[Mdpobc] Fwd: [nabs-l] Audio Description

Mon Jun 18 16:28:30 UTC 2012

You just need to go through the menu of your TV, you should see a choice of Second Audio Programming [SAP], turn that on and you are done. When Jason was little we or the childcare provider would turn on the SAP for shows like "Arthur:.

Susan T. Polansky

________________________________
 From: "Wendynusba at yahoo.com" <wendynusbaum at yahoo.com>
To: Maryland Parents of Blind Children List <mdpobc at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: [Mdpobc] Fwd: [nabs-l] Audio Description

Does anyone know how to turn on the audio description?  This post says several shows already have description but I don't know how to turn on this service.
Wendy

Sent from my touch 

On Jun 15, 2012, at 6:50 PM, Trudy Pickrel <tlpickrel at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>Trudy L Pickrel
>President MD Parents Blind Children
>Owner TLC by the Lake poodles
>
>Begin forwarded message:
>
>
>From: "Chris Nusbaum" <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>
>>Date: June 15, 2012 5:25:20 PM EDT
>>To: <mdpobc at nfbnet.org>, <mdabs at nfbnet.org>, <troubleclark at gmail.com>, <tlpickrel at hotmail.com>, <cmdayrdh at aol.com>, <gary.legates at comcast.net>, "Ninette Legates" <ninette.legates at comcast.net>, <mike at insightondisability.com>
>>Subject: FW: [nabs-l] Audio Description
>>
>>
>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>>Of David Andrews
>>Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 6:05 AM
>>To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>Subject: [nabs-l] Audio Description
>>
>>
>>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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