DA 20-542
Released: May 21, 2020

Media Bureau Announces Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines for Video Description NPRM
MB Docket No. 11-43

Comment Deadline:  June 22, 2020
Reply Comment Deadline:  July 6, 2020

On April 22, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Matter of Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (the NPRM). MB Docket No. 11-43, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 20-55 (rel. April 23, 2020).
  In the NPRM, the Commission proposes to expand its video description regulations by phasing them in for an additional 10 designated market areas (DMAs) each year for four years, beginning on January 1, 2021, extending the requirements to the top 100 television markets.  The NPRM also proposes that in 2023, after assessing the reasonableness of associated costs, the Commission consider whether to further expand video description requirements to additional markets 101 and beyond. The Commission further proposes to modernize the terminology in part 79 of its regulations to use the term “audio description” rather than “video description.”  Finally, it proposes to make a non-substantive edit to the video description rules, to delete outdated references to compliance deadlines that have passed.  The Commission set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 45 days, respectively, after publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register. See NPRM at 1.

 
	By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau announces that the NPRM was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2020. See Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, 85 Fed. Reg. 30917 (May 21, 2020).
  Comments must be submitted no later than June 22, 2020.  Reply Comments must be submitted no later than July 6, 2020.  Commenters should follow the filing instructions provided in paragraph 22 of the NPRM. FNPRM at para. 22.    
  The NPRM is available on the Commission’s website. See https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-55A1.docx (Word), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-55A1.pdf (Acrobat).


For additional information on this proceeding, contact Diana Sokolow, Diana.Sokolow@fcc.gov, of the Policy Division, Media Bureau, (202) 418-2120.  Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise, (202) 418-8165.  TTY: (202) 418-7172 or (888) 835-5322.
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