PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 14-456 Released: April 3, 2014 Notice of Effective Dates of Closed Captioning Quality Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling, and Announcement of Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines for Related Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking CG Docket No. 05-231 For Section on Responsibilities for Meeting the Closed Captioning Requirements: FNPRM Comment Deadline: April 28, 2014 FNPRM Reply Comment Deadline: May 27, 2014 For Remaining Sections: FNPRM Comment Deadline: June 25, 2014 FNPRM Reply Comment Deadline: July 25, 2014 On February 24, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission released the Closed Captioning Quality Order, which adopted closed captioning quality standards and technical compliance rules to ensure that video programming is fully accessible to individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing through the provision of closed captioning.1 These standards and rules have a series of effective dates beginning April 30, 2014, 30 days after publication of the order in the Federal Register,2 as follows: · On April 30, 2014, rule revisions relating to equipment monitoring,3 treatment of multicast streams,4 electronic filing of exemption requests,5 and correction of the e-mail address for 1 Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. Petition for Rulemaking, CG Docket No. 05-231, Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 14-12 (February 24, 2014) (Closed Captioning Quality Order). The Closed Captioning Quality Order is also available on the Commission’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/document/closed-captioning-quality- report-and-order-declaratory-ruling-fnprm. 2 The Federal Register published a summary of the final standards and rules adopted in the Closed Captioning Quality Report and Order on March 31, 2014. Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR Part 79, Final Rule, 79 FR 17911 (March 31, 2014). 3 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(c)(2). 4 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(d)(12). 5 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(f)(4) and (7). 2submission of video programming distributor (VPD) contact information,6 as well as all definitional revisions,7 will take effect. · On June 30, 2014, 90 days after publication in the Federal Register, rule revisions relating to the Use of Electronic Newsroom Technique (ENT)8 will take effect. · Rules that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) will become effective upon announcement in the Federal Register of OMB approval.9 These rules include procedures relating to informal complaints regarding use of ENT,10 compliance procedures relating to use of ENT,11 and the ENT progress report.12 · On January 15, 2015, or upon announcement in the Federal Register of OMB approval, whichever is later, rule revisions relating to captioning quality obligations and standards,13 captioning best practices,14 and maintenance of records of VPD monitoring and maintenance activities,15 will take effect.16 · The Closed Captioning Quality Order also included a Declaratory Ruling, which became effective immediately upon its release on February 24, 2014.17 In the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”) accompanying the Order, the Commission seeks comment on additional measures to ensure the accessibility of television programming through closed captioning for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, and ways to improve the Commission’s procedural rules governing closed captioning. The Commission set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments for the FNPRM as follows:18 · For the section entitled “Responsibilities for Meeting the Closed Captioning Requirements,”19 the comments and reply comments are due 30 and 60 days, respectively, after publication of the FNPRM in the Federal Register. Because the summary of the FNPRM was published in the 6 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(i)(3). 7 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(a). 8 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(e)(11)(i) and (ii). 9 The information collection requirements contained in the rules that require OMB approval are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law No. 104-13. The information collection will be submitted to OMB for review under 47 U.S.C. § 3507(d). The Commission will issue a subsequent public notice announcing the effective date of each of these rules. 10 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(e)(11)(iii). 11 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(e)(11)(iv). 12 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(e)(11)(v). 13 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(j). 14 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(k). 15 47 C.F.R. § 79.1(c)(3). 16 The Commission will issue a subsequent public notice announcing the effective date of each of these rules. 17 See Closed Captioning Quality Order at ¶¶ 115-120, 182. 18 Closed Captioning Quality Order at ¶ 121. Commenters should follow the comment filing instructions provided in paragraph 168 of the FNPRM. See Closed Captioning Quality Order at ¶ 168. 19 Closed Captioning Quality Order at ¶¶ 122-130. 3Federal Register on March 27, 2014,20 comments on this section are due on or before April 28, 2014, and reply comments are due on or before May 27, 2014. · For the remaining sections of the FNPRM, comments are due 90 days after publication in the Federal Register, and replies are due 120 days after publication in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments on these sections are due on or before June 25, 2014, and reply comments are due on or before July 25, 2014.21 People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). For further information regarding this proceeding, contact Eliot Greenwald, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, 202-418-2235 or email Eliot.Greenwald@fcc.gov. -FCC- 20 Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR Part 79, Proposed Rule, 79 FR 17093 (March 27, 2014). 21 Closed Captioning Quality Order at ¶ 121.