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Descriptive video is a form of audio-visual translation used primarily by blind and visually impaired consumers of television and film. Television and movies use descriptive video when they employ a Secondary Audio Program (SAP), when the images and actions on screen are described during natural pauses in the dialogue.

In addition to descriptive video, audio description includes live performances where a narrator describes the actions on stage, as well as tour guides who are trained to describe visual elements.

The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) requires that ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC television affiliates in the top sixty markets of the United States provide fifty hours of described prime time and/or children’s programming per quarter. In 2016, the Federal Communications Commission began the process of changing that requirement to approximately eighty-two hours of descriptive primetime and/or children’s programming per quarter. Descriptive video for cable television, movie theaters, DVDs, and streaming video services is also becoming widely available.

This guide provides sources of descriptive video for television, film, DVDs, and web-streaming services, as well as information on audio-described live performances and tours. The guide includes information about the CVAA, the technology and training behind descriptive video, and vendors who provide descriptive services on demand. The contact information for each organization mentioned in the guide and a bibliography for further reading can be found at the end of the document.

## Contents

      - Sources of Descriptive Video          - Broadcast and Cable Television
        - Feature Films
        - Home Video
        - Streaming and Web-Based Video 
      - Further Reading on Audio Description          - Descriptive Video Technology, Training, and Vendors
        - Performing Arts, Museums, and Tours
        - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act 
      - Bibliography
      - Contact Information

## Sources of Descriptive Video

### Broadcast and Cable Television

**ABC: Audio Description**ABChttps://abc.com/audio-description*External*Current list of ABC programing with audio description.

**Accessibility at USA Network**USA Networkhttps://www.usanetwork.com/general/pages/accessibility *External*Includes information on accessing video description for content on the USA Network and a schedule of descriptive content. Updated daily.

**Access to Emergency Information on Television**Federal Communications Commissionwww.fcc.gov/general/access-emergency-information-television *External*Guidelines for using descriptive audio to relay emergency information scrolling on the bottom of a television to individuals who are blind or have a visual impairment, what emergency information should be included in the descriptive audio, and how to file a complaint.

**DIRECTV: How Do I Enable My Video Description?**DIRECTVhttps://support.directv.com/dtv-programming/how-do-i-enable-my-video-description *External*How to utilize video description with DIRECTV.

**Fox Audio Description**Fox Broadcastingwww.fox.com/article/audio-description-5987a9810054d000205ff116/ *External*Lists current FOX primetime television shows with audio description.

**Learn about Video Description Service**COX Cablewww.cox.com/residential/support/learn-about-video-description-service.html *External*Overview of video description, instructions on setting up voice guidance, and links to managing secondary audio programming settings.

**Schedule of USA Audio Described TV Programs**American Council of the Blind Audio Description Projecthttp://bit.ly/adptv *External*Plain text weekly, day-by-day schedule of television programs with audio description.

**Video Description for U-verse TV**AT&Twww.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/u-verse-tv/KM1065436 *External*Introduces video description for AT&T U-verse consumers. Provides step-by-step instructions on setting up, enabling navigational sounds, and setting the default audio language and on-screen language preferences.

**What is Video Description?**Comcast XFINITYhttps://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/cable-tv/video-description/ *External*Includes step-by-step instructions for enabling video description on an X1, Motorola TV BOX, SD digital adapter, or HD digital adapter.

**Zap2it**Tribune Mediahttps://tvlistings.zap2it.com *External*Provides local television listings for the United States and Canada.

### Feature Films

**Assistive Moviegoing: Making Movies Fun for Everyone**AMC (Lowes Cineplex Entertainment, Cineplex Odeon, General Cinema Theaters)www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing *External*Describes assistive devices available from AMC movie theaters for people with visual impairment to hear audio description of the movie. Offers moviegoers the opportunity to leave comments about specific AMC theaters by going towww.amctheaters.com/contact/feedback *External*

**Bow Tie Cinemas Theater Locator**Bow Tie Cinemas (Clearview Cinemas)www.bowtiecinemas.com/locations *External*Allows users to locate Bow Tie and Clearview Cinemas by address or ZIP code. Clearly states accessibility features offered on each location’s homepage.

