Video Accessibility on Tap at FCC

The FCC released its agenda for next week's Feb. 18 monthly meeting and access to video dominates the proceedings.

As expected, the commission is scheduled to vote on FCC chairman Tom Wheeler's new set-top box (actually video navigation device) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to open up cable box data to third parties.

In addition, the commission plans to vote on a notice of inquiry into the ability of independent programmers to access traditional and over-the-top distribution platforms, which FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn had sought.

Third is an order allocating responsibility for closed captioning video and determining how captioning complaints are handled. That will be the latest in a series of decisions related to implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.

The FCC continues to work on a revamp of broadband Lifeline subsidies, which was not on the docket.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.