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Audio Description on PBS Videos

How do I enable Audio Description on PBS videos?

Audio Description (AD) or Descriptive Video Service (DVS) is a secondary audio track that describes what’s appearing on screen during a video. This option is made available to audiences who are blind or visually impaired. 

Not every video on the PBS and PBS KIDS sites and apps offers AD. To find all videos with AD from PBS click the button below or scan the QR code. You can use the filter options on the left side of the page to filter by show and video type.

Find PBS Programs with Audio Description

PBS Audio Described Program List QR Code

QR code to find Audio Described Videos from PBS

Once in the video play window, go to the lower right of the window to toggle through the icons to choose options such as extended audio description, captioning, on-Screen American Sign Language (ASL) when available.

Screen capture of the lower part of the video window to allow turning on accessibility features

For videos that do offer AD, you can enable AD by following the steps below on your respective device. The English (AD) track option will not appear for videos that do not offer the secondary audio track.

For PBS Videos

PBS.org Website

At the bottom of the video player, select the headphones icon and select the English AD track option.

iPhones and iPads

On the video player, select the three dots icon (. . .) and select Languages. Select the English AD track option.

Android Mobile

At this time, AD is not supported on Android mobile for the PBS app.

Roku

While the video is playing, press the star / asterisk button on your remote. Scroll down and select Audio track to change it to English AD. Select Close to return to the video.

Apple TV 4

Pause the video and select the Audio Levels icon above the video track on the right-hand side. The Audio Levels icon appears as a series of vertical bars – you may have to “scroll up” or press the up button on your remote to see this icon. After selecting the Audio Levels icon, select English AD from the options underneath Audio Track.

Amazon Fire and Android TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Amazon Fire and Android TV devices for the PBS app.

Samsung TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Samsung TV devices for the PBS app.

VIZIO SmartCast TV

At this time, AD is not supported on VIZIO SmartCast TV devices for the PBS app.

For PBS KIDS Videos

PBSKIDS.org Website

At the bottom of the video player, select the gear icon. Under Audio Selection, select the Audio Description (English) track option.

iPhones and iPads

On the video player, select the gear icon and select the English AD track option.

Android Mobile

On the video player, select the gear icon and select the English AD track option.

Roku

While the video is playing, press the star / asterisk button on your remote. Scroll down and select Audio track to change it to English AD. Select Close to return to the video.

Apple TV 4

Pause the video and select the Audio Levels icon above the video track on the right-hand side. The Audio Levels icon appears as a series of vertical bars – you may have to “scroll up” or press the up button on your remote to see this icon. After selecting the Audio Levels icon, select English AD from the options underneath Audio Track.

Amazon Fire and Android TV

While the video is playing, press up on your remote to select the gear icon at the top right corner of the screen. Select English (AD). Press up on your remote to close the prompt and return to the video.

Samsung TV

At this time, AD is not supported on Samsung TV devices for the PBS KIDS Video app.

VIZIO SmartCast TV

At this time, AD is not supported on VIZIO SmartCast TV devices for the PBS KIDS Video app.

Source: PBS Help

Public Radio Music Day

Together, we can amplify the sound of independent music and independent media.  Join us in celebrating Public Radio Music Day on October 29.

Public Radio Music Day is sort of like a holiday where we celebrate public radio stations across the country who are dedicated to being a haven in a hyper-commercialized music landscape. It’s never beholden to fancy algorithms. And we’ll always do it for free. 

WXXI is proud to be a part of Public Radio Music Day and will continue engaging music fans, artists, and musicians through on-air, studio sessions, fan and artist stories, special programming and curated playlists. On October 29, WXXI Classical and The Route will join stations across the country in hosting special broadcast and programming to connect their community with local musicians and artists; school music programs; and advocate for the continued support of public radio music stations.

As part of the celebration, WXXI Classical presents a special Live From Hochstein program, Bridging Generations: Music of Bach, Bridge, and Brahms, featuring cellist Kathy Kemp and pianist Dr. Jaio Sun. Join us at Hochstein Performance Hall (50 North Plymouth Ave. in Rochester) at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23 for this free concert. Can’t make it in person? You can listen to the live performance on WXXI Classical.

On The Route during Afternoons with Hannah Maier, Hannah speaks with Doug Jayne, a fellow public radio host colleague from KRCB FM and they will each be sharing music from local artists from their area. Doug’s hosts Midday Music, a free-form music program.

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Little Theatre Café enjoy free live music with Steve Grills and the Roadmasters. The Route’s Hannah Maier will be there with some great station swag including Route pint glasses for the first 10 people that stop by The Route table.

