Disability rights groups are pleased with an understanding they've reached with the Federal Communications Commission on all those closed captioning waiver petitions from religious broadcasters, we have learned. The agreement says that:

• The public will have 120 days to respond to and comment on waiver petitions—as opposed to the original 20 days.
• Commenters will not have to serve the petitioners, as long as they file their comments and challenges electronically.
• All present waivers, nearly 500, have been put on hold until each one has been reviewed for merit.

"Consumers are very happy that the Commmission heard their concerns and responded," civil rights attorney Karen Peltz Strauss told LLFCC.

More stories:

• November 26, 2006, Closed captioning fight at FCC continues
• October 9, 2006, "There's a failure of process here"