Skip to content
DWT logo
People Services Insights
About Offices Careers
Search
People
Services
Insights
About
Offices
Careers
Search
Advisories
Communications

Emergency Information Accessibility Rules for Second-Screen Devices – Compliance Deadline Today

By Maria T. Browne and Bradley W. Guyton
07.10.17
Share
Print this page

Today, July 10, 2017, is the compliance deadline for the FCC’s rules regarding video description of emergency information on “second screens.” Multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) are now required to pass through audible emergency information via the secondary audio stream on any application or plug-in that the MVPD provides for consumers to view the MVPD’s linear programming on “second screen devices” on the MVPD’s own network.

Under the FCC’s rules, “second screen devices” are smartphones, tablets, laptops and similar devices. The audible emergency information at issue includes aural descriptions of emergency information that is presented visually during non-newscast programming, such as printed crawls, maps or other graphic displays.

The relevant rules do not apply to emergency information delivered on non-linear programming, such as video-on-demand, nor to over-the-top services whereby customers access MVPD programming over the Internet, such as TV Everywhere. The rules also do not yet extend to description of non-emergency video programming, an issue that is the subject of a pending rulemaking proceeding.

Please see our prior advisory for further details on the new requirements.

Related Articles

01.08.25
Webinars
Communications
"Preparing for Agency Enforcement Under Trump 2: What You Need to Know," Davis Wright Tremaine Webinar Read More
09.11.24
Insights
Communications
Licensees and Telecom/Video Service Providers Must File and Pay FCC Regulatory Fees by Sept. 26, 2024 Read More
07.17.24
Insights
Communications
Will the Supreme Court's Loper Bright Decision Change How the 6th Circuit Reviews the FCC's Open Internet Order? Read More
DWT logo
©1996-2025 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Not intended as legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Media Kit Affiliations Legal notices
Privacy policy Employees DWT Collaborate EEO
SUBSCRIBE
©1996-2025 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Not intended as legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.