Accessibility
· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.FAlt Text QualityAction15 of 66 images have issuesFIX
| Issue | Count |
|---|---|
| missing | 14 image(s) |
| generic | 1 image(s) |
| too long | 17 image(s) |
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.
Learn more ▾ ▴
WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.
Learn more ▾ ▴
An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
DLink & Button QualityAction2 issue(s) across 299 links and 7 buttonsFIX
| Element | Text | Issue | Suggested Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.tribpub.com/privacy-policy/ | Cookie Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://business.safety.google/privacy/ | Google Privacy Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/baltimo… | Current temperature is 57°F, … | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| /util-clean-cookies/?callbackURL=https:/… | Baltimore Sun eNewspaper | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label | |
| http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/baltimo… | Current temperature is 57°F, … | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| /util-clean-cookies/?callbackURL=https:/… | Baltimore Sun eNewspaper | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://wcbm.com/ | light gray test image | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Steakhouse to shutter in lates… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Top Moore staff earned highest… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Preakness rights sold to Churc… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Officers responded to Glen Bur… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Rising costs push thousands o… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Connecticut senator faces back… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | What ‘old-school’ Italian … | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike has… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Maryland government employee p… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Who are the highest-paid Maryl… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/18/… | The Baltimore Sun’s Best 202… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Critics of Ohio bill say weari… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/… | Maryland men’s basketball la… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/… | Tucker Carlson apologizes for … | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label | |
| https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/la-tim… | Daily Crossword | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/tca-ju… | Jumble Daily | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/daily-… | Daily Solitaire | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/daily-… | Daily Sudoku | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.
a#push-email-link; a (#1010 on page)
Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
Image-only links need alt text on the image (or aria-label on the link) so screen readers can announce them.
a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/towson-steakhouse-to-shutter/"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/wes-moore-staff-maryland-employee-sal…"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/churchill-downs-buys-preakness-rights/"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/police-responded-before-glen-burnie-s…"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/rising-costs-push-thousands-of-maryla…"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/connecticut-senator-faces-backlash-fo…"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/italian-restaurant-open-towson/"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/21/ravens-nnamdi-madubuike-neck-surgery/"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/maryland-state-pay-data-2025/"]; a[href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/04/20/maryland-highest-paid-state-employees…"] (+4 more)
Image-only links with no alt are unidentifiable to screen-reader users — link's destination is invisible.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.
https://www.tribpub.com/privacy-policy/; https://business.safety.google/privacy/; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/baltimore-md/21202/current-weather/8844_pc?l…; /util-clean-cookies/?callbackURL=https://digitaledition.baltimoresun.com/shor…; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/baltimore-md/21202/current-weather/8844_pc?l…; /util-clean-cookies/?callbackURL=https://digitaledition.baltimoresun.com/shor…; https://wcbm.com/; https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/la-times-daily-crossword; https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/tca-jumble-daily/; https://fun.baltimoresun.com/game/daily-solitaire/ (+1 more)
Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.
Source: MDN target / OWASP
DWeb ManifestActionNot foundFIX
No web manifest found.
DDark Mode SupportActionNo dark mode signalsFIX
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.
