STATEMENT OF ACTING CHAIRWOMAN MIGNON L. CLYBURN Re: Accessibility of User Interfaces, and Video Programming Guides and Menus, MB Docket No. 12- 108; Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, MB Docket No. 12-107 The way that Americans watch video has changed profoundly in the twenty-first century. The modern television is connected to an array of set-top boxes, video game systems, and removable media players that allow consumers to view online video, cable and satellite video, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. Companies in all sectors constantly develop new solutions for consumers to use when navigating this universe of content and viewing video, but consumers with disabilities have often been left behind because too few of these options are accessible to them. With this Order, we adopt rules that fulfill Congress’s goal of making these solutions available to all. Congress adopted Sections 204 and 205 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 because they recognized that people with disabilities need better access to video programming devices and navigational tools. These days, it is nearly impossible to find the channel or show you want to watch without navigating some sort of visual guide that can only be accessed on your television screen. But for people who are blind or visually impaired, that may leave them at risk because they are unable to find a news channel during an emergency or frustrated by missing the hottest new show or a big game. Likewise, it is often too difficult to switch captions and video description on and off. Congress recognized these challenges and directed us to adopt rules to address them, and I am pleased that we are doing just that. This Order was carefully written to ensure that manufacturers, cable, and satellite providers have the flexibility to comply with our rules in ways that make sense for them. It certainly helps that consumer and industry groups found a lot of common ground as the rulemaking proceeded, and for that I am grateful. With companies using the flexibility our rules affords them, along with guidance from those in the disability community, to develop accessibility solutions that are as easy to use and as innovative as the navigation solutions they continue to develop, I am hopeful that we are only at the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship that will blossom as companies discover innovative ways to make their devices accessible. The Media Bureau, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, and Office of General Counsel staff members that worked on this Order and Further Notice deserve special recognition. They worked diligently with a complex part of the statute and under an extremely tight deadline to present us with an item that will make it easier for people with disabilities to access video programming. They are shining examples of the important work that our federal government employees do on behalf of all Americans, and I thank them for their service.