**CaptionFish Showtimes**CaptionFishwww.captionfish.com *External*Displays theaters, movies, and show times near you that offer descriptive video.

**Captioning and Descriptive Video**Regal Entertainment Group (United Artist Theaters, Edwards Theaters, Cineplex Odeon)https://www.regmovies.com/static/en/us/theatre/captioning-and-descriptive-video *External*Describes captioning and descriptive video services offered by Regal movie theaters. Allows users to search Regal theaters by state and equipment available.

**CineMark Theaters**CineMark (Century Theaters, Tinseltown USA, CineArts, and Rave Cinemas)www.cinemark.com/theatres.aspx *External*Allows users to search for a CineMark theater by city, state, or zip code. Individual movie titles listed in show times indicate whether a movie has an audio description option.

**Described Movies at Local Theaters**Described and Captioned Media Programwww.dcmp.org/caai/nadh199.pdf [PDF]*External*Introduces what described theater is, describes what kind of equipment is used, and provides links for finding theaters with video description.

**Fandango**www.Fandango.com *External*Allows users to search show times by city, state, ZIP code, or movie. Highlights accessibility devices available at the theater/movie chosen above the show times. Also available on an app.

**Landmark Theatres: Accessibility Equipment**Landmark Theatreshttps://www.landmarktheatres.com/httpswwwlandmarktheatrescomaccessibility-equipment*External*Overview with illustrations of the accessibility equipment, including audio description, used in Landmark theaters. List of theaters by state includes accessibility features offered at that theater.

**MoPix: Motion Picture Access**http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/nowshowing.html *External*Find current movies offered with descriptive video and search theaters with descriptive audio in the United States and Canada.

**Showcase Cinemas: Assistive Moviegoing**Showcase Cinemas (Cinema Du Lux Multiplex, National Amusements, Superlux Locations)https://www.showcasecinemas.com/assistive-moviegoing *External*Information on visual and audio aid technology available through Showcase Cinemas.

### Home Video

**DVDs and Blu-ray Discs with Audio Description**American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Projecthttps://adp.acb.org/dvds.html *External*Lists DVDs and Blu-ray Discs with audio description for the current year with the newest releases listed first. DVDs for past years listed back to 2010.

### Streaming and Web-Based Video

**Amazon Digital Content: Turn on Audio Descriptions**Amazon Primehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ref_=hp_left_v4_sib&nodeId=GCLGRJE9934K282F *External*Step-by-step instructions for turning audio descriptions on when watching streaming content on Amazon.

**Audio Descriptions for Netflix Movies and TV Shows**Netflixhttps://help.netflix.com/en/node/25079 *External*Links to titles on Netflix with audio description, lists devices that will play audio description on Netflix, and provides contact information to get technical support.

**Captioning and Video Description for the Web**Media Access Group at WGBHhttp://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/pdfs/marketing_web.captioning.pdf [PDF]*External*Discusses adding captions and descriptive video to videos on websites.

**Disney Movies Anywhere Audio Description**Disney Movies Anywherewww.disneymoviesanywhere.com/#14484 *External*Discusses how to enable audio description for the Disney Movies Anywhere app currently available on iTunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play, VIDI, and Microsoft Movies and TV.

**Find audio-described content in the iTunes Store**Apple Supporthttps://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205742 *External*Provides step-by-step instructions for finding, downloading, and viewing descriptive video for iTunes content from a Mac or PC computer, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Apple TV.

**How to Audio Describe a YouTube Video**Media Access Australiahttps://mediaaccess.org.au/web/how-to-audio-describe-a-youtube-video *External*Discusses different options for adding audio description to YouTube videos.

**How to Find Accessible Media**Media Access Australiahttps://mediaaccess.org.au/web/how-to-find-accessible-media *External*Guidance on how to find audio description and closed captioned videos on iTunes and YouTube.

