[real-eyes] Re: Fw: Television Accessibility, Is Accessible TV Viewing Finally on Its Way?
- From: Mitchell Lynn <mitch.lynn@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 12:25:40 -0600
Pretty good article. The opening paragraphs outline a big part of the
reason why I don't have cable any more and haven't watched cable or
broadcast TV in years. I don't miss channel surfing and waiting through
endless bad commercials at all. Makes me antsy just thinking about that.
Amazing what we will endure for a little entertainment.
On 02/12/15 6:39 AM, Reginald George wrote:
> I apologize for the cross post. This is a long article, but do persevere if
> you want to know the current state of accessible TV in the US. It’s as
> short as it can be given all the information it contains.
> Reginald George
> Adaptive Technology specialist
> adapt@xxxxxxxxx
> This article significantly lifts my spirits regarding not
> only Television accessibility, but also access in to visual media overall. I
> look forward to future follow-up information as suggested in the final line
> "Stay Tuned."
>
> Dan Thompson
>
>
>
> "Television Accessibility
>
> Is Accessible TV Viewing Finally on Its Way?
>
> Bill Holton
>
> http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw160105
>
>
>
> In the August issue of AccessWorld , found here:
>
> http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw150803
>
> we described the new voice guide features available on new Samsung TVs. More
> recently, Comcast has announced the availability of its own talking TV
> interface. More specifics can be found at the ComCast page rregarding "
> Accessibility Services" found here:
>
> http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/accessibility
>
>
>
> There certainly has been a lot of activity on the accessible media front.
> Here's why: the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility
> Act of 2010 (CVAA) includes a number of provisions regulating the production
> and availability of accessible broadcast media and devices—television sets,
> set-top boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs) and descriptive video for
> broadcast and non-broadcast channel programing.
>
> To help provide a better understanding of the rapidly changing landscape of
> video accessibility, AccessWorld spoke with Brian Charlson, Director of
> Technology at the Carrolle Center and member of the FCC Video Programming
> Accessibility Advisory Committee, which helped draft the CVAA.
>
> *Defining the Issues
>
> We began by asking Brian Charlson to help us more clearly understand the
> problem of accessibility for broadcast media.
>
> "These days a television is a lot more than an on/off switch, volume control,
> and channel up and down buttons," he began. "There are so many new and
> exciting things a television can do, and as consumers who are blind or
> visually impaired, we are not always even aware of what they are."
>
> Ask many blind individuals if they watch TV, and they say yes, definitely.
> But when you ask them about their viewing habits they may say something along
> the lines of, "I turn it on for the 6 o'clock news on Channel 4. Then I watch
> "Friends" repeats on Channel 12, and after that I turn to Channel 10 to watch
> CBS prime time shows."
>
> "For this individual, and many like him or her, TV watching is done by
> rote—memorizing what is on when and on which channel, and then sticking to
> that schedule," Charlson says. "This worked fine back in the days of 3
> channels, maybe 4 but today, with 300 or 400 channels to choose from, those
> old ways simply don't work anymore."
>
> Sighted people can flip through the channels, and most over-the-air channels
> and cable and satellite providers will flash the network name and show title
> on the screen for identification. A blind person may need to wait several
> minutes for a commercial to end, and then a few more trying to figure out
> what show is on. Multiply this by an ever-growing channel lineup and it's
> easy to see that channel surfing is not a workable option for those with
> visual impairments.
>
> "Sighted users also have a program guide channel to show them what's on
> currently, and, even more useful at times, what is going to be on starting in
> 30 minutes, an hour, or even tomorrow afternoon," Charlson says. True, this
> information is available online, or via a smartphone app, but this requires
> the individual to develop and maintain computer skills just to find and watch
> TV.
>
> "Elderly, newly blind individuals are the fastest growing segment of the
> blind community. In general, they tend to be frequent TV viewers. They are
> also the ones who are least likely to have developed the skills to operate an
> accessible PC or smartphone," adds Charlson.
