{mosads}The FCC first adopted rules requiring television stations to offer the video descriptions in 2000. But a federal appeals court struck down the rules, concluding that the FCC had overstepped its authority.
Congress passed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act in 2010 to explicitly give the FCC the authority to re-adopt the regulations.
The new rules cover the four national networks in the top 25 markets and cable and satellite providers with more than 50,000 subscribers. The video providers are required to offer 50 hours of video-description per calendar quarter, which works out to about four hours per week.
Once a program is aired with the descriptions, re-runs of the program must also include the descriptions.
In a statement, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called the law authorizing the rules “the most significant disabilities legislation since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
“In implementing its video description provisions, the commission is ensuring that for the first time, individuals who are blind or visually impaired will be able to enjoy many television programs along with the rest of the general public,” he said.