"This page is a digitally archieve AccessInfo announcement"
Committee to Focus on Matters Pertaining to IP Closed Captioning, Video Description, Access to Emergency Information and User Interface Accessibility
On December 7, 2010, Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the establishment and appointment of members of the Video Programming and Emergency Access Advisory Committee (VPEAAC), an advisory committee required by the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (the Accessibility Act). In a public notice released on October 19, 2010, the Commission solicited nominations for membership on the VPEAAC in accordance with the Accessibility Act. The nominations period closed on November 1, 2010. The first meeting shall be on January 13, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Commission Headquarters. All meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public.
VPEAAC MISSION:
The purpose of the VPEAAC is to develop recommendations on closed captioning of Internet programming previously captioned on television; the compatibility between video programming delivered using Internet protocol and devices capable of receiving and displaying such programming in order to facilitate access to captioning, video description and emergency information; video description and accessible emergency information on television programming delivered using Internet protocol or digital broadcast television, accessible user interfaces on video programming devices, accessible programming guides and menus. Within 6 months of its first meeting, the VPEAAC shall submit recommendations concerning the provision of closed captions for Internet-delivered video programming and the ability of video devices to pass through closed captions contained on Internet-based video programming. By April 8, 2012, the VPEAAC shall submit recommendations on the remaining issues listed above.
At the VPEAAC's first meeting, the Committee will be divided into the following four working groups, each of which will be assigned specific tasks related to the Committee's purposes:
- Working Group 1: Internet protocol based closed captioning: Identification of protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures needed to encode, transport, receive, and render closed captioning of video programming, except for consumer generated media, delivered using Internet protocol;
- Working Group 2: Pass through of closed captioning and video description: Recommendations to ensure compatibility between video programming delivered using Internet protocol and devices capable ofreceiving and displaying such programming in order to facilitate access to closed captions and video description;
- Working Group 3: Emergency information: Identification of methods to encode, transport, receive, render and convey emergency information provided on video programming in a manner that is accessible to persons who are blind or visually impaired; and
- Working Group 4: Accessibility of user interfaces, apparatus functions, on-screen text menus, and video programming guides and menus provided on navigational devices: Identification and recommendation of standards, protocols, and procedures to enable access to these various features and functions.
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS
By this Public Notice, the Chairman of the Commission appoints 45 (forty-five) members of the VPEAAC. Of this number, eleven (11) represent interests of persons with disabilities; six (6) represent interests of closed captioning and video description providers; ten (10) represent device manufacturers; four (4) represent Internet and software companies; two (2) represent broadcasters; and twelve (12) represent video programming distributors and providers. The VPEAAC's membership meets the Accessibility Act's goals of assembling a committee that has the technical knowledge and engineering experience needed to meet the tasks assigned. All appointments are effective immediately and shall terminate December 7, 2012, or when the Committee is terminated, whichever is earlier.
The membership of the VPEAAC is designated by organization or affiliation, as follows:
- Adobe, Inc. -Andrew Kirkpatrick
- Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions -Phyllis Anderson
- American Council of the Blind -Melanie Brunson o Marlaina Leiberg, Patrik Patel -Alternates
- American Foundation for the Blind -Brad Hodges
- American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness -Louis Herrera
- AT&T -Leonardo Velazquez
- Audio Description Associates -Joel Snyder
- Bright House Networks - Jeffrey Cantrell
- Broadcast Interactive Media -Timur Yarnall
- Caption Colorado - Gary Rulh
- Chris Crosgrove -Alternate
- CBS -Mark Turits
- Center for Hearing and Communication -Joseph Gordon
- Chicago Lighthouse Service -Bill Jurek
- Comcast Cable - Charlie Kennamer
- Computer Prompting & Captioning - Sydney Hoffman
- Consumer Electronics Association -Brian Markwalter
- Cox Communications - Steve Watkins
- Digital Media Association :.... Lee Knife
- DirecTV -Robert Gabrielli
- Disney ABC Cable Networks -Vince Roberts
- Echostar Technologies -John Card
- Google -Naomi Biladau
- Ken Harrenstein -Alternate
- Hearing Loss Association of America -Lise Hamlin
- IDEAL Group - Steve Jabobs
- Iowa Radio Reading Service -Mary Evans
- LG Electronics -Wayne Luplow
- Microsoft -Ann Marie Rohaly
- Modulation Sciences, Inc. -Eric Small
- Motion Picture Association of America -Van Stevenson
- Motorola -Jeffrey Newdeck
- Music Television Networks - Christopher Heaton o Glenn Goldstein -Alternate
- National Association of Broadcasters -Kelly Williams
- National Association of the Deaf -Rosaline Crawford o Kelby Brick, Jeff Rosen -Alternates
- National Cable & Telecommunications Association -Andy Scott o Diane Burstein, Jill Luckett -Alternates
- National Captioning Institute -Beth Nubbe
- Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons - Cheryl Heppner
- Research in Motion - Greg Fields
- Rovi Corporation -Adam Powers
- Sony Electronics -Paul Hearty o Mark Eyer -Alternate
- Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. - Claude Stout
- Turner Broadcasting System - Clyde Smith
- Verizon Technology Organization -Olu Akiwimi-Assani o James Ho -Alternate
- Vitae -Tim Taylor
- Bob Beyers, Heather York -Alternates
- WGBH National Center on Accessible Media -Larry Goldberg
- World Wide Web Consortium - Judy Brewer
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS: To request materials inaccessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Gregory, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 202-418-2498 (voice), 202-418-1169 (TTY), or Pam.Gregory@fcc.gov (e-mail); or Alison Neplokh, Media Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 202- 418-1083, Alison.Neplokh@fcc.gov (e-mail).