> record.
>> 
>> “It takes longer to get that done than closed
>> captioning,” says one network executive. “It also
>> requires us to look at how our post-production
>> schedules are set up. We have to work very
>> closely with the folks at the post-production
>> houses to make sure we get the programming to our
>> vendors with sufficient time to get the video description correct.”
>> 
>> Producing the descriptions costs between $2,000 to $4,000 per hour.
>> 
>> The networks and some associations for the blind
>> are helping to ensure that people with vision
>> problems know that descriptions are coming.
>> 
>> “It’s great for the networks to comply, but
>> what’s more important is getting the information
>> out to folks,” says Helena Berger, EVP-COO of the
>> American Association of People with Disabilities.
>> She is also a member of Comcast-NBCUniversal’s joint diversity council.
>> 
>> “What we can do on our end at AAPD is to use our
>> communication channels, like our newsletter, our
>> website and social media to get the word out to the community.”
>> 
>> Some of the networks are creating logos and audio
>> tones so that people with vision problems know
>> when a program has audio descriptions. So far,
>> there isn't an industry standard.
>> 
>> And TV listing providers like Tribune Media
>> Services will provide data to programming
>> services to let them know if a program is
>> audio-described. Then, it’s up to individual
>> cable systems to add symbols or sounds to their on-screen listings.
>> 
>> These described programs are the culmination of a
>> 12-year battle by the FCC and groups such as the
>> Audio Description Institute. They thought they
>> had won the battle in 2000 when the FCC adopted
>> rules similar to the 2010 act, but a court agreed
>> with broadcasters that the agency had overstepped its authority.
>> 
>> Now backed by law, the new FCC rules gradually
>> expand the description obligations to other TV
>> stations. By July 1, 2015, major network
>> affiliates in the top 60 markets will have to
>> broadcast the descriptions. The FCC may require
>> additional stations to air descriptions at a rate
>> of 10 markets a year if it deems the cost is reasonable.
>> 
>> According to broadcasters, it costs stations
>> anywhere from $10,000 and $25,000 to install the
>> gear necessary to handle the extra audio channel.
>> 
>> Just because someone has a disability doesn't
>> mean they don't want to be included in life,”
>> says Debra Ruh, chief marketing officer at SSB
>> Bart Group, a firm that helps companies make
>> their computer services and websites fully
>> compliant and accessible to people with
>> disabilities. “Part of participating in life is
>> being able to experience television. TV is a very
>> important part of our culture.”
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
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> Like the sun we will live and die!
> And then. . . ignite again!"
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> 
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