Consumer Advocates, Industry Groups Spar Over CVAA

Allow industry flexibility and avoid prescriptive rules on accessibility, replied NAB, Zoom, ACA Connects and CTA on the 21st Century Video Accessibility Act posted Wednesday in FCC docket 21-140. “Accessibility is not something that must be mandated with a heavy hand,” said Zoom. “The regime is working overall,” said CTA, saying industry “is continuing to meet the needs of consumers free of unnecessary red-tape.” CTA said the FCC should relax some CVAA rules to increase flexibility, such as letting alternative technology fulfill captioning requirements. It would be “premature” for the agency to adopt audio description quality standards as rules, said ACA Connects. “Broadcasters have demonstrated their commitment to ensuring access,” NAB said. Industry accessibility initiatives are a “critical” part of the CVAA, but “accessibility barriers continue to require substantial ongoing vigilance and action from the Commission,” said groups including Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Communications Service for the Deaf, and National Association of the Deaf. Strengthen rules and reject “unwarranted calls to weaken accessibility mandates,” they asked.