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Comments due:  June 22, 2020 
Reply comments due:  July 6, 2020

On April 23, 2020, the Commission released a Notice of Proposal Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes:

  1. To expand the Commission’s video description regulations by phasing in an additional 10 designated market areas each year for four years, beginning on January 1, 2021.
  2. To modernize the terminology in the Commission’s regulations to use the term “audio description” rather than “video description.”

On May 21, 2020, the Media Bureau of the FCC released a public notice announcing the NPRM comment due dates.

Interested parties may file comments by accessing the Electronic Comment Filing System at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings.  All filings must reference MB Docket No. 11-43.  People with disabilities who need assistance to file comments online at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings may request assistance by email to FCC504@fcc.gov.

News Release: 
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-expand-video-description-visually-impaired-americans-0
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-363941A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-363941A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-363941A1.txt

Links to the NPRM:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-expand-video-description-visually-impaired-americans-0
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-55A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-55A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-55A1.txt

Links to Public Notice Announcing Comment Dates: 
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/comment-and-reply-deadlines-announced-video-description-nprm
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-542A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-542A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-542A1.txt                                                                                                                                                                         

For information about the Video Description NPRM, please contact Diana Sokolow, Policy Division, Media Bureau, (202) 418-0588, email Diana.Sokolow@fcc.gov.  For general information about audio description, visit:  https://www.fcc.gov/audio-description.  Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).

Updated:
Friday, May 22, 2020