[Blindtlk] Audio Description

Fri Jun 15 16:30:21 UTC 2012

Before you do that, go through the menu on your television and cable. It may be there.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michelle Medina
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 11:25 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Audio Description

O geeze. . . so I'll have to call out Charter cable company then because my parents have no idea how to figure that junk out and neither do I. Lol.

On 6/15/12, Ray Foret Jr <rforetjr at att.net> wrote:
> 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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>>
>>
>> --
>> "Like the sun we will live to rise,
>> Like the sun we will live and die!
>> And then. . . ignite again!"
>> "Live to Rise"--Christopher Cornell/Soundgarden, from The Avengers 
>> Soundtrack
>>
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--
"Like the sun we will live to rise,
Like the sun we will live and die!
And then. . . ignite again!"
"Live to Rise"--Christopher Cornell/Soundgarden, from The Avengers Soundtrack

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