Research & policy

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Government releases Media Access Review report

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The long awaited report about the Federal Government’s Media Access Review has been released.

The key findings are:

1. An audio description trial is proposed for the ABC during the second half of 2011 (subject to funding) and will be a   closed trial with receiver mix

2. Captioning quotas will be brought solely under the Broadcasting Services Act, including those for subscription television

3. Free-to-air television will have 100% captioning between 6am and midnight by analog switch-off

4. Caption quality standards will finally be formally addressed

5. Equipment issues making set-top boxes accessible

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Research & policy

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NBN to bring telehealth trials to regional NSW in early 2011

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The Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, has announced that when the National Broadband Network is rolled out in Kiama and Armidale early next year, the Commonwealth will fund trials of telehealth services in those areas.

Given the high speeds the NBN will provide, telehealth services may be a real possibility in Australia in the near future. Telehealth services proposed for the trials include:

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Research & policy

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US government looks at updating disabilities act

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The US Department of Justice intends to update the 20-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to incorporate cyberspace.

Beginning Thursday 18 November in Chicago, the department will hold a number of hearings to gain a real understanding of how the changes will affect not only Americans with disabilities but also the industries that may be involved.

The Department of Justice has, until now, interpreted the existing ADA to encompass websites that offer goods and services. The changes could clarify how this should be done,  and set schedules for rollout.

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Research & policy

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US communications regulator requests caption feedback

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has asked the public to provide feedback on the need to revise its caption rules. This follows an earlier consultation process, conducted in 2005, which resulted in a revision of the caption complaint process, and required television stations to make contact information easily available for consumers who wish to complain about problems with captions.

The FCC notes that a number of developments have taken place since the last invitation for feedback, called a ‘Notice of Proposed Rulemaking’, was issued. These include the achievement of many of the FCC’s caption benchmarks, the switch from analog to digital television in the US, and advances in captioning technology including speech-to-text (or voice recognition) technology.

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Captions
News
International policy and legislation
Research & policy
FCC, Federal Communications Commission

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