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Audio Description Calendar

Described videos provide narration of a program’s key visual elements, such as characters' actions, costuming, gestures, and facial expressions. These descriptions are heard during the natural pauses in dialogue. The result is a finished soundtrack that enables visually impaired viewers to fully understand the film through listening.

Description for Live Theater & Museum Exhibits

A number of Massachusetts performing arts organizations and museums offer live audio description for plays and other theatrical performances. To check on scheduling for audio described performances contact theaters directly for dates and times.

The following theaters offer described performances of certain productions:

Description at the Movies

Audio described movies are shown at the following theaters. Contact Bay State Council of the Blind at 617-923-4519 to have your name added to the weekly movie theater update email list.

Description on Television

The availability of description on television has grown dramatically since the national debut of WGBH's Descriptive Video Service on PBS in January 1990. Description is available on programs carried by the following commercial networks and cable providers:

CBS: Below is a list of CBS programs with DVS®. Please check your local CBS station listings for exact broadcast times.

  • NCIS
  • Criminal Minds
  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
  • Without a Trace
  • Specials, movies and mini-series as scheduled

FOX: Below is a list of FOX programs with DVS®. Please check your local FOXstation listings for exact broadcast times.

  • The Simpsons

PBS:The following PBS daytime series are available with video description provided by Descriptive Video Service®. Please check your local PBS station listings for broadcast times.

  • Animalia
  • Arthur
  • Barney and Friends
  • Between the Lions
  • Curious George
  • Cyberchase
  • Design Squad
  • Dragon Tales
  • Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman
  • Franny's Feet
  • It's A Big Big World
  • Martha Speaks
  • Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (select episodes of the series air with description)
  • Real Simple
  • Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat
  • Simply Ming (select episodes of this series air with description)
  • Thomas and Friends
  • The Victory Garden (select episodes of this series air with description)
  • World World
  • Zoboomafoo
  • Zoom

PBS: The following PBS prime-time series are available with video description. Please check your local PBS station listings for broadcast times.

  • American Experience
  • Nova
  • Nature
  • Masterpiece Classic
  • Frontline

Nickelodeon: Below is a list of Nickelodeon programs with DVS®. Please check your local listings for exact broadcast times.

  • Dora the Explorer
  • Go, Diego, Go!

Visit http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/services/description/ontv/ for more information.

To access description on television, a viewer must live within range of a television station that broadcasts description and have a stereo TV or a stereo VCR that includes the Second Audio Program (SAP) feature, standard on most newer stereo televisions and DVD players. Viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite TV should ask their provider to "pass through" stereo with SAP.

For additional information on audio description on television (including digital television requirements) contact:

Descriptive Video Service (DVS)
WGBH Educational Foundation/Media Access Group
One Guest Street
Boston, MA 02135
(617) 300-3490 or toll free (800) 333-1203 (DVS info line)
Fax: (617) 300-1035
Email: access@wgbh.org
Website: access.wgbh.org

More Information

The Audio Description Project's website, AD International (ADI) (www.adinternational.org), collects and provides information on audio description in all its forms: live theatre, television, movies, DVDs, and more. Started in 2002 by AD International, funding and direction for this website now come from the American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project (started in March 2009). To get on their list serv, send a blank email with subject heading “subscribe” to ad-international-subscribe@acb.org.

In Massachusetts, a great way to stay informed on what movies are going to be audio described and what is audio described now in the theaters is to get on Mary Watkin's listserv by emailing mary_watkins@wgbh.org.

Download Making Theater Accessible as a word document or brf file. For more information, visit our Information Clearinghouse on Blindness and Visual Impairment section on Audio Description.

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