What we will blog (Intro final part)

What We Will Be Blogging

Here on this blog, we will report what is happening on Capitol Hill with the Act (e.g., is it coming up for a hearing? are there any new co-sponsors?), and what is happening on Facebook where we have two groups, an Internet Captioning Group and a Cause, Caption Action 2. The reason for having two groups is that the Cause will allow us to do fundraising eventually to support the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT)'s efforts to get the Act passed. COAT is not a nonprofit organization, so we are working with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), a COAT organization, about setting up fundraising via the Caption Action 2 Cause.

This blog will also allow us to do things that are difficult to do on Facebook. For example, we will be tracking who posts about the 21st Century Act on Twitter, via a regularly updated post. We will also use this blog to report on efforts to target broadcasters that do not caption online, such as Disney Online. Plus, through the blog we hope to increase awareness of broadcasters that DO caption online.

Actual Language (Intro part 2)

Actual Language from the Act

The text of H.R. 3101 is on Thomas.gov. The important part is Title II, Section 203. The key language from that is reproduced below:

(b) Closed Captioning on Video Programming Distributed Over the Internet- Section 713 of such Act is further amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

`(c) Deadlines for Captioning-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (b) shall include an appropriate schedule of deadlines for the provision of closed captioning of video programming.

`(2) DEADLINES FOR INTERNET-DISTRIBUTED PROGRAMMING-

`(A) Within 12 months after the submission of the report to Congress required by section 201(b) of the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009, the Commission shall prescribe regulations that include an appropriate schedule of deadlines for the provision of closed captioning of video programming distributed to the public over the Internet.

`(B) Consistent with the regulations promulgated under subsection (b), the regulations prescribed under this paragraph shall ensure the accessibility of video programming, except for consumer generated media, through the provision of captions on--

`(i) preproduced video programming that was previously captioned for television viewing;

`(ii) live video programming; and

`(iii) video programming first published or exhibited after the effective date of such regulations provided by or generally considered to be comparable to programming provided by multichannel programming distributors.'.

If this language seems familiar, that is because this Act is meant to update the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Help us get the new 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 passed, by joining Caption Action 2!

Introduction to Caption Action 2

Welcome to the Caption Action 2 blog. Caption Action 2 is the name of the grassroots Internet-based movement to get Congress to pass the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 (hereafter referred to as the 21st Century Act, or H.R. 3101) introduced on June 26, 2009 that will make captioning on the Internet mandatory for certain types of broadcasters, and to increase captioning on the Internet.

Why Have a Caption Action 2?

We are making a big push to get the 21st Century Act passed, because a similar Act was introduced last year but never made it out of committee. It didn't even get to the point of having a hearing. Representative Ed Markey re-introduced the bill in June 2009, giving us a second chance. For all we know, we might not get a third chance! So it is absolutely critical that the deaf and hard of hearing community and its hearing friends unite to get this bill passed.

What Can YOU Do?

It is imperative that people write to their Congressional Representatives (to ask Representatives to cosponsor the bill) and write to Senators (to ask Senators to sponsor a similar bill) via the Internet. One thing that helps get a bill to move through Congress, is that Representatives and Senators cosponsor a bill. Last year, the previous version of the Act had only 15 cosponsors.

Read the COAT and National Association of the Deaf press releases about the 21st Century Act, to learn more. For convenience, reprinted below from the NAD press release is the key information about the Act as it pertains to online captioning:

Video Programming Access

• Requires closed captioning display capability in all video programming devices.
• Extends closed captioning obligations to television-type video programming distributed over the Internet (not user-generated content).
• Requires easy access to closed captions via remote control and on-screen menus, and requires easy access by blind people to television controls and program selection menus.
• Restores video description rules and requires access to televised emergency programming for people who are blind or have low vision.