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Media & News Website Accessibility & ADA Compliance Guide

News and media accessibility guide covering articles, multimedia, and archives. Accessible journalism reaches all readers.

8 min read

Overview

Media and news organizations have a mission to inform the public, but inaccessible websites exclude millions of readers. Over 140 ADA lawsuits target media companies annually. Missing video captions, image descriptions, and article structure barriers prevent readers with disabilities from accessing news. Our guide helps media organizations build accessible, inclusive journalism.

140+

Annual Lawsuits

Up 10% year-over-year

Trend

$18,000-$32,000

Avg Settlement

Top violations sued:
  • Videos without captions
  • Articles without heading structure
  • Images without alt text
  • PDF archives not accessible

Specific Requirements

✓

All video content must have captions and transcripts

✓

Articles must have clear heading structure (H1, H2, H3)

✓

Images must have meaningful alt text describing content

✓

Archive PDFs must be tagged, searchable, and accessible

✓

Interactive elements (galleries, timelines) must be keyboard accessible

✓

Embedded multimedia must support captions and keyboard controls

Common Violations

News videos lack captionsWCAG 2.1 AA 1.2.2

Deaf and hard-of-hearing readers cannot watch news. Excluded from important information. Undermines news mission.

Article headings missing or not properly nestedWCAG 2.1 AA 1.3.1, 2.4.10

Screen reader users cannot navigate article structure. Cannot find key sections. Reading experience degraded.

Photo galleries lack keyboard navigationWCAG 2.1 AA 2.1.1

Keyboard users cannot navigate photo galleries. Missing visual storytelling. Affects journalism quality.

Archive PDFs are scanned images without OCRWCAG 2.1 AA 1.1.1

Researchers cannot search archives. Cannot access historical journalism. Undermines research and accountability.

Images in articles lack descriptive alt textWCAG 2.1 AA 1.1.1

Blind readers lose visual context for stories. Cannot understand full journalism. Less effective storytelling.

Compliance Checklist

Caption all video content (news, documentaries, interviews)

Provide transcripts alongside videos

Audit article structure—ensure proper H1, H2, H3 hierarchy

Add descriptive alt text to all news images

Make photo galleries keyboard accessible (arrow keys, Tab navigation)

Convert archive PDFs to accessible format (OCR, tagging, or provide HTML alternative)

Test article with screen reader to verify heading navigation

Ensure embedded multimedia (YouTube, Vimeo) supports captions

Implement skip links in article navigation

Test entire article reading experience with keyboard and screen reader

Relevant Regulations

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title IIIWCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)FCC closed captioning requirements (for broadcasts, not web)Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA)Journalism ethics standards (some organizations include accessibility in standards)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should caption videos—news organization or platform?
Both. YouTube and other platforms provide auto-captions (good start). News organizations should verify accuracy and provide manual captions. Don't rely on auto-captions alone.
How detailed should image alt text be for news photos?
Describe what's happening in the image. Example: 'Protesters march down Main Street carrying signs demanding climate action.' Include context readers need to understand story.
Should news organizations caption all multimedia?
Yes. All video, podcasts, and audio content should have captions or transcripts. It's part of accessible journalism.
Does accessibility improve news readership?
Yes. Studies show more accessible news sites have higher traffic and better search rankings. Plus, you reach readers with disabilities—a significant market.

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