Prime Video now lists 8,423 audio-described titles in the American Council of the Blind directory, more than the next three services combined (ACB Audio Description Project, title directory October 2026). Netflix follows with 3,244 described titles, and the directory as a whole tracks 15,041 films and series with a narrated description track. On linear TV, the obligation is measured in hours, not titles: covered US networks must air 87.5 hours of described programming every calendar quarter, about 7 hours per week (FCC Audio Description consumer guide), and that rule now reaches the top 120 of 210 US TV markets. We aggregated data from the Federal Communications Commission, the American Council of the Blind, the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the CDC Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System, the World Health Organization, the American Foundation for the Blind, and Netflix, alongside our earlier audio description statistics roundup.
TL;DR
- 15,041 films and series with audio description are listed in the ACB directory (ACB Audio Description Project, 2026)
- Prime Video carries 8,423 described titles, Netflix 3,244, Disney+ 1,475 (ACB Audio Description Project, 2026)
- Prime Video’s described catalog grew 36.3%, from 6,178 to 8,423 titles, since the year-end 2024 count (ACB Audio Description Project)
- Covered US networks must air 87.5 hours of audio description per quarter, about 7 hours per week (FCC, Audio Description consumer guide)
- 50 of those 87.5 hours must be prime time or children’s programming (FCC, 47 CFR 79.3)
- The current top five mandated cable networks are TLC, HGTV, Hallmark, TNT and TBS (FCC, July 1, 2024 update)
- Audio description reaches the top 120 of 210 US TV markets as of January 1, 2026 (FCC)
- All 210 markets will be covered on January 1, 2035 (FCC Second Report and Order, FCC 23-82)
- Describing new programming costs up to $4,202.50 per hour, and as little as $1,000 per hour for pre-recorded shows (FCC 23-82, 2023)
- UK on-demand giants must audio-describe at least 10% of their catalogues (UK Government, DCMS 2026)
- FIFA offered audio descriptive commentary in 3 languages for all 104 matches of the 2026 Men’s World Cup (ACB Audio Description Project, 2026)
- 32.17 million people in the US had presenting visual acuity loss in 2024 (CDC VEHSS, 2026 release)
- 82.1% of people with vision difficulty own a smartphone, versus 94.4% of people without disabilities (AFB analysis of ACS 2024)
1. The Audience: Who Audio Description Is For
Audio description is often framed as a niche feature for a small blind audience. The prevalence data says otherwise: CDC estimates 32.17 million people in the US had presenting visual acuity loss in 2024, and 7.15 million of them could not correct it with glasses or contacts. Total blindness is a small slice (over 700,000 people), which means most of the audience for described TV has partial sight and uses narration to fill in what they miss on screen.
Age is the multiplier that matters for TV planners. Nearly half of Americans aged 85 and older (47.25%) have some presenting vision loss, so the need for description rises steeply with every decade of age. Self-reported surveys produce even larger numbers: 49.5 million adults told the 2024 National Health Interview Survey they have at least some difficulty seeing, according to the AFB analysis of NHIS data.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| People worldwide with a near or distance vision impairment | At least 2.2 billion | WHO, Blindness and vision impairment fact sheet (Feb 2026) |
| US residents with any presenting visual acuity loss (2024) | 32.17 million | CDC VEHSS prevalence estimates (released Aug 2026) |
| US residents with best-corrected (uncorrectable) acuity loss | 7.15 million (2.10%) | CDC VEHSS prevalence estimates (2026) |
| US residents categorized as blind (20/200 or worse) | Over 700,000 | CDC VEHSS prevalence estimates (2026) |
| Share of Americans aged 85+ with presenting vision loss | 47.25% | CDC VEHSS prevalence estimates (2026) |
| US adults reporting some difficulty seeing | 49.5 million | AFB analysis of NHIS 2024 |
| US adults with significant trouble seeing | 3.8 million | AFB analysis of NHIS 2024 |
| US adults who cannot see at all | 420,000 | AFB analysis of NHIS 2024 |
Context: the CDC and NHIS figures measure different things (modeled visual acuity versus self-reported difficulty), so they should not be added or compared directly. Sources: CDC Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System and the WHO fact sheet.
2. The US Hour Quota: What Networks Must Air
The US rule is the only major mandate expressed in programming hours rather than catalog share. Covered networks must air 87.5 hours of described programming per calendar quarter, split into 50 hours of prime time or children’s programming and 37.5 hours that can air any time between 6 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. local time (47 CFR 79.3, summarized in the FCC Audio Description consumer guide).
