Viewer Disability and Television Accessibility: Closed-Captioning and Video Description Requirements in Today's Television Environment

The article examines the legal and practical challenges of ensuring accessibility for individuals with sensory impairments in the contemporary television landscape, highlighting gaps in current regulations and the role of voluntary industry efforts in advancing accessibility. It argues that while laws like the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provide a framework for accessibility, they fail to comprehensively address the complexities of modern streaming platforms and digital services. The analysis emphasizes the importance of both regulatory expansion and industry-led initiatives to achieve equitable access for all viewers.