[Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: VRS - TVNewsCheck Article: ObamaPoisedTo Sign Video Description Bill

Thu Oct 7 03:27:46 UTC 2010

It sounds like this will force carriers to provide the description that is
available to their customers. It is really annoying to hear newsline tv
schedules and to know that my show is has DVS but my cable provider refuses
to provide that feed to me. I have found it really enjoyable to watch dvds
from my local rental that already have description because some of the movie
companies are now providing it on all their new movies right out of the box.

Cindy

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> Linda Anderson
> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 7:22 PM
> To: List for blind crafters and artists
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: VRS - TVNewsCheck 
> Article: ObamaPoisedTo Sign Video Description Bill
> 
> 
> That is great.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dixie" <blueherons at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "Dixie" <blueherons at sbcglobal.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 9:23 AM
> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: VRS - TVNewsCheck Article: 
> Obama PoisedTo 
> Sign Video Description Bill
> 
> 
> >
> >
> > Doesn't this sound like great news?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Obama Poised To Sign Video Description Bill
> > By Kim McAvoy
> > TVNewsCheck, September 29, 2010 3:26 AM EDT
> > Within two weeks, President Obama is expected to sign into law 
> > legislation authorizing the FCC to adopt rules mandating local TV 
> > broadcasters carry video descriptions for the blind. The 
> measure, the 
> > Twenty-First Century Communications & Video Accessibility 
> Act of 2010, 
> > was adopted by the Senate in August and passed the House last night.
> > Once implemented, it would force the Big Four broadcast 
> networks and their
> > affiliates in the top 25 markets to provide four hours per week of 
> > primetime
> > and children's programming with video descriptions. It 
> exempts live or 
> > near
> > live programming. These requirements will take effect one 
> year after the
> > bill's enactment.
> > The nation's top five cable TV networks would also have to 
> provide the
> > service.
> > The FCC adopted rules similar to the pending legislation in 
> 2000, but
> > broadcasters and program producers challenged the FCC's 
> authority to 
> > mandate
> > such a service. A federal appeals court agreed and threw 
> out the rules in
> > 2002.
> > Congress is also granting the FCC  authority to increase TV 
> stations'
> > obligations from four to seven hours of video descriptions 
> per week after
> > four years. And in six years, stations in the top 60 DMAs 
> would have to
> > comply with the FCC's video description rules.
> > After 10 years, the FCC would be authorized to extend video 
> description
> > duties to up to 10 additional DMAs each year until all 210 
> markets are
> > covered.
> > Congress also wants local TV broadcasters to make emergency 
> crawls audible
> > in the top 60 DMAs.
> > The description service imposes some costs on program producers and
> > broadcasters. Some TV stations already have the necessary 
> equipment to
> > receive the descriptions from their networks and broadcast 
> it along with 
> > the
> > regular audio channel. But others may have to spend 
> anywhere from $10,000 
> > to
> > $25,000 to pass through the network service. The price tag 
> could go much
> > higher for stations that have to make infrastructure upgrades.
> > The legislation also requires closed captioning of online 
> video content 
> > and
> > ensures that smart phones and other digital media devices 
> are accessible 
> > to
> > the deaf and blind.
> > The measure makes it "easier for the blind and deaf to have 
> access to the
> > Internet, smart phones, television programming and other 
> communications 
> > and
> > video technologies," says Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a key 
> backer of the
> > measure.
> > "Whether it's a Braille reader or a broadband connection, access to
> > technology is not a political issue; it's a participation 
> issue," Markey
> > says. "Two decades ago, Americans with disabilities 
> couldn't get around if
> > buildings weren't wheelchair accessible; today, it's about being Web
> > accessible."
> > The driving force behind the legislation has been the Coalition of
> > Organizations for Accessible Technology, which includes the American
> > Foundation for the Blind, the American Council of the Blind and the 
> > American
> > Association of People with Disabilities. The coalition has 
> been pushing 
> > for
> > the legislation for three years.
> > "Really for the first time blind and vision-impaired 
> Americans will have
> > equal access to enjoy primetime television programming. 
> We're not going to
> > have to rely upon others to understand what's going on 
> during nonverbal
> > parts of shows," says Eric Bridges of the American Council 
> of the Blind.
> > Bridges says the new law would benefit between 25 million 
> and 30 million
> > blind and visually impaired Americans.
> > Copyright 2010 NewsCheckMedia LLC. All rights reserved. 
> This article can 
> > be
> > found online at:
> > 
> http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2010/09/29/45730/obama-pois
ed-to-sign-vid
> eo-description-bill
>
>
>
>
>
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____________________________________________________________
Mortgage Rates Hit 3.25%
If you owe under $729k you probably qualify for Obama's Refi Program
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