>
> There is also the equipment itself. "In my house we have four TVs, each in
> different rooms. And not one of them uses the same remote with the same
> button layout," Charlson reports. "Add a digital cable box or a DVR to each
> set and it's no wonder so many blind persons do not take full advantage of
> their equipment or available programming."
>
>
>
> *CVAA Device Standards
>
> Here is a summary describing the upcoming accessible device standards
> required of all new TV sets, cable boxes, and DVRs manufactured after
> December 2016.
>
> The following functions must be made accessible if the feature is included in
> the device at the time of manufacture. If these functions are delivered via a
> text menu or guide, they must be made audibly accessible, which is to say the
> device must "speak" the menu or guide. If a feature is not delivered through
> a menu or guide—for example, turning a set on or off—there is no audible
> accessibility requirement, but it still must be made accessible to those who
> are blind or visually impaired.
>
> a.. Power on/off: an accessible method to turn a device on or off must be
> available.
> b.. Volume adjust and mute: an accessible method to adjust and mute the
> device's volume must be available.
> c.. Channel/program selection: users must be able to accessibly select
> channels and programs via physical numeric or channel up/channel down buttons
> or via on-screen guides and menus. This includes the ability to select
> non-linear programming such as VOD and recorded DVR programming, and the
> ability to launch applications such as Netflix.
> d.. Display channel/program info: users must be able to accessibly display
> current channel or program information.
> e.. Configuration, setup: users must be able to accessibly access and
> change configuration or setup options, such as configuration of video display
> and audio settings, selection of preferred language for on-screen guides or
> menus, etc.
> f.. Configuration, video description control: users must be able to
> accessibly enable or disable the output of video description, which is to say
> to change from the main audio to the secondary audio stream that contains
> video description and from the secondary audio stream back to the main audio.
> This rule only pertains to equipment that includes Secondary Audio
> Programming (SAP), which is not required but which most set manufactures
> provide.
> g.. Configuration, CC options: users must be able to accessibly modify the
> display of closed caption data, including configuration of the font size,
> font color, background color, opacity, etc.
> h.. Configuration, CC control: users must be able to accessibly enable or
> disable the display of closed captioning.
> i.. Display configuration info: users must be able to accessibly display
> how user preferences are currently configured.
> j.. Playback functions: users must be able to accessibly control playback
> functions, including pause, play, rewind, fast forward, stop, and record for
> DVR and video on demand.
> k.. Input selection: users must be able to accessibly select their
> preferred input source, such as the port connected to an Apple TV or
> Chromecast.
> The new regulations also specify that these accessibility features may not be
> restricted to a manufacturer's highest-end, which is to say their most
> expensive, models. "If a set maker's lineup includes 32-inch, 45-inch and
> 60-inch models, for example, each of the different screen sizes must have an
> accessible model available, and for no additional cost," states Charlson.
>
> Along with equipment manufacturers, the new guidelines also affect broadcast
> and cable networks, as well as service providers, including cable and
> satellite TV companies.
>
> *Requirements for Broadcast and Non-Broadcast Networks
>
> Currently, the top four broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—are
> required to provide 50 hours of video-described prime time or children's
> programming per calendar quarter, or approximately 4 hours each week.
> Same-week rebroadcasts do not count toward the 50 hours.
>
> The requirement to provide 50 hours per calendar quarter of video-described
> programming also applies to the top five cable networks, which are currently
> USA, Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon, and TBS. These rankings will be
> reassessed in July of 2015.
>
> *Requirements for Local TV Stations
>
> Today, local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates in the top 25 US markets are
> required to own and operate the equipment to broadcast video description.
> They must also provide 50 hours of video-described prime time or children's
> programming per quarter. This is the minimum. If the network provides even
> more video description, the local affiliate must pass it through. There is no
> requirement for non-network affiliated local stations.
>
> Some smaller network affiliates do not currently have the equipment to
> broadcast the video description signal. Others have the equipment but choose
> to use it to add an additional language channel. As of July 1, 2016, the
> regulations will expand to cover local network affiliates in the top 60 US
> markets.
