COAT Meets with Industry on HR 3101 Video Programming Provisions

On Friday February 26, 2010, COAT leaders met again with various industry representatives to discuss the Video Programming provisions in HR 3101, which had not yet been directly discussed in previous talks.  These provisions -- Sections 201 thru 205 found in Title II --  address closed captioning, reinstatement of video description, accessible emergency information on TV, and accessible user program & device control interfaces. COAT participants from ACB, AFB, CSD & NAD explained the intent and need for these provisions in a 2 1/2 hour meeting in Washington, DC.

Industry company representatives were from Panasonic and RIM, with trade association representatives from CEA, CTIA, NCTA, NAB, TIA, & USTelecom.  They raised questions about what some of the provisions mean and how they would work; their overall intent at the meeting was to reach "a better understanding ... before we can take the next step and get more specific."  

Discussion issues ranged from closed captioning of user-generated content on the Internet, to platform providers' obligations, accessibility and scope of equipment covered, regulatory timelines, who's responsible for accessibility, and related topics. A bottom line position for people with vision disabilities is to not have to pay more for accessibility in the TV environment.

MPAA, who was instrumental in having the previous video description rules overthrown in 2002, was not present at these talks, apparently due to lack of staff.  The need for further talks was discussed, but no date established.