Whether it’s local artists, global sounds, or genres that don’t fit the mold we honor WXXI Classical and The Route that give music a space to breathe. Join our commitment to free, public-access music — that never cops to trending charts or viral formulas — by donating at here.

October’s CREATE Showcases • WXXI-CREATE

Enjoy these marathons with your favorite CREATE celebrities throughout October!

CREATE Showcases air Fridays from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on WXXI-CREATE.

Southern Style with Vivian Howard – October 3-5
We’re headed down south with Chef Vivian Howard to uncover the secrets and shortcuts of everyday cooking — with an exclusive sneak preview of her new series, Kitchen Curious, before its national debut.

Festa di Pasta – October 10-12
Step into Lidia’s home kitchen for a masterclass in Italian home cooking. From traditional recipes from her childhood and lessons with her grandchildren to tips and tricks to make meals a breeze, you’re in for a treat in ten back-to-back recipe-packed episodes.

Weeknight Mediterranean  – October 17-19
It’s time for some weeknight wins and Sara Moulton has you covered. Take a spin about the Mediterranean to discover the secrets to delicious dishes that will become your new dinner favorites without the fuss.

Painting with Joy – October 24-26
In need of a break from the hustle and bustle? Take some time with to savor 
The Joy of Painting with Nicholas Hankins. Whether its completing Bob Ross’ unfinished paintings, taking us Great Smoky Mountain scenes of his childhood, or recreating a scenic stroll in the woods, let Nic take you on a relaxing artistic journeys and techniques.

Home Cooking – October 24-26
Explore the stories and beloved recipes that bring family and friends together as the Great American Recipe and Family Ingredients showcase the magic of home cooking.

Renegades: Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal – On-Demand

In this new digital series, musician and disability inclusion advocate Lachi explores the cultural contributions of people with disabilities and how they transformed America.

The episode exploring Judy-Lynn del Rey’s life is the story of a woman with dwarfism who revolutionized the world of science fiction by editing and publishing books from sci-fi writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” in novel form. See how science fiction narratives, through their speculative and imaginative nature, offer a more inclusive and equitable lens through which to redefine disability.

Educational Resources: Judy-Lynn del Rey: Galaxy Girl PBS LearningMedia Video, Discussion Questions and Teaching Tips (Grades 9-12)

Watch Episode with Open Captioned with On-Screen American Sign Language (ASL)

Watch Episode with extended audio description and large open captions

Learn More About Judy-Lynn del Rey

Learn More about American Masters Renegades

A Good Life • WXXI-TV

Life is full of joys and challenges for us all — but the experiences of individuals living with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) is something that not everyone understands or appreciates.

A Good Life airs Friday, January 16 at 3 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI and PBS apps

A Good Life, a WXXI production, takes an intimate look into the lives of six adults living with I/DD and their families. The film shares the challenges and opportunities they face, while leading national experts and historians in the field offer insight. 

Photo: Title card • Credit: WXXI

The Good Karma Hospital • WXXI-TV

The story of a junior doctor who arrives in picture perfect India looking for a job.

The Good Karma Hospital airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV,

The six-part series tells the story of junior doctor, Ruby Walker, who arrives in India looking for a job and a distraction from her heartbreak. She anticipates the sunshine, the palm trees, and picture-perfect beaches. What she doesn’t expect are the realities of work, life, and even love at an under-resourced and overworked cottage hospital.

The First Lady • WXXI-TV

A revelatory, dramatic reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies.

The First Lady airs Thursdays, October 24-November 21 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Starring Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, The First Lady delves deep into the ladies’ personal and political lives.

Exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House’s women is no longer hidden from view.  

Nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards, Critics Choice Awards and NAACP Image Awards, The First Lady  includes Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin Roosevelt, Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford, and O-T Fagbenie as Barack Obama. 

Photo: Key Art – The First Lady
Credit: Provided by APT

Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation  • WXXI-TV

During World War II, troops would look up and say, “Here come the Sky Blossoms” – paratroopers rushing to their aid. Today, a new generation is answering that call for help.

Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation airs Sunday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Filmed over three years, Sky Blossom is a raw, uplifting window into 24.5 million children and millennials stepping forward as frontline heroes. Caring for family with tough medical conditions, they stay at home doing things often seen only in hospitals. They are cheerleaders, work part time, and go to college – but also live double lives – quietly growing up as America’s next greatest generation.

This documentary is presented as part of WXXI and the Golisano Foundation’s Move to IncludeTM, an award-winning national initiative to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media. 

Photo: Ryann Allen shares a moment with her father, Chaz
Credit: VINO WONG/Sky Blossom

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