Editing Audio description (section)

== Legal mandates in television broadcasting ==
=== Canada ===
[[File:Described Video Logo.png|thumb|150px|"D))" Described Video logo used for onscreen bugs]]
[[File:Teletoon described video notice.jpg|thumb|150px|An example [[Bumper (broadcasting)|bumper]] used to denote a program with audio description, as required under Canadian broadcasting regulations.]]
Under [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) rules, broadcast television stations and former [[Category A services]] that dedicated more than half of their programming to comedy, drama, or long-form documentary programs, were required to broadcast at least four hours of programming with audio descriptions (known in Canadian English as described video) per-week, with two hours of this "original" to the channel per-week. These programs must have been drawn from children's, comedy, drama, long-form documentaries, general entertainment and human interest, [[Reality television|reality]], or [[Variety show|variety]] genres. Broadcasters must also promote the availability of DV programming, including airing a standard audiovisual [[Bumper (broadcasting)|bumper]] and logo at the beginning of all programs offering description (the CRTC officially recommends that this announcement also be repeated after the conclusion of each commercial break, but this is not typically practiced).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> All television providers are also required to carry [[AMI-tv]] (formerly The Accessible Channel), a specialty channel that broadcasts all programming with descriptions on the primary audio track.<ref name="CRTC 2010-821" />

On March 26, 2015, the CRTC announced that beginning September 1, 2019, most broadcast and specialty networks owned by [[Vertical integration|vertically integrated]] conglomerates, as well as any channel previously subject to license conditions specifying minimums for DV, are required to supply described video for any prime-time programming (7:00&nbsp;p.m. to 11:00&nbsp;p.m.) that falls within the aforementioned genres. The requirement that a quota of DV programming be "original" to the network was also dropped.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-104.htm|title=Let's Talk TV - Navigating the Road Ahead - Making informed choices about television providers and improving accessibility to television programming|date=2015-03-26|publisher=CRTC|access-date=2019-04-22}}</ref> Citing the possibility that not enough imported U.S. programming may be supplied with descriptions for their first airing, and the burden this may place on their ability to carry these programs, the CRTC granted an exception to [[Bell Media]], [[Corus Entertainment]], and [[Rogers Media]], for foreign programming that is received within 24 hours of its scheduled airing—provided that any future airings of the same program in prime-time contain descriptions.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-67.htm|title=Call for comments on an amendment proposed by Bell Media Inc., Corus Entertainment Inc. and Rogers Media Inc. to their condition of licence that requires prime time programming to be broadcast with described video|publisher=CRTC|date=2019-03-11|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-392.htm|title=Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2019-392: Amendment proposed by Bell Media Inc., Corus Entertainment Inc. and Rogers Media Inc. to their condition of licence that requires prime time programming to be broadcast with described video|author=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|author-link=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission|date=December 3, 2019|access-date=January 26, 2020}}</ref> In addition, other licensed [[discretionary service]]s would be expected to air at least four hours of DV programming per-week by the fourth year of their next license term.<ref name=":3" />

=== United Kingdom ===
The [[Ofcom]] code on television access services requires broadcasters that have been on the air for at least five years to broadcast at least 10% of their programming with descriptions. Scrutiny has applied even to [[ESPN UK]]—a sports channel—which was fined £120,000 by Ofcom for not meeting an AD quota in 2012. The regulator rejected an argument by ESPN that AD was redundant to [[Sports commentator|commentary]], as it is "not provided with the needs of the visually impaired in mind".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27539749|title=ESPN UK fined £120,000 by Ofcom|date=2014-05-23|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-02-02|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.policyforum.net/changing-channel-audio-description/|title=Changing the channel on Audio Description|date=2018-05-30|website=Policy Forum|access-date=2020-02-02}}</ref>

=== United States ===
[[File:Pictograms-nps-accessibility-audio description.svg|thumb|150px|Onscreen bug used for televised Audio Description]]
[[File:Pictograms-nps-accessibility-live audio description-2.svg|thumb|150px|Logo for Audio Description used in credits and covers]]
Initially, audio description was provided as a public service. However, in 2000, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] would enact a policy effective April 1, 2002, requiring the affiliates of the four major television networks in the top 25 markets, and television providers with more than 50,000 subscribers via the top 5 cable networks as determined by [[Nielsen ratings]], to offer 50 hours of programming with descriptions during primetime or children's programming per-quarter. However, the order faced a court challenge led by the [[MPAA]], who questioned the FCC's jurisdiction on the matter. In November 2002, the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]] ruled that the FCC had no statutory jurisdiction to enforce such a rule.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/miscellaneous/fcc-update-video-description-rules-in-place|title=FCC Update: Video: description rules in place|last=Martin|first=Harry C.|website=TV Technology|date=May 2002|language=en-us|access-date=2019-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Court-Nixes-FCC-s-Video-Description-10555547.php|title=Court Nixes FCC's Video Description|date=2002-11-08|website=The Edwardsville Intelligencer|access-date=2019-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2002/scene/markets-festivals/narration-mandate-mooted-by-court-1117875796/|title=Narration mandate mooted by court|last1=McClintock|first1=Pamela|date=2002-11-11|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-04-26}}</ref>

This was rectified in 2010 with the passing of the [[Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010|Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act]], which gave the FCC jurisdiction to enforce video description requirements. The previously intended quotas were reinstated on July 1, 2012, and have been gradually increased to require more programming and wider participation since their implementation.<ref name="tvnc-launch">{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/60097/networks-set-to-launch-video-descriptions/|title=Networks Set To Launch Video Descriptions|date=2012-06-13|website=TVNewsCheck|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref><ref name="lexology-dv">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=17b66353-ef69-4acb-b967-eb6385f242f6|title=FCC adopts video description regulations|last1=Browne|first1=Davis Wright Tremaine LLP-Maria T.|last2=London|first2=Ronald G.|website=Lexology|language=en|access-date=2019-04-15|last3=Holl|first3=Brendan|date=26 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/fcc-expands-video-description-mandate-167092|title=FCC Expands Video Description Mandate|last=Eggerton|first=John|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=12 July 2017|publisher=NextTV|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/12/news/fcc-video-described-programming-blind-visually-impaired/index.html|title=FCC to require more shows be aired with video descriptions to aid the blind|last=Wattles|first=Jackie|date=2017-07-12|website=CNNMoney|access-date=2019-04-16}}</ref>