Audio Descriptions for Talking Heads

I've been coming across a lot of this lately, and don't really know what to
do about it... we have a requirement for audio descriptions... but 95% of
all video on Government and corporate sites are just talking heads, like a
message from the CEO, or from the marketing manager, or from the Minister,
where he's just talking in front of a non-consequential background.

 

Honestly, it seems extraneous to require these videos to be audio described
which can cost thousands of dollars, and provides almost zero value for a
person who is blind...

 

We could I guess get a voice overdub at the front that says... "the minister
speaking in his office, with a flag in the background" ... but I almost wish
we had some kind of an exception for these videos of talking heads... it
would cost a thousand bucks for that line, (unless there is some kind of
internal production facility).

 

Thoughts?

 

David MacDonald

www.eramp.com 

 

 

 

From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On Behalf
Of Loretta Guarino Reid
Sent: June-15-11 2:43 PM
To: WCAG
Subject: 16 June 2011 Agenda ==============================

 

Meeting Information
Time: 20:00 UTC, 6 AM Eastern Australia, 10 PM Central Europe, 4 PM Eastern
US
World Clock: <http://tinyurl.com/dxyzel>
Length: up to 90 minutes
Bridge: +1.617.761.6200 <tel:%2B1.617.761.6200>  (US), +33.4.26.46.79.03
<tel:%2B33.4.26.46.79.03>  (France), +44.203.318.0479
<tel:%2B44.203.318.0479>  (UK)
Passcode: 9224#
IRC: irc.w3.org <http://irc.w3.org/>  port: 6665 channel #wai-wcag

 1. Status of publication
 2. Miscellaneous Issues and Techniques for 16 June 2011
   Survey: <http://tinyurl.com/3lrxgvs>
 3. Other discussion topics, depending upon who is present?
    * Are Word documents web content?
    * Vivienne's question about hierarchical headings?