[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 217 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71336-71337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24815]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[MB Docket No. 11-43; DA 20-1301; FRS ID 17222]


Audio Description: Preliminary Nonbroadcast Network Rankings

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: FCC announces the top national nonbroadcast network rankings 
from the 2019-2020 ratings year, and gives networks the opportunity to 
seek exemption from the July 1, 2021 update to the Commission's audio 
description requirements.

DATES: Exemption requests are due December 9, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Filings should be submitted electronically in MB Docket No. 
11-43 by accessing the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System 
(ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Filers should follow the 
instructions provided on the website for submitting filings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact 
Michael Scurato (202-418-2083; [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Media Bureau's 
Public Notice, DA 20-1301, released on November 2, 2020. The full text 
of this public notice will be available electronically in ASCII, 
Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe Acrobat via ECFS. Alternative formats are 
available for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, 
electronic files, audio format), by sending an email to [email protected] 
or calling the Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 
(202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

[[Page 71337]]

    Audio description makes video programming accessible to individuals 
who are blind or visually impaired through ``[t]he insertion of audio 
narrated descriptions of a television program's key visual elements 
into natural pauses between the program's dialogue.'' The Commission's 
audio description rules require multichannel video programming 
distributor (MVPD) systems that serve 50,000 or more subscribers to 
provide 87.5 hours of audio description per calendar quarter on 
channels carrying each of the top five national nonbroadcast networks. 
The top five national nonbroadcast networks are defined by an average 
of the national audience share during prime time among nonbroadcast 
networks that reach 50 percent or more of MVPD households and have at 
least 50 hours per quarter of prime time programming that is not live 
or near-live or otherwise exempt under the audio description rules. The 
nonbroadcast networks currently subject to the audio description 
requirements are USA, HGTV, TBS, Discovery, and History.
    In accordance with the Commission's rules, the list of top five 
nonbroadcast networks is updated at three year intervals to account for 
changes in ratings, and the third triennial update will occur on July 
1, 2021, based on the 2019 to 2020 ratings year. According to data 
provided by the Nielsen Company, the top ten nonbroadcast networks for 
the 2019 to 2020 ratings year are: Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, ESPN, TLC, 
HGTV, Hallmark, History, TBS, and Discovery.
    If a program network believes it should be excluded from the list 
of top five networks covered by the audio description requirements 
because it does not air at least 50 hours per quarter of prime time 
programming that is not live or near-live or is otherwise exempt, it 
must seek an exemption no later than 30 days after publication of this 
Public Notice in the Federal Register. The Media Bureau will promptly 
evaluate requests for exemption and will provide notice of any 
resulting revisions to the list.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2020-24815 Filed 11-6-20; 8:45 am]
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