diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index 563d0a275bf..63edfff07c5 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
   * Form an adaptive track group out of audio renditions with matching name.
   * Support encrypted initialization segments
     ([#5441](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/5441)).
+  * Parse `EXT-X-MEDIA` `CHARACTERISTICS` attribute into `Format.roleFlags`.
 * `ExtractorMediaSource` renamed to `ProgressiveMediaSource`.
 * Support for playing spherical videos on Daydream.
 * Improve decoder re-use between playbacks. TODO: Write and link a blog post
diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/C.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/C.java
index 601cdd5e09f..d0676e946da 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/C.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/C.java
@@ -980,11 +980,12 @@ private C() {}
   public static final int NETWORK_TYPE_OTHER = 8;
 
   /**
-   * Track role flags. Possible values are {@link #ROLE_FLAG_MAIN}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_ALTERNATE},
-   * {@link #ROLE_FLAG_SUPPLEMENTARY}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_COMMENTARY}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_DUB}, {@link
-   * #ROLE_FLAG_EMERGENCY}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_CAPTION}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_SUBTITLE}, {@link
-   * #ROLE_FLAG_SIGN}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_AUDIO_INTELLIGIBILITY}, {@link
-   * #ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIPTION}.
+   * Track role flags. Possible flag values are {@link #ROLE_FLAG_MAIN}, {@link
+   * #ROLE_FLAG_ALTERNATE}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_SUPPLEMENTARY}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_COMMENTARY}, {@link
+   * #ROLE_FLAG_DUB}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_EMERGENCY}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_CAPTION}, {@link
+   * #ROLE_FLAG_SUBTITLE}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_SIGN}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO}, {@link
+   * #ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_MUSIC_AND_SOUND}, {@link #ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_DIALOG_INTELLIGIBILITY},
+   * {@link #ROLE_FLAG_TRANSCRIBES_DIALOG} and {@link #ROLE_FLAG_EASY_TO_READ}.
    */
   @Documented
   @Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
@@ -1000,8 +1001,11 @@ private C() {}
         ROLE_FLAG_CAPTION,
         ROLE_FLAG_SUBTITLE,
         ROLE_FLAG_SIGN,
-        ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_AUDIO_INTELLIGIBILITY,
-        ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIPTION
+        ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO,
+        ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_MUSIC_AND_SOUND,
+        ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_DIALOG_INTELLIGIBILITY,
+        ROLE_FLAG_TRANSCRIBES_DIALOG,
+        ROLE_FLAG_EASY_TO_READ
       })
   public @interface RoleFlags {}
   /** Indicates a main track. */
@@ -1037,10 +1041,16 @@ private C() {}
   public static final int ROLE_FLAG_SUBTITLE = 1 << 7;
   /** Indicates the track contains a visual sign-language interpretation of an audio track. */
   public static final int ROLE_FLAG_SIGN = 1 << 8;
-  /** Indicates the track is designed for improved intelligibility of dialogue. */
-  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_AUDIO_INTELLIGIBILITY = 1 << 9;
   /** Indicates the track contains an audio or textual description of a video track. */
-  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIPTION = 1 << 10;
+  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO = 1 << 9;
+  /** Indicates the track contains a textual description of music and sound. */
+  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_MUSIC_AND_SOUND = 1 << 10;
+  /** Indicates the track is designed for improved intelligibility of dialogue. */
+  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_DIALOG_INTELLIGIBILITY = 1 << 11;
+  /** Indicates the track contains a transcription of spoken dialog. */
+  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_TRANSCRIBES_DIALOG = 1 << 12;
+  /** Indicates the track contains a text that has been edited for ease of reading. */
+  public static final int ROLE_FLAG_EASY_TO_READ = 1 << 13;
 
   /**
    * Converts a time in microseconds to the corresponding time in milliseconds, preserving
diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/Format.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/Format.java
index e170faf50b1..8628ead4d66 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/Format.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/Format.java
@@ -523,26 +523,6 @@ public static Format createAudioSampleFormat(
 
   // Text.
 
