Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
November 13, 2026
ACB's 6th Audio Description Awards Gala Honors Top Innovators
TLDR
- Companies like Disney and Comcast gain a competitive edge by winning ACB Audio Description Awards, showcasing their leadership in accessible media innovation.
- The ACB Audio Description Awards Gala recognizes excellence across 15 categories, with winners selected by industry experts and the public through People's Choice voting.
- The ACB Audio Description Awards Gala celebrates innovations that make media more inclusive, ensuring blind and low-vision audiences can fully engage with arts and entertainment.
- The 6th Annual Audio Description Awards Gala featured fully accessible broadcasts with open captions, audio description, ASL interpretation, and Spanish dubbing for all audiences.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because audio description is a critical accessibility tool that enables millions of people who are blind or have low vision to fully experience and enjoy media, from films and TV shows to live events and video games. By recognizing and celebrating the creators and innovators who are advancing AD, the American Council of the Blind and its Audio Description Project are driving higher standards and greater availability of described content. The gala not only highlights best practices but also demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity by making the broadcast itself fully accessible in multiple languages and formats. As media consumption continues to evolve, these efforts ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind, fostering a more equitable entertainment landscape for all.
Summary
The American Council of the Blind® (ACB) and its Audio Description Project (ADP) hosted the 6th Annual Audio Description Awards Gala on November 12, 2026, in Alexandria, VA. The star-studded event, hosted by performers Marilee Talkington and Ben Mehl, honored excellence and innovation in audio description (AD) across a wide range of genres and platforms. Awards were presented to a diverse group of recipients, including Tom Wlodkowski of Comcast as AD Media Leader, Dr. Maria-Victoria Diaz of Dicapta as AD Production Leader, Kinetic Light for Innovation, Tempo Lab Games for Gaming, The Walt Disney Company for Popular Entertainment, FIFA World Cup 2026, Inc. for Live Events, KnowBe4 for Education, Dr. Juan Mundel and Dr. Edward Timke for Advertising and Promotion, PBS Kids for Spanish Media (USA), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for International, Audio Description Training Retreats for Talent Promotion, Darla Biccum for Writing, and Nicol Zanzarella for Voicing. The People's Choice Awards went to Happy Gilmore 2 (film) and Stranger Things (series).
The gala featured presenters and special guests such as Lori Samuels, Alie B. Gorrie, Chad Allen, David Clarke OBE, Dr. Amy Kavanagh, Mike Hess, Dr. Cynthia Bennett, Hannah Weymouth, Dr. Conchita Hernandez Legorreta, Shawn Marsolais, Stephen Kuusisto, and Ren Leach. The event exemplified how creativity and technology can merge to make the arts more inclusive, and the broadcast itself was fully accessible, including open captions, open audio description, American Sign Language interpretation, and Spanish dubbing, captions, and audio description. Recordings are available on ACB's YouTube channel, ADAwardsGala.org, and Peacock (subscription required through December 31, 2026). For more information, visit www.acb.org.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content distributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, ACB's 6th Audio Description Awards Gala Honors Top Innovators
