CEA and consumer groups have reached a partial...
CEA and consumer groups have reached a partial consensus over proposed accessibility rules for user interfaces and program guides, said CEA and the American Foundation for the Blind in an ex parte filing (http://bit.ly/16XbtSW). Although previously at odds (CD Aug…
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9 p3) concerning the FCC Media Bureau’s rulemaking on implementing sections 204 and 205 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), CEA, AFB and the American Council of the Blind have reached agreement on some of the proposed rules, the ex parte said. The commission should limit requirements for what functions manufacturers must make accessible to a list of 11 “essential functions” -- volume, power and other basic controls -- said CEA, AFB and ACB. The Media Bureau and the consumer groups had previously proposed that all user functions on devices be made accessible, but now all the consumer groups support along with CEA limiting the rule to the essential functions, said the ex parte. CEA, AFB and ACB also said the rule should be clarified so manufacturers are only required to make functions accessible that would generally be included with the device, said the ex parte. Manufacturers should only be required to “make apparatus volume control accessible when volume control is native to the equipment,” it said. “If no volume control is available to purchasers of the equipment generally,” then manufacturers shouldn’t be required to add it to fulfill accessibility requirements, said the ex parte. If the commission approves a narrower scope for Section 204, CEA said it would support a Media Bureau proposal to apply Section 205 of the CVAA -- which requires programming guides to be accessible -- only to multichannel video programming distributor equipment and retail set-top boxes. CEA had previously argued that Section 205 should apply to all navigation devices, and that any device covered under Section 205 would not be subject to the broader accessibility requirements of Section 204. However, the consumer groups and CEA remain at odds over whether some other devices -- such as TiVo boxes -- should fall under Section 205 or 204, the ex parte said. The consumer groups do support CEA’s argument that “digital still cameras” and baby monitors should not fall under the proposed accessibility rules, the ex parte said.