FCC Urged Expansion, 'Be Realistic,' Regarding Video Description Rules

America's Communications Association wants the FCC to caution Congress about small MVPDs' resources in the next video description report. The American Council of the Blind is urging the agency to expand video description requirements to more designated market areas. MVPDs have made progress in video-described on-demand programming availability and in their ability to pass through more than two audio tracks, but the FCC "must be realistic" about how quickly small operators can implement new technology, given their market stature and resources, ACA replied in docket 11-43, posted Thursday. ACB said there's clearly consumer demand for video described programming, and the agency should expand video description requirements beyond the current DMAs and phase them in for an additional 10 annually starting in 2020. ACB said the FCC should increase the amount of video-described programming by 75 percent, with a focus on such content as prime time and children's programming. NAB has argued against expanding the requirements beyond the top 60 markets (see 1904020059).