>
> This is their target deadline for installing the necessary equipment and
> joining the top 25 markets in broadcasting at least 50 hours of described
> content per quarter.
>
> *Requirements for Cable and Satellite Companies
>
> Cable and satellite companies, known as multichannel video programming
> distributors (MVPDs) that serve 50,000 or more subscribers must also own and
> operate the equipment necessary to broadcast video description. They, too,
> must provide 50 hours of video description per calendar quarter during prime
> time or children's programming on each of the top five national non-broadcast
> networks that they carry: USA, the Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon, and TBS.
>
> Smaller MVPD systems are not currently required to install the equipment or
> pass through video description. If they do provide this service, however,
> they must offer everything that is available. For example, the History
> Channel is not currently required to provide video-described programming
> because it is not in the top 5. However, if the History Channel airs a
> video-described program, any cable or satellite company that offers described
> video must include the show in their service.
>
> For cable companies, adding more descriptive video presents few challenges.
> Unfortunately, it's a different matter for satellite companies. For them,
> each new video description stream requires the use of limited satellite
> resources.
>
> "We have to maintain a level playing field, so that blind consumers receive
> the same amount of accessible programming, regardless of whether they
> subscribe to cable or satellite service," notes Charlson. "This is why the
> amount of required described programming was not immediately increased."
>
> According to the FCC, however, if the commission determines that the need for
> and benefits of providing video description for television programming
> outweigh the technical and economic costs, the Commission has authority two
> years after a June 30, 2014 Report to Congress to adopt additional
> regulations, including increasing the 50-hours-per-quarter requirement by up
> to 75 percent. This would result in roughly 7 hours per week of descriptive
> video programming per provider, which could be implemented on June 30, 2016
> at the earliest.
>
> *What It All Means
>
> The good news is that if you are currently in the market for a new TV, you
> will soon have several models to choose from that offer many, but not all, of
> the new accessibility requirements. The bad news is that it's not uncommon
> for newer releases of accessibility software to run only on newer sets, which
> means after December of 2016 you may be left with a set that will not run a
> full roster of these features.
>
> Of course, this assumes that all parties implement the services properly. If
> the devices are not accessible in time, the manufacturer must show the FCC
> all of the steps they have taken toward making them accessible. To date,
> however, no fines or other penalties for non-compliance have been determined.
>
> As for video description, the new regulations will not immediately increase
> the amount of described video available. It will merely codify what is
> already being done. There is the hope, but not the promise, of more to come.
>
> Another potential issue is that, based on the way the regulations are
> written, providers must file paperwork every year evaluating their success in
> implementing accessibility. However, it is up to us, the consumer, to report
> problems, and, notes Charlson: "Unlike for closed screen captioning, there is
> no mandated complaint office or hotline where we can report problems with
> network[s] or your local cable company or broadcast channels' described video
> or other accessibility features."
>
> Another still unresolved issue is the accessibility of streaming services,
> such as Netflix and Hulu. "Launching the apps must be made accessible, but
> the waters are still rather muddy as to whether or not actually being able to
> use these services accessibly falls under the new regulations," says Charlson.
>
> One last issue Charlson brings up is the learning curve for sight-impaired TV
> consumers. "Many of the soon-to-be available features and capabilities have
> been added gradually, over the years, allowing sighted consumers to build on
> previous knowledge and experience. "For us it will be like stepping into a
> rapidly flowing river," he says. "For example, until now it has been all but
> impossible for us to set a DVR to record a program so we can watch it later.
> Now we'll want to know not only how to record "M.A.S.H.," but also how to
> instruct our DVR to record all of the episodes being played at any time and
> on any channel, but not the ones I've already seen." It is not likely we will
> be able to request DVR training from our local rehab agency. And as of now
> the FCC has yet to determine whether to impose information, documentation,
> and training requirements on manufacturers and service providers.
>
> Stay tuned."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Verse of the Week:
>
> “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the
> Holy One is understanding� (Proverbs 9:10).
>
>
>
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