Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

4 PASS 4 REVIEW 5 FIX

Alt Text Quality

Action

4 of 37 images have issues

FIX

4 of 37 images have issues

3 image(s) missing alt attribute

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

2 image-in-link without alt text

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

1 image(s) with generic alt text

20 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters

2 decorative image(s) correctly marked

11 image(s) with good alt text

37 images 11 good alt text 2 decorative 1 generic 3 missing

Issue	Count
missing	3 image(s)
generic	1 image(s)
too long	20 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

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.

Why this matters

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

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

No web manifest found

No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles

External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.

Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected

color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

Print Stylesheet

Action

No print styles

FIX

No print styles

No print-specific styles detected

When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.

Print Stylesheet No Print Styles

Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗

Link & Button Quality

Action

3 issue(s) across 259 links and 9 buttons

REVIEW

3 issue(s) across 259 links and 9 buttons

3 link(s) with no accessible text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

Got: a#push-email-link; https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BHR-L-frontpage-26042…; https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/01/07/2025-massachusetts-state-employee-pay…

6 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://www.medianewsgroup.com/privacy-policy/; https://business.safety.google/privacy/; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-ma/02108/current-weather/788_pc?lang=…; https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-ma/02108/current-weather/788_pc?lang=…; https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/

250 link(s) with descriptive text

259 links

3 empty

0 generic text

6 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
https://www.medianewsgroup.com/privacy-p…	Data Storage 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/boston-…	Current temperature is 42°F, …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/	E-Edition	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-…	Current temperature is 42°F, …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/	E-Edition	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/01/07/…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label

259 links and buttons have descriptive text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

a#push-email-link; https://www.bostonherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BHR-L-frontpage-26042…; https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/01/07/2025-massachusetts-state-employee-pay…

Why this matters

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

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://www.medianewsgroup.com/privacy-policy/; https://business.safety.google/privacy/; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-ma/02108/current-weather/788_pc?lang=…; https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/; http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-ma/02108/current-weather/788_pc?lang=…; https://enewspaper.bostonherald.com/

Why this matters

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

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

REVIEW

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found – Boston Herald ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗

Favicon & Branding

4 icon(s) detected

REVIEW

4 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

Apple touch icon present

Multiple icon sizes detected

✓ favicon.ico Present

✓ PNG Icons Present

✓ Apple Touch Present

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✓ Multiple Sizes Present

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 88/100 — 3 failing, 24 passed

REVIEW

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.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
aside.sidebar-ad-container > div.dfm-sidebar-top-flex-container > a > img `aside.sidebar-ad-container > div.dfm-sidebar-top-flex-container > a > img`
div.three-one-right > div.dfm-sidebar-bottom-flex-container > a > img `div.three-one-right > div.dfm-sidebar-bottom-flex-container > a > img`
body.home > img#06db9294 `body.home > img#06db9294`

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
section.feature-primary > aside.sidebar-ad-container > div.dfm-sidebar-top-flex-container > a `section.feature-primary > aside.sidebar-ad-container > div.dfm-sidebar-top-flex-container > a`
div.landing-three-one > div.three-one-right > div.dfm-sidebar-bottom-flex-container > a `div.landing-three-one > div.three-one-right > div.dfm-sidebar-bottom-flex-container > a`

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.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow `li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow`
li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow `li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow`
li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow `li.media-feature-secondary > article.slideshow > figure > a.icon-slideshow`

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable

○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state

○The page has a logical tab order

○Visual order on the page follows DOM order

○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region

○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page

○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation

○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology

○Custom controls have associated labels

○Custom controls have ARIA roles

●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles

●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`

●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes

●`[role]` values are valid

●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values

●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled

●Buttons have an accessible name

●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.

●`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names

●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role

●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents

●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes

●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio

●Document has a `<title>` element

●`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title

●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute

●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute

●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).

●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements

●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0

●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order

●Document has a main landmark.

●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used

●Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.

○`[accesskey]` values are unique

○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.

○ARIA input fields have accessible names

○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names

○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names

○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.

○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element

○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.

○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names

○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names

○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names

○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region

○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.

○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements

○ARIA IDs are unique

○No form fields have multiple labels

○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.

○Input buttons have discernible text.

○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text

○Form elements have associated labels

○Links are distinguishable without relying on color.

○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`

○`<object>` elements have alternate text

○Select elements have associated label elements.

○Skip links are focusable.

○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.

○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.

○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value

○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`

○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.

○All heading elements contain content.

○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements

○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.

○Identical links have the same purpose.

○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.

○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.

Landmark Structure

70 landmarks

PASS

70 landmarks

<main> landmark present

3 <nav> landmark(s) found

1 of 3 <nav> elements are unlabeled

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Skip navigation link present

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

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

Heading Hierarchy

82 headings

PASS

82 headings

Multiple H1 headings (2 found)

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

1 empty heading(s)

