Bulletin Categories: Closed Captioning/Video Description Rules

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Audio Description Requirements Continue to Expand on Schedule January 16, 2026

As we have previously written, on January 1, 2026, the FCC’s “audio description” requirements became applicable to DMAs 111 through 120 (as those DMAs were determined by The Nielsen Company...

Large Television Ownership Group Agrees to $500,000 Penalty to Resolve Pending Station License Renewal Applications July 9, 2025

A large broadcast ownership group (the “Broadcaster”) has agreed to pay $500,000 and implement multiple FCC rule compliance plans as part of a Consent Decree that resolves several FCC enforcement...

FCC Grants Additional Waiver of Non-Textual Component of Audible Crawl Rule May 13, 2025

On the afternoon of May 12, 2025, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order (the “Order”) granting another extension of the long-standing waiver of the portion of...

FCC Grants Retroactive Waiver of Non-Textual Component of Audible Crawl Rule December 20, 2024

On the afternoon of Friday, December 20, 2024, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order (the “Order”) granting a retroactive waiver of the portion of the so-called...

Current Waiver of Non-Textual Component of Audible Crawl Rule Expires; FCC Seeks Comment on Renewed Waiver and Rulemaking November 27, 2024

As of today, November 27, 2024, the FCC appears to have let expire the existing waiver of the portion of the so-called “audible crawl” rule that would require broadcasters to...

Maine LPTV Station Enters into Consent Decree; Fined $2,500 for Closed Captioning Violations March 18, 2024

According to a recent Order and Consent Decree (the “Decree”), a Maine LPTV station and MeTV affiliate (the “Station”) will be fined $2,500, with the possibility of an increase to...

FCC Acts to Expand Audio Description Requirements to All DMAs Over Next Twelve Years November 1, 2023

On October 17, 2023, the FCC unanimously adopted a Second and Report Order (the “Order”) to continue expanding the FCC’s audio description requirements at a rate of 10 DMAs per...

Media Bureau Extends Audible Crawl Waiver to November 26, 2024 May 30, 2023

In the nick of time, the FCC released a Memorandum Opinion and Order (the “Order”) granting an 18-month extension to the existing waiver of the component of the so-called “audible...

FCC Seeks Comment on Ongoing Waiver of Requirement to Aurally Describe Non-Textual Emergency Information in Non-Newscast Programming April 27, 2023

By recent Public Notice, the FCC is soliciting comment on an NAB Petition (the “Petition”) seeking a further extension of an existing waiver to one aspect of the so-called “audible...

FCC Proposes Expanding Audio Description Requirements to All DMAs April 6, 2023

At its March 2023 Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the “Notice”) proposing to expand to all DMAs the audio description requirements currently applicable to...