FCC Looks to Bring More Emergency Information to the Visually
Impaired  NPRM to implement additional mandates of the Twenty-
First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act is on
the fast track  As our readers know, in the Twenty-First Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA),
Congress aimed to ensure that folks with disabilities have
“better access to video programming”.  In the two years since
the CVAA was enacted, the Commission has taken multiple steps to
comply with that statutory direction.  But one important
component of “video programming” remains to be addressed:
emergency information during non-news programs.  Existing rules
already provide that all pertinent emergency information
broadcast during regular or special newscasts must include an
aural component for visually impaired persons.  But what about
announcements broadcast outside of newscasts?   We all know that
emergencies don’t occur strictly at 6:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. (or
even at the new trendy 4:00 or 5:00 a