Put in perspective, 87.5 hours is a small fraction of a 24/7 schedule. A 91-day quarter has roughly 1,638 hours in the 6 a.m. to midnight window (91 x 18), so the quota equals about 5% of that window (87.5 / 1,638), or 350 hours a year (87.5 x 4) per covered network. The quota is a floor, but it is also the reason viewers find description concentrated in prime-time scripted shows and children’s blocks.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Required described hours per calendar quarter | 87.5 hours (about 7 hours per week) | FCC Audio Description consumer guide |
| Hours that must be prime time or children’s programming | 50 hours per quarter | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Additional hours allowed any time 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. | 37.5 hours per quarter | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Prime time definition | 8 to 11 p.m. Mon to Sat, 7 to 11 p.m. Sunday | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Children’s programming definition | Programming for children 16 and under | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Broadcast networks covered | 4 (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) | FCC Audio Description consumer guide |
| Nonbroadcast networks covered (July 2024 to June 2027) | 5 (TLC, HGTV, Hallmark, TNT, TBS) | FCC; ACB Audio Description Project (2024) |
| Maximum airings of one described program counted toward the quota | 2 per channel | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
Outlier note: the top-five list is not simply the five most-watched cable networks. The FCC’s preliminary 2022-2023 ranking put Fox News Channel, ESPN and MSNBC first, but networks must carry at least 50 hours per quarter of prime-time programming that is not live or near-live, so those three are exempt (Federal Register notice 2023-27954). TNT replaced History in the 2024 update, and TNT and TBS hold a limited waiver until June 30, 2027 (ACB Audio Description Project).
3. The Market Phase-In: 120 of 210 TV Markets Covered
The hour quota only applies to local broadcast affiliates in markets the rule has reached, which is why the geography matters as much as the hours. As of January 1, 2026, audio description rules cover the top 120 of 210 Designated Market Areas, and the remaining 90 markets (DMAs 121 to 210) will be added in 9 annual steps of 10 markets each, ending on January 1, 2035 (FCC Audio Description consumer guide; FCC Second Report and Order FCC 23-82).
The cost case behind the expansion is modest. The FCC found that the maximum cost of creating described programming stayed at its 2017 estimate of $4,202.50 per hour, with pre-recorded programming as low as $1,000 per hour. At the ceiling, a quarter of entirely new described content would cost about $367,719 (87.5 x $4,202.50), although program owners usually describe a show once and every affiliate passes the same track through.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total US Designated Market Areas | 210 | FCC NPRM, Federal Register 2023-06527 |
| Original markets covered | DMAs 1 through 60 | FCC NPRM, Federal Register 2023-06527 |
| Phase-in pace | 10 additional DMAs every January 1 | FCC Second Report and Order (FCC 23-82, 2023) |
| Markets covered as of January 1, 2026 | Top 120 (DMAs 111 to 120 added) | FCC Audio Description consumer guide |
| Date all 210 markets are covered | January 1, 2035 | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
| Maximum cost of describing new programming | $4,202.50 per hour | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
| Low-end cost for pre-recorded programming | $1,000 per hour | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
| Licensed commercial TV stations (June 30, 2023) | 1,375, of which 1,256 (91.3%) had 2022 revenue of $41.5 million or less | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
Context: the earlier steps were DMAs 61 to 70 in 2021, 71 to 80 in 2022, 81 to 90 in 2023 and 91 to 100 in 2024, followed by 101 to 110 in 2025 (FCC NPRM, Federal Register 2023-06527). The Commission adopted the full phase-in on October 17, 2023, and it took effect November 27, 2023. Only four comments and two reply comments were filed, from ACA Connects, ACB, AFB, NAB and two consumers.
4. Streaming Catalogs: Titles, Not Hours
Streaming services face no US hour quota, so their audio description is counted in titles. The ACB title directory lists 15,041 audio-described films and series, and Prime Video alone accounts for 8,423 of them, or 56.0% of all listings (8,423 / 15,041). Netflix, at 3,244 titles, represents 21.6% (3,244 / 15,041). Titles can appear under more than one provider, so these shares overlap and do not sum to 100%.
The ranking rewards breadth of licensing rather than original production. Prime Video’s count includes titles from channel subscriptions sold through the platform, while Netflix’s own help center says description “is available for most Netflix original titles and many other shows and movies” (Netflix Help Center). Viewers using a screen reader to browse these apps still have to find which titles carry a track, which is why directories like ACB’s matter.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-described titles in the ACB directory | 15,041 | ACB Audio Description Project, title directory (Oct 2026) |
| Prime Video (includes channel subscriptions) | 8,423 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Netflix | 3,244 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Apple TV Store (iTunes) | 2,807 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Disney+ | 1,475 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| HBO Max | 1,228 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Hulu | 705 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Paramount+ | 633 titles | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
Long tail: the same ACB directory lists Spectrum Access at 973 titles, Peacock at 345, Apple TV at 330, PBS at 184, Tubi at 107, MGM+ at 102, Roku Channel at 90, Pluto at 53 and YouTube at 20. Free ad-supported services remain the thinnest source of described content, a gap that echoes what we found for captions on short-form video.