**New and Future Releases**Amazon.comwww.amazon.com/new-releases-dvd-bluray/b/ref=sv_mov_0?ie=UTF8&node=2921748011 *External*Lists new and future releases of movies and TV shows with descriptive audio. Includes DVD and Amazon Video, Amazon’s streaming video service.

**Streaming Video**American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Projectabout.proquest.com/en/content-solutions/videos *External*Lists programming with audio description available from streaming video providers and web services.

**Vimeo: Audio Described**Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/search?q=%22audio+description%22+%7C+%22audio+described%22 *External*Allows users to search for videos with audio description on the streaming web service Vimeo.

## Further Reading on Audio Description

### Descriptive Video Technology, Training, and Vendors

**3PlayMedia**www.3playmedia.com *External*Accessible media company provides descriptive audio and closed captioning serves.

**Accessibility Solutions and Research Center**www.amacusg.org/captioning.php *External*Non-profit educational organization providing audio description for students accessing video as part of their classroom experience.

**Access-USA**www.access-usa.com *External*North American production house for all types of alternative media.

**Arts Access**www.artsaccessinc.org *External*Non-profit organization providing audio description on demand. Works with movie theaters to supply the Arts Access Audio Description headset for live performances. Website includes a list of services, a schedule of current audio described performances, and a directory of individuals and companies that supply audio description for live performances on demand.

**Audio Description Institute**American Council of the Blindadp.acb.org/education.html *External*Source of training in audio description. Held as part of ACB’s Annual Conference in July and at several other times throughout the year.

**Audio Description Training and Education Resources**American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Projectadp.acb.org/education.html *External*Organization providing information on audio-describer training, educational description, and articles on the methods used to create audio description.

**Audio Descriptive Associates: Training**www.audiodescribe.com/training/ *External*Audio description vendor offering training and workshops.

**Descriptive Narration for TV, Films and Web-based Video**Media Access Group at WGBHhttp://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/pdfs/wgbh_descriptive_narration.pdf [PDF]*External*An introduction to described video.

**The Development of the Descriptive Video Services**National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education through Technology, Media and Materialswww2.edc.org/NCIP/library/v&c/cronin.htm *External*A detailed history of the development of descriptive video.

**DV Works**www.descriptivevideoworks.com *External*Organization providing audio description services for NBC, CBS, the Discovery Channel, Viacom channels (including Bravo, Comedy Central, VH1, and MTV), and the A&E channel. DV Works has described more than 11,000 television shows, including the recent Rio Olympic Games, and 800 major movies. Member of the Netflix Post Partner Program.

**Media Access Group at WGBH**http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/ *External*Provider of closed captioning and descriptive video.

**Use Audio Descriptions to Hear Narration Describing a Video Clip, Show, or Movie**Apple Supporthttps://www.showcasecinemas.com/assistive-moviegoing *External*Instructions on how to turn on audio descriptions to view iTunes content on a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and how to create descriptive audio in Final Cut Pro X.

### Performing Arts, Museums, and Tours

**Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability**The Kennedy Centerhttp://education.kennedy-center.org/education/accessibility/lead/ *External*Describes methods for implementing accessibility in cultural environments, communicates information about arts and accessibility, and shares resources and knowledge among professionals.

**Making Museums & Cultural Institutions Accessible**Media Access Group at WGBHhttp://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/pdfs/WGBHMarketingFlyer.pdf [PDF]*External*Includes ways to enhance the museum experience for visitors with disabilities.

**Performing Arts with Audio Description**American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Projectadp.acb.org/theatres.html *External*Offers overview of audio description of live performances.

### Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA)

**Consumer Guide: Twenty-First Century Communications and Video**Accessibility ActFederal Communications Commission (FCC)https://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/CVAA-access-act.pdf [PDF]*External*A short introduction to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), including what it means for consumers.

