[nfb-talk] FW: Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description

[David Andrews]

>
>From: AccessInfo [mailto:AccessInfo at fcc.gov]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 3:03 PM
>To: Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)
>Subject: Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus 
>Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description
>
>Comment Deadline:  Twenty days after publication in Federal Register
>
>On November 19, 2012, the FCC's Media Bureau (MB) released a Notice 
>of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement the provisions of the 
>Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 
>2010 (CVAA).  This NPRM proposes to make televised emergency 
>information more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually 
>impaired by requiring the use of a secondary audio stream to provide 
>emergency information aurally that is conveyed visually during 
>programming other than newscasts.
>
>The NPRM asks for public comment on how to ensure that television 
>apparatus are able to make available video description and emergency 
>information accessible to individuals who are blind or visually 
>impaired.  Further, comment is sought on the proposal to limit the 
>scope of the new rules to television broadcast stations and MVPDs, 
>and not to Internet-delivered video programming.
>
>The proposed revisions to the FCC rules will help fulfill the 
>purpose of the CVAA to update the communication laws to help ensure 
>that individuals with disabilities are able to fully utilize 
>communications services and equipment and to have better access 
>video programming.
>
>Links to the NPRM:
>
>http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-12-142A1.doc
>http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-12-142A1.pdf
>http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-12-142A1.txt
>
>For more information, contact the following staff members of the 
>FCC's Media Bureau:  Diana Sokolow, 
>Diana.Sokolow at fcc.gov<mailto:Diana.Sokolow at fcc.gov>, or Maria 
>Mullarkey, Maria.Mullarkey at fcc.gov<mailto:Maria.Mullarkey at fcc.gov>, 
>(202) 418-2120.