5. Catalog Growth: 2024 Baseline vs 2026
Growth is where the streaming story gets more interesting than the totals. Prime Video added 2,245 described titles between the ACB year-end 2024 tally and October 2026, a 36.3% increase (2,245 / 6,178), roughly double the growth rate of Netflix, Disney+ or the iTunes store. HBO Max (listed as Max in 2024) grew the least of the five largest catalogs.
The fastest percentage growth during 2024 came from the smaller players, not the leaders. Fandango nearly doubled (97%) and Pluto TV grew 88%, which suggests that described content is now being licensed into transactional and free ad-supported catalogs that barely carried it before (ACB, Streaming Service Growth in 2024).
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Video described titles, year-end 2024 vs Oct 2026 | 6,178 to 8,423 (+36.3%) | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| Netflix described titles, year-end 2024 vs Oct 2026 | 2,762 to 3,244 (+17.5%) | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| iTunes / Apple TV Store, year-end 2024 vs Oct 2026 | 2,368 to 2,807 (+18.5%) | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| Disney+, year-end 2024 vs Oct 2026 | 1,244 to 1,475 (+18.6%) | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| Max / HBO Max, year-end 2024 vs Oct 2026 | 1,121 to 1,228 (+9.5%) | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| Fastest 2024 growth: Fandango | 97% | ACB, Streaming Service Growth in 2024 |
| 2024 growth: Pluto TV | 88% | ACB, Streaming Service Growth in 2024 |
| 2024 growth: Hulu, Apple TV+, Peacock | 32%, 27%, 25% | ACB, Streaming Service Growth in 2024 |
Math note: the 2026 percentages are our calculations from the two ACB counts ((2026 count minus 2024 count) / 2024 count). The ACB directory is maintained from provider updates and volunteer reports, so a jump can reflect better reporting as well as new description work.
6. Beyond US Linear TV: UK Quotas and Live Sports
The UK is moving faster than the US on streaming. Rules announced on 24 February 2026 require the largest on-demand services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4, to audio-describe at least 10% of their total catalogue, alongside 80% subtitling and 5% signing (UK Government, DCMS press release). That is the first catalog-share AD quota aimed squarely at global streamers.
Live sports, historically the hardest content to describe, is also shifting. FIFA provided audio descriptive commentary in English, Spanish and French for all 104 matches of the 2026 Men’s World Cup (ACB Audio Description Project), and NBCUniversal described all NBC coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics plus Peacock’s Gold Zone show. Live description depends on low-latency production, the same constraint we covered in real-time subtitling latency.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK on-demand audio description quota | At least 10% of catalogue | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| UK on-demand subtitling and signing quotas | 80% subtitled, 5% signed | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| Threshold for Tier 1 UK on-demand services | More than 500,000 UK users | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| Compliance window | 4 years, interim targets after 2 years | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| Maximum UK fine per breach | 250,000 GBP or 5% of qualifying revenue | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| UK people with disabilities affecting sight or hearing | More than 18 million (350,000 blind or partially sighted) | UK Government, DCMS press release (Feb 2026) |
| 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches with audio descriptive commentary | All 104, in 3 languages | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Paris 2024 Olympics audio description on NBC | All NBC coverage (daytime, prime time, late night) plus Peacock Gold Zone | ACB Audio Description Project, NBCUniversal announcement (2024) |
Context: NBCUniversal also delivered its Olympic description in stereo for the first time (ACB Audio Description Project). The UK code itself will be set by Ofcom after a public consultation, with implementation one year after publication.
7. The Access Gap: Devices and Broadband
Streaming-first audio description assumes an internet connection and a capable device, and that is where people with vision loss fall behind. Only 63.7% of people with vision difficulty have broadband at home, and their computer ownership trails people without disabilities by 19.1 percentage points (65.4% vs 84.5%), according to the AFB analysis of 2024 ACS data.
That gap is the strongest argument for keeping the broadcast hour quota alive alongside streaming catalogs. Over-the-air TV with a secondary audio track still reaches viewers who never sign up for a streaming service, and 22.8% of people with vision difficulty live below the federal poverty level (AFB, Demographics of Americans with Vision Difficulty).
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| People in the US with vision difficulty | About 9 million | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
| Adults 65+ with vision difficulty | 3.7 million (6.1% of age group) | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
| People with vision difficulty below the federal poverty level | 22.8% | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
| Home broadband: vision difficulty vs other disabilities | 63.7% vs 66.8% | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
| Laptop or desktop at home: vision difficulty vs no disability | 65.4% vs 84.5% | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
| Smartphone ownership: vision difficulty vs no disability | 82.1% vs 94.4% | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
Context: the 19.1-point computer gap and the 12.3-point smartphone gap (94.4 minus 82.1) are our subtractions from AFB’s published percentages. People with other disabilities sit in between (69.5% computer, 83% smartphone).