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

H1 Boston Herald
H1 (empty)
H2 Breaking News
H3 The Latest: Trump says he is extending the ceasefire with Iran as talks are in doubt
H2 Featured
H3 Patriots HC Mike Vrabel breaks silence on ‘personal and private matter’
H3 Related
H4 How Mike Vrabel addressed latest Patriots-A.J. Brown trade reports
H4 Selecting one edge rusher for Patriots in each round of 2026 NFL Draft
H4 NFL Notes: Sources see Patriots picking in 2026 draft ‘sweet spot’ at No. 31
H3 Boston organization returns queer migrant wellness grant funding to city after backlash
H3 Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon named keynote speaker for MassGOP convention
H3 Duxbury’s Delby Lemieux makes major change in hopes of NFL draft call
H3 Reynolds: Boston Marathon community outweighs individual performance
H2 Latest Headlines
H3 Boston City Hall FIFA fan festival will be free, but expected to drive ‘hundreds of millions’ into local economy
H3 Battenfeld: Inflation putting a squeeze on Trump
H3 Editorial: Wellness grants and block party $$ show Boston needs an audit
H3 Red Sox needed speed and unexpected hero delivered: ‘That’s game awareness’
H3 ‘I was getting ready to crawl’: Boston Marathoners come to fellow runners rescue
H3 Selecting one edge rusher for Patriots in each round of 2026 NFL Draft
H3 130th Boston Marathon: Runners, families, friends bring stories to course
H2 Most Popular
H2 Sports
H3 Yankees’ Cam Schlittler unfazed by death threats ahead of first Fenway start
H3 Mike Vrabel confirms Patriots WR was absent from workouts amid trade rumors
H3 Red Sox right-hander provides update on injured elbow
H3 After missing 2024 title, newest Celtic ‘blessed’ to be back for playoff run
H2 Opinion Columnists
H3 Gaskin: Earth Day in a “drill baby, drill” world
H3 Ganzert: AI can be game-changer for animals
H3 Belsito, Dublois: Mass. welfare programs on collision course with reality
H3 Locke: Financial literacy extends to housing policies
H2 Local News
H3 Boston Marathon live blog: John Korir, Sharon Lokedi back-to-back champions
H3 The Battle of Lexington: The honor and costume of reenacting the Revolution
H3 School Committee advances proposal for new Mel King Academy school building
H3 Police Blotter: 17 charged in Randolph ‘street takeover’
H2 Photos and Videos
H3 Boston Marathon photo gallery
H3 Boston Legacy FC and Stop & Shop Team Up to Fight Hunger
H3 Romneycare takes a lap
H3 Belles of the Ball
H3 Spring in Boston (Photos)
H3 Nasturtiums are hung at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
H3 Bruins’ home win streak halted at 13 with loss to Sharks
H3 Brody Bumila cements legacy, leads Bishop Feehan to Div. 1 title game
H3 Third-period push leads Burlington to semifinals, ends Concord-Carlisle’s run
H3 Celtics blown out by red-hot Hornets in potential playoff preview
H3 BC High soars into quarterfinals with statement win over Brockton
H3 Oliver Ames sneaks past North Attleboro in instant classic
H2 Business
H3 Stocks slip and oil prices rise on uncertainty about US-Iran ceasefire talks
H3 Retail sales up 1.7% in March from February driven by a spike in gas prices due to the Iran war
H3 Ticker: Retail sales up 1.7% in March; Small business winner
H3 Trump media company replaces CEO, ex-congressman Nunes after stock plunge that wiped out billions
H2 Entertainment
H3 Robert Aramayo explores the man behind the tics in ‘I Swear’
H3 Dear Abby: Nick cut me off, but I want back in
H3 Ben McKenzie takes on crypto in “Everyone Is Lying To You For Money”
H3 Dear Abby: Dad takes daughter’s college $$ for himself
H2 network
H3 No cuddles, but lots of care: How a Paris-area wildlife hospital keeps rescued animals wild
H3 Trump renews his call for Congress to intervene and pass legislation to control college sports
H3 Navy review puts future of highest-tech US aircraft carriers in question
H3 Billionaire investor warns sports prediction markets harm men
H2 Best Reviews
H3 These mesmerizing lava lamps create a calming retro atmosphere
H3 These premium calf massagers provide professional relief at home
H3 These professional poker tables bring the casino experience home
H3 These high-performance LED headlights provide instant full road brightness
H2 Opinion
H3 Lucas: Healey hazy on transparency
H3 Editorial: Tax burden just one way to evaluate Mass.
H3 Howie Carr: Yet another fake ‘Boston Man’ roughs up citizens
H3 Davies: Who owns the moon — and who should
H2 National Politics
H3 In reversal, Justice Department withdraws subpoenas in John Brennan investigation, AP sources say
H3 Dr. Oz announces a 50-state audit of Medicaid program oversight
H3 Trump’s approval on economy falls in poll, showing new warning signs for president
H3 Federal judge strikes down some Trump administration actions that have slowed clean energy projects
H2 Events

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

Why this matters

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.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

Form Accessibility

1 of 6 controls have issues

PASS

1 of 6 controls have issues

1 control(s) without accessible label

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

Got: <input type="checkbox" id="push-user-spoof-control">

5 control(s) properly labeled

6 controls

5 labeled

0 placeholder only

1 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#osano-cm-dialog-toggle--category_STORAGE	checkbox		none
#osano-cm-dialog-toggle--category_MARKETING	checkbox		none
#osano-cm-dialog-toggle--category_PERSONALIZATION	checkbox		none
#osano-cm-dialog-toggle--category_ANALYTICS	checkbox		none
#mng-search-focus	text	Type your search	aria-label
#push-user-spoof-control	checkbox	(none)	none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

Why this matters

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 AA

PASS

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

20 pass

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h1 Boston Herald	18.43:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F0F0F0	Pass
h2 Breaking News	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 Related	18.43:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F0F0F0	Pass
title Boston Herald - Bost…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Opens in a new windo…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Opens an external we…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Opens an external we…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span We and our 36 IAB TC…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Personal data may be…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Our third party IAB …	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span You may change your …	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span You may close this b…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
a Data Storage Policy	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
a Google Privacy Polic…	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
a Storage Preferences	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
a Third Parties	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	Pass
span Storage	20.12:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FAFAFA	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.

All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.