*Pages 1--2 from  Microsoft Word - 15102*
 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp  fcc  gov 
 DA  Number  02-  417 
 Released:  February  25,  2002 


 THE  CONSUMER  INFOMRATION  BUREAU  REMINDS  THE  PUBLIC  THAT  THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  VIDEO  DESCRIPTION  FOR  VIDEO  PROGRAMMING  WILL  BECOME 
 EFFECTIVE  APRIL  1,  2002 


 MM  DOCKET  NO.  99-  339 
 The  purpose  of  this  Public  Notice  is  to  remind  the  disability  community  and  video  programming  distributors  that  the  implementation  of  the  Commission’s  video  description  rules  for  video  programming  will  become  effective 
 April  1,  2002.  1  Video  description  is  the  description  of  key  visual  elements  in  programming,  inserted  into  natural  pauses  in  the  audio  of  programming  designed  to  make  television  programming  more  accessible  to  the  many 
 Americans  who  have  visual  disabilities.  This  technology  enables  individuals  to  “hear  what  they  cannot  see.”  2  Video  description  provides  the  many  benefits  of  television  to  the  blind  and  low  vision  community  and  to 
 individuals  with  learning  disabilities. 


 Under  the  new  rules  adopted  July  21,  2000  by  the  Commission,  broadcast  stations  and  multi-  channel  video  programming  distributors  must  begin  providing  programming  with  video  description  no  later  than  June  2002.  3 
 The  Commission  encouraged  affected  parties  to  make  necessary  arrangements  to  describe  the  programming,  and  to  upgrade  their  equipment  and  infrastructure  before  the  effective  date  arrives. 


 FOR  FURTHER  INFORMATION  CONCERNING  THIS  PUBLIC  NOTICE  CONTACT:  Consumer  Information  Bureau,  Disabilities  Rights  Office:  Dana  Jackson  (202)  418-  2247  (voice)  or  (202)  418-  7898  (TTY) 
 or  the  Consumer  Information  Bureau’s  Disabilities  Rights  Office  (202)  418-  2517  (voice)  or  (202)  418-  0189  (TTY). 


 This  document  is  available  to  individuals  with  disabilities  requiring  accessible  formats  (electronic  ASCII  test,  Braille,  large  print,  and  audio)  by  contacting  Brian  Millin  at  (202)  418-  7426  (voice)  or  (202)  418-  7365  (TTY),  or 
 by  sending  an  email  to  fccinfo@  fcc.  gov. 


 1  47  C.  F.  R.  §  79.3. 
 2  First  NOI,  11  FCC  Rcd  at  4913,  ¶  1  (NOI)  (citing  Telecommunications  Reform,  Hearings  on  S.  1882  Before  the  Committee 
 on  Commerce,  Science,  and  Transportation,  103  rd  Cong.,  2d  Sess.  (1994)  (statement  of  Margaret  R.  Pfanstiehl,  President  of  the  Metropolitan  Washington  Ear)). 


 3  In  the  Matter  of  Implementation  of  Video  Description  of  Video  Programming,  MM  Docket  No.  99-  339,  Report  and  Order, 
 15  FCC  Rcd  15230  (2000). 
1
 -FCC- 
2