FCC

All we want are the facts, Ma'am...

As you may be aware, widespread acceptance Captioning and Audio description came about as a result of grassroots effort in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. That effort resulted in the establishing a federal law requiring captioning.

By 1996, all new programming, with few exceptions, MUST be captioned. By 1998, 75% of older reruns MUST be captioned. The schedule for Spanish language shows is a few years back.

Visit this website to learn more about the FCC rules regarding broadcast closed captioning:
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html

If you like reading fine print, you can review the rules in detail:
ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/ccrules.html

Current rules governing "Video Description" or "Audio Description"

There are no rules at this point governing the provision of Video description for broadcast television or any other non-federal media. You can check the FCC website for the latest activites regarding the regulation of video description.

Got a complaint? Take it to the Feds!

If, after visiting our FAQ, you have determined that you want to file a complaint, visit this site for specific information regarding the FCC's processes for filing formal and informal complaints:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cib/fcc475.cfm