Summary: Audio Description on Streaming TV by the Numbers
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-described titles in the ACB directory | 15,041 | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Prime Video described titles | 8,423 | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Netflix described titles | 3,244 | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Disney+ described titles | 1,475 | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| Prime Video catalog growth since year-end 2024 | +36.3% | ACB Audio Description Project (2025, 2026) |
| Fastest 2024 growth (Fandango) | 97% | ACB, Streaming Service Growth in 2024 |
| Required described hours per quarter (US) | 87.5 | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Prime time or children’s share of the quota | 50 hours | FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 |
| Broadcast plus nonbroadcast networks covered | 4 + 5 | FCC (2024 update) |
| US TV markets covered as of Jan 1, 2026 | 120 of 210 | FCC Audio Description consumer guide |
| Year all US markets are covered | 2035 | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
| Maximum cost of new description | $4,202.50 per hour | FCC 23-82 (2023) |
| UK on-demand AD quota | 10% of catalogue | UK Government, DCMS (2026) |
| UK Tier 1 threshold | More than 500,000 UK users | UK Government, DCMS (2026) |
| FIFA 2026 World Cup matches with described commentary | 104 | ACB Audio Description Project (2026) |
| People worldwide with vision impairment | At least 2.2 billion | WHO (2026) |
| US residents with presenting visual acuity loss | 32.17 million | CDC VEHSS (2026 release) |
| US adults reporting difficulty seeing | 49.5 million | AFB analysis of NHIS 2024 |
| Home broadband among people with vision difficulty | 63.7% | AFB analysis of ACS 2024 |
Methodology and Sources
- American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Project title directory (provider counts read October 2026): adp.acb.org/masterad.html
- American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Project, Streaming Service Growth in 2024: adp.acb.org/streaming-service-growth-2024
- American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Project, Change in mandated TV networks: adp.acb.org/change-mandated-tv-networks-ad
- American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Project, 2026 FIFA World Cup audio descriptive commentary: adp.acb.org
- American Council of the Blind, Audio Description Project, NBCUniversal Paris 2024 announcement: adp.acb.org
- FCC, Audio Description consumer guide: fcc.gov/consumers/guides/audio-description
- FCC, Second Report and Order on video description, FCC 23-82 (adopted October 17, 2023): docs.fcc.gov
- FCC, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on DMA expansion, Federal Register 2023-06527: govinfo.gov
- FCC, Audio Description: Preliminary Nonbroadcast Network Rankings, Federal Register 2023-27954: govinfo.gov
- FCC, 47 CFR 79.3 (video description of video programming), read via the eCFR
- UK Government (DCMS), New requirements for UK’s biggest video-on-demand services, 24 February 2026: gov.uk
- Netflix Help Center, Audio description on Netflix: help.netflix.com
- World Health Organization, Blindness and vision impairment fact sheet (10 February 2026): who.int
- CDC, Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System, vision loss prevalence estimates for 2024: cdc.gov
- American Foundation for the Blind, Facts and Figures on Adults with Vision Loss from the NHIS (2024 data): afb.org
- American Foundation for the Blind, Demographics of Americans with Vision Difficulty (ACS 2024): afb.org
- American Foundation for the Blind, Technology Access (ACS 2024): afb.org
- Data watch: no public source reports audio-described streaming hours, so streaming is measured in titles from the ACB directory, which relies on provider updates and volunteer reports and counts a title under every provider that carries it (shares overlap). The ACB growth article is dated January 1 and covers 2024, so we treat its counts as a year-end 2024 baseline; the service now listed as HBO Max appeared as Max in that tally. CDC (modeled visual acuity, 32.17 million) and NHIS (self-reported difficulty, 49.5 million adults) use different definitions and should not be compared directly. The FCC cost figure ($4,202.50 per hour) dates from a 2017 estimate reaffirmed in 2023, so it is the most recent available data rather than a 2026 price. Ofcom and CRTC pages blocked automated access, so UK broadcast-channel AD delivery figures and Canadian described video rules were not included. We found no audio description market-size estimate that could be verified against two independent firms, so none is cited. Newer data is expected when the FCC announces the next top-five nonbroadcast networks (effective July 1, 2027) and when Ofcom publishes its on-demand accessibility code.
Last updated: October 4, 2026. We update this roundup quarterly, and the next refresh is expected when the FCC adds DMAs 121 through 130 on January 1, 2027 and Ofcom publishes its draft video-on-demand accessibility code.