DPrint StylesheetActionNo print stylesFIX
BHeading Hierarchy89 headingsREVIEW
- H3 Around the Web
- H1 Baltimore Sun
- H1 (empty)
- H2 Featured
- H3 2 decades after wife’s disappearance, Baltimore man charged with murder
- H3 Victim, suspect in apparent Westminster murder-suicide identified by police
- H3 Preakness rights sold to Churchill Downs for $85M
- H3 US extends ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request
- H3 Veteran who pleaded guilty to Severn arson must undergo treatment
- H2 Latest Headlines
- H3 Residents, officials appeal approval of Harford-to-Anne Arundel power-line expansion
- H3 Harford superintendent application extended; residency criteria removed
- H3 Northrop Grumman lays off ‘a small number’ of Baltimore-area workers
- H3 Arrest made in deadly Prince George’s road rage shooting
- H3 Rising costs push thousands of Marylanders to other states
- H3 Speeding, drugs, distraction: Inside Trump’s push against deadliest drivers
- H3 Steakhouse to shutter in latest Towson Town Center closure
- H2 Most Popular
- H2 Local News
- H3 Rockefeller Foundation summit in Baltimore highlights city’s crime reduction
- H3 Maryland electric bills to rise this summer as PJM faces data center strain
- H3 Temple Hills man sentenced for 7-Eleven arsons, burglaries
- H3 Day cares could get tax break in Anne Arundel County
- H2 Sports
- H3 Ravens fans get NFL draft seating change from Steelers owner Art Rooney II
- H3 Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike has neck surgery, could return in 2026
- H3 Orioles minor league report: What Statcast says about O’s in Triple-A
- H3 Josh Tolentino: Orioles aren’t playing well, but they’re not going away | COMMENTARY
- H2 Opinion
- H3 Earth Day’s free ride: Save the planet and your budget | EDITORIAL
- H3 How political discourse lost its guardrails | GUEST COMMENTARY
- H3 Armstrong Williams: What a new frontier in mental health means for Maryland | STAFF COMMENTARY
- H3 Too much praise for Dunbar thief | READER COMMENTARY
- H2 (empty)
- H2 Free Fun and Games
- H2 Photos
- H3 Grand National Steeplechase Races 2026 | PHOTOS
- H3 Hot Property: $2.7M home in downtown Annapolis offers privacy, parking
- H3 Baltimore Scene by Sloane: Maryland Art Place’s Out of Order
- H3 Picturing Maryland: Photo features in 2026 part 1 | PHOTOS
- H3 Ravens unveil new uniforms for 2026 season | PHOTOS
- H3 My Lady’s Manor Steeplechase race | PHOTOS
- H3 Loyola boys lacrosse beat Severn, 14-10 | PHOTOS
- H3 Hot Property: Sprawling $2.1 million Owings Mills home sits on 16 acres
- H3 Baltimore Scene by Sloane: Port Discovery’s Play It Forward
- H3 Mount Saint Joseph baseball defeats Curley, 15-6 | PHOTOS
- H3 BWI airport travelers experience long lines | PHOTOS
- H3 Baltimore Scene by Sloane: LifeBridge Health’s Magic of Life Gala
- H2 Maryland politics
- H3 Baltimore County locks in $14.4M garage deal, subsidizing Towson parking for workers
- H3 Top Moore staff earned highest 2025 Maryland state employee salaries, data shows
- H3 READER POLL: Do you trust Maryland officials to properly oversee EmPOWER energy program after fraud allegations?
- H3 Maryland’s ICE fight heads to sequel, why Ravens uniforms are so meaningful
- H2 Business
- H3 Supreme Court seems wary of limiting federal regulators’ power in a data privacy case
- H3 Trump’s approval on economy falls in poll, showing new warning signs for president
- H3 Dimples cheesesteak restaurant to open 2nd Baltimore location
- H3 ‘Walkers tolerated’ at Boston Marathon? Nike says sign ‘missed the mark’
- H2 Attack on Iran
- H3 Israel pauses for Memorial Day, a public day for mourning in the shadow of war
- H3 Driven by the pressures of war, Iran gives its field commanders more power over militias in Iraq
- H3 Iran’s leadership survived US-Israeli bombardment. But talks to end the war present a new challenge
- H3 Stocks slip and oil prices rise on uncertainty about US-Iran ceasefire talks
- H2 Top Workplaces
- H3 Baltimore Sun’s Top Workplaces rankings for 2025
- H3 2025 Top Workplaces large winners: Century 21 New Millennium, Fairway Home Mortgage, SECU
- H3 Top Workplaces large leader award: David Sweiderk, SECU
- H3 2025 Top Workplaces party | PHOTOS
- H2 Baltimore Sun's Best
- H3 Baltimore’s Best Arts & Entertainment: 2025 winners
- H3 Baltimore’s Best Food & Drink: 2025 winners
- H3 Baltimore’s Best Lifestyle & Shopping: 2025 winners
- H3 The Baltimore Sun’s Best 2026 Readers’ Choice | CONTEST
- H2 Things To Do
- H3 Artscape returns in just 4 weeks. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s new.