**Consumer Help Center: Access for People with Disabilities**Federal Communications Commission (FCC)https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/sections/200700550-Guides-to-Filing-Accessibility-Complaints *External*Guidelines for filing an accessibility complaint with the FCC.

**Legal Requirements for Audio Description**3Play Mediawww.3playmedia.com/2017/03/22/legal-requirements-audio-description/ *External*Article explores federal laws and regulations regarding descriptive video services.

**Media Bureau Announces Comment and Reply Deadlines for Video Description Expansion Notice of Proposed Rulemaking**Federal Communications Commissionhttps://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-596A1.pdf [PDF]*External*Official public notice of the FCC’s intention to expand the hours that broadcast networks are required to offer descriptive audio.

**Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act**Federal Communications Commissionwww.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/21st-century-communications-and-video-accessibility-act-cvaa *External*A line-by-line consumer guide to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. Also available in Spanish.

**Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act**Federal Communications Commissionwww.fcc.gov/general/twenty-first-century-communications-and-video-accessibility-act-0 *External*

**Summary of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.**Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010US Government Informationwww.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111s3304enr/pdf/BILLS-111s3304enr.pdf [PDF]*External*Official text of the 2010 act to increase the access of people with disabilities to modern communications.

**Video Description of Video Programming**US Government Publishing Office (GPO)www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=7435e6f252ce50bfd33e3de98ae55bb8&mc=true&node=se47.4.79_13&rgn=div8 *External*Text of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47 (Telecommunication), Part 79 (Accessibility of Video Programming), §79.3.

## Bibliography

Aafaq, Nayyer, Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, Wei Liu, and Ajmal Mian. “Video Description: A Survey of Methods, Datasets, and Evaluation Metrics.” ArXiv:1806.00186, June 1, 2018. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.00186. *External*

Alamri, Huda, Vincent Cartillier, Rapheal Gontijo Lopes, Abhishek Das, Jue Wang, Irfan Essa, Dhruv Batra, et al. “Audio Visual Scene-Aware Dialog (AVSD) Challenge at DSTC7.” ArVix, June 1, 2018.

Anderman, Gunilla, and Jorge Diaz-Cintas, eds. *Audiovisual Translation:Language Transfer on Screen.* New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.

Cintas, Jorge Diaz, Pilar Orero, and Aline Remael, eds. *Media for All: Subtitling for the Deaf, Audio Description, and Sign Language (Approaches to Translation Studies 30).* 1st ed. New York, NY: Rodopi, 2007.

Cryer, Heather and Sarah Home. “Exploring the Use of Synthetic Speech by Blind and Partially Sighted People.” RNIB Centre for Accessible Information. Birmingham, UK: Literature Review #2, November 2008.

Cryer, Heather and Sarah Home. “User attitudes towards synthetic speech for Talking Books.” RNIB Centre for Accessible Information. Birmingham, UK: Research Report #7, May 13, 2009.

Douze, Matthijs, Hervé Jégou, Cordelia Schmid, and Patrick Pérez. “Compact Video Description for Copy Detection with Precise Temporal Alignment.” In *European Conference on Computer Vision* (ECCV ’10), 522-35. Proceedings of Compact Video Description for Copy Detection with Precise Temporal Alignment, Greece, Heraklion. Vol. 6311. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 2010.

Kent, Michael, Katie Ellis, and Kathryn Locke. *Audio Description and Australian Television: A Position Paper. Working paper.* School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry (MCASI), Curtin University of Technology, School of Media. 2018.

Kent, Michael, Katie Ellis, Gwyneth Peaty, Latter Natalie, and Kathryn Locke. *Mainstreaming Captions for Online Lectures in Higher Education in Australia.* Working Paper. Curtin University of Technology, Department of Internet Studies. 2017.

