Federal Communications Commission	FCC 26-31

STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN BRENDAN CARR

Re:	Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 12-107 (April 30, 2026)

During my time as Chairman, I have emphasized the importance of good governance and ensuring that our rules work in practice—not just on paper.  The FCC has a responsibility to be a careful steward of its regulations, particularly when those rules affect access to critical information for millions of Americans.
When the Commission adopted the Audible Crawl Rule more than a decade ago, the goal was straightforward: ensure that individuals who are blind or visually impaired receive the same timely emergency information that appears visually during non‑newscast programming.  But despite industry efforts over the years that the rule has been in place, no automated or technically viable solution has emerged to aurally describe visual, non‑textual emergency information such as maps or graphic images.  As a result, that part of the rule has been waived since its inception.
Today’s item takes a common‑sense step forward.  It does two important things.  First, it ensures that people who are blind or visually impaired continue to receive the emergency information they rely on.  Second, it eliminates a compliance obligation that cannot be met because no technical solution exists.  The record shows that the information conveyed through visual images is typically duplicative of the text crawls that are already provided aurally.  Removing an unworkable requirement therefore reduces unnecessary burdens while preserving access to essential information.
I am pleased that this item proposes a practical and balanced approach.  It would ease compliance burdens, align our rules with technical reality, and ensure the continued availability of visual, non‑textual emergency information.  This is the type of regulatory modernization that strengthens the integrity and usefulness of our rules.
Thank you to the video programming providers, distributors, and the consumer advocates who contributed to the development of this proposal.  And thank you to the FCC staff who worked on this item, including Virgie Ingram, Maria Mullarkey, Diana Sokolow, Hillary DeNigro, Alex Sanjenis, Suzy Rosen Singleton, Ike Ofobike, Stephen Wang, Susan Aaron, David Konczal, Michelle Schaefer, Kim Makuch, and Joycelyn James.