- H3 What it’s like at Paisley Park a decade after the death of its founder
- H3 Chicago firefighter facing a ‘death sentence’ receives kidney from fellow firefighter
- H3 It’s foxes versus coyotes in a backyard battle for survival
- H2 News
- H3 Do your eyes hurt reading this headline? An ‘Eyeball Care’ massage can help
- H3 For many patients leaving the ICU, the struggle has only just begun
- H3 Man who set neighbor on fire during a home burglary set to be executed in Florida
- H3 Federal judge strikes down some Trump administration actions that have slowed clean energy projects
- H2 Spotlight on Maryland
- H3 Building to be demolished after Baltimore City Schools spent millions on upgrades
- H3 Calls grow to shut down Silver Oak Academy as whistleblower, lawmakers claim violence, medical failures
- H3 Baltimore City Council advances bill updating regulation of taxpayer-backed youth fund
- H3 More TANF funds go to tax credits than cash assistance in Maryland
- H2 Events
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
Multiple H1s blur the page's primary topic — screen-reader users and Google both prefer one H1.
Learn more ▾ ▴
HTML5's outline algorithm technically allows multiple H1s within sectioning content, but no browser implements it. In practice: one H1 per page. Use H2-H6 for subsections.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6
B404 Error PageHTTP 404, custom pageREVIEW
BFavicon & Branding4 icon(s) detectedREVIEW
ALandmark Structure75 landmarksPASS
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.
Learn more ▾ ▴
When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.
Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices
AForm Accessibility1 of 4 controls have issuesPASS
| Control | Type | Label | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| #mng-search-focus | text | Type your search | aria-label |
| #PDI_answer73980363 | radio | Yes | for/id |
| #PDI_answer73980364 | radio | No | for/id |
| #push-user-spoof-control | checkbox | (none) | none |
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
<input type="checkbox" id="push-user-spoof-control">
Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2
A+Color Contrast (Screenshot)20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AAPASS
Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.
Show all checked elements (20)
| Element | Ratio | Required | FG | BG | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| h1 Baltimore Sun | 18.43:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #F0F0F0 | Pass |
| h2 Featured | 18.43:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #F0F0F0 | Pass |
| h2 Most Popular | 18.43:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #F0F0F0 | Pass |
| h2 Events | 18.43:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #F0F0F0 | Pass |
| h3 Around the Web | 21.00:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| title Baltimore Sun – Ba… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span Opens in a new windo… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span Opens an external we… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span Opens an external we… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span This website utilize… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span To learn more, view … | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| a Cookie Policy | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| a Google Privacy Polic… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| a Skip to content | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span All Sections | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span Subscribe Now | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span 57°F | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| div Tuesday, April 21st … | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| p Baltimore Sun eNewsp… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| span Home Page | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
ALighthouse Accessibility AuditsScore 92/100 — 2 failing, 28 passedPASS
Accessibility
These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.
Names and labels
Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img li.bcRecommendedItem > a > span.bcWrapper > img |
body.home > img#06db9294 body.home > img#06db9294 |
Screen reader users rely on frame titles to describe the contents of frames. Learn more about frame titles.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div.voltax-mp-placeholder > iframe#mplayer-aps-friendly-iframe-0-HuEz-roLi-IBaM-OEZa div.voltax-mp-placeholder > iframe#mplayer-aps-friendly-iframe-0-HuEz-roLi-IBaM-OEZa |
These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.