Laokulrat, Natsuda, Naoaki Okazaki, and Hideki Nakayama. “Incorporating Semantic Attention in Video Description Generation.” In *LREC.* 2018. Retrieved from www.lrec-conf.org/proceedings/lrec2018/pdf/98.pdf. [pdf]*External*

## Contact Information

**Accessibility Solutions and Research Center**512 Means St. NW, Ste. 250Atlanta, GA 30318(404) 894-8000866-279-2964 toll-free866-418-2750 customer support toll-free[email protected]www.amacusg.org *External*

**Access—USA**PO Drawer 160242 James St.Clayton, NY 13624800-263-2750 toll-freewww.access-usa.com *External*

**Amazon.com Inc.**410 Terry Ave. N.Seattle, WA 98109(206) 266-1000Amazon.com *External*

**AMC Entertainment, Inc.**PO Box 725489Atlanta, GA 31139-9923www.amctheaters.com *External*

**American Council of the Blind**1703 N. Beauregard St., Ste. 420Alexandria, VA 22311(202) 467-5081800-424-8666 toll-freewww.acb.org *External*

**American Foundation for the Blind**2 Penn Plz., Ste. 1102New York, NY 10121(212) 502-7600www.afb.org *External*

**Apple Accessibility and Assistive Technology Support**877-204-3930 toll-free800-694-7466 iPhone support toll-free800-275-2273 corporate toll-free

**Arts Access Inc.**PO Box 10574Raleigh, NC 27605(919) 833-9919www.artsaccessinc.org *External*

**AT&T DirecTV**800-531-5000 customer support toll-freewww.att.com/directv *External*

**Audio Description Associates**6502 Westmoreland Ave.Takoma Park, MD 20912(301) 920-0218 24-hour messaging service[email protected]

**Bow Tie Cinemas**641 Danbury Rd.Ridgefield, CT 06877(203) 659-2600[email protected]www.bowtiecinemas.com *External*

**CaptionFish**Captionfish.comwww.captionfish.com/contact *External*

**CineMark USA, Inc.**3900 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 500Plano, TX 75093800-246-3627 toll-freewww.cinemark.com *External*

**Columbia Broadcasting System**51 W. 52nd St.New York, NY 10019888-274-5343 toll-freewww.CBS.com *External*

**Comcast Center**1701 JFK Blvd.Philadelphia, PA 19103800-934-6489 Comcast XFINITYcustomer service toll-freehttps://corporate.comcast.com/contact-information *External*

**Cox Communications**6205 B Peachtree Dunwoody Rd. NEAtlanta, GA 30328888-278-6660 toll-freewww.cox.com *External*

**Described and Captioned Media Program**National Association of the Deaf1447 E. Main St.Spartanburg, SC 29307800-237-6213 toll-free

**Disney/ABC Television Group**77 W. 66th St., Rm. 100New York, NY 10023(212) 465-7777[email protected]www.dgepress.com *External*

**Fandango Media**12200 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 400Los Angeles, CA 90064(310) 954-0279866-857-5191 customer service toll-freewww.fandango.com *External*

**Federal Communications Commission (FCC)**445 12th St. SWWashington, DC 20554888-225-5322 toll-freewww.fcc.gov *External*

**Fox Broadcasting Company**10201 W. Pico Blvd., Bldg. 1003220Los Angeles, CA 90064(310) 369-1000www.fox.com *External*

**Government Publishing Office**732 N. Capitol St. NWWashington, DC 20401(202) 512-1800www.gpo.gov *External*

**Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference**The John F. Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts2700 F St. NWWashington, DC 20566(202) 416-8727800-444-1327 toll-free[email protected]http://education.kennedy-center.org/education/accessibility/lead/ *External*

**Media Access Group at WGBH/MoPix Motion Picture Access**One Guest St.Boston, MA 02135(617) 300-3600[email protected]https://www.wgbh.org/foundation/mopix *External*

**Regal Entertainment Group**7132 Regal Ln.Knoxville, TN 37918865-922-1123 corporate toll-free877-835-5734 option 2 customer servicetoll-freewww.regmovies.com *External*

**Viacom**Sandy LunaM&E Digital Operations Group345 Hudson St.New York, NY 10014[email protected]

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