-  @Deprecated
-  public static Format createTextContainerFormat(
-      @Nullable String id,
-      @Nullable String containerMimeType,
-      @Nullable String sampleMimeType,
-      @Nullable String codecs,
-      int bitrate,
-      @C.SelectionFlags int selectionFlags,
-      @Nullable String language) {
-    return createTextContainerFormat(
-        id,
-        /* label= */ null,
-        containerMimeType,
-        sampleMimeType,
-        codecs,
-        bitrate,
-        selectionFlags,
-        language);
-  }
-
   public static Format createTextContainerFormat(
       @Nullable String id,
       @Nullable String label,
@@ -551,6 +531,7 @@ public static Format createTextContainerFormat(
       @Nullable String codecs,
       int bitrate,
       @C.SelectionFlags int selectionFlags,
+      @C.RoleFlags int roleFlags,
       @Nullable String language) {
     return createTextContainerFormat(
         id,
@@ -560,7 +541,7 @@ public static Format createTextContainerFormat(
         codecs,
         bitrate,
         selectionFlags,
-        /* roleFlags= */ 0,
+        roleFlags,
         language,
         /* accessibilityChannel= */ NO_VALUE);
   }
diff --git a/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/trackselection/DefaultTrackSelectorTest.java b/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/trackselection/DefaultTrackSelectorTest.java
index d2aad12f247..aaeb6b7c993 100644
--- a/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/trackselection/DefaultTrackSelectorTest.java
+++ b/library/core/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/trackselection/DefaultTrackSelectorTest.java
@@ -1603,6 +1603,7 @@ private static Format buildTextFormat(String id, String language, int selectionF
         /* codecs= */ null,
         /* bitrate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
         selectionFlags,
+        /* roleFlags= */ 0,
         language);
   }
 
diff --git a/library/dash/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/dash/manifest/DashManifestParser.java b/library/dash/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/dash/manifest/DashManifestParser.java
index 8cdc54bec8d..c4f61a73cd6 100644
--- a/library/dash/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/dash/manifest/DashManifestParser.java
+++ b/library/dash/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/dash/manifest/DashManifestParser.java
@@ -1128,9 +1128,9 @@ protected int parseDashRoleSchemeValue(String value) {
       case "sign":
         return C.ROLE_FLAG_SIGN;
       case "description":
-        return C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIPTION;
+        return C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO;
       case "enhanced-audio-intelligibility":
-        return C.ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_AUDIO_INTELLIGIBILITY;
+        return C.ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_DIALOG_INTELLIGIBILITY;
       default:
         return 0;
     }
@@ -1143,9 +1143,9 @@ protected int parseTvaAudioPurposeCsValue(String value) {
     }
     switch (value) {
       case "1": // Audio description for the visually impaired.
-        return C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIPTION;
+        return C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO;
       case "2": // Audio description for the hard of hearing.
-        return C.ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_AUDIO_INTELLIGIBILITY;
+        return C.ROLE_FLAG_ENHANCED_DIALOG_INTELLIGIBILITY;
       case "3": // Supplemental commentary.
         return C.ROLE_FLAG_SUPPLEMENTARY;
       case "4": // Director's commentary.
diff --git a/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriod.java b/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriod.java
index e4e0245605d..c6df726c2c6 100644
--- a/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriod.java
+++ b/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriod.java
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ private static Format deriveVideoFormat(Format variantFormat) {
         variantFormat.frameRate,
         /* initializationData= */ null,
         variantFormat.selectionFlags,
-        /* roleFlags= */ 0);
+        variantFormat.roleFlags);
   }
 
   private static Format deriveAudioFormat(
@@ -711,12 +711,14 @@ private static Format deriveAudioFormat(
     String codecs;
     int channelCount = Format.NO_VALUE;
     int selectionFlags = 0;
+    int roleFlags = 0;
     String language = null;
     String label = null;
     if (mediaTagFormat != null) {
       codecs = mediaTagFormat.codecs;
       channelCount = mediaTagFormat.channelCount;
       selectionFlags = mediaTagFormat.selectionFlags;
+      roleFlags = mediaTagFormat.roleFlags;
       language = mediaTagFormat.language;
       label = mediaTagFormat.label;
     } else {
@@ -724,6 +726,7 @@ private static Format deriveAudioFormat(
       if (isPrimaryTrackInVariant) {
         channelCount = variantFormat.channelCount;
         selectionFlags = variantFormat.selectionFlags;
+        roleFlags = mediaTagFormat.roleFlags;
         language = variantFormat.language;
         label = variantFormat.label;
       }
@@ -741,7 +744,7 @@ private static Format deriveAudioFormat(
         /* sampleRate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
         /* initializationData= */ null,
         selectionFlags,
-        /* roleFlags= */ 0,
+        roleFlags,
         language);
   }
 
diff --git a/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/playlist/HlsPlaylistParser.java b/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/playlist/HlsPlaylistParser.java
index 177c9aaeffb..fd49e10bea5 100644
--- a/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/playlist/HlsPlaylistParser.java
+++ b/library/hls/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/playlist/HlsPlaylistParser.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import android.net.Uri;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
+import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.Base64;
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.C;
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.Format;
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ public final class HlsPlaylistParser implements ParsingLoadable.Parser<HlsPlayli
   private static final Pattern REGEX_LANGUAGE = Pattern.compile("LANGUAGE=\"(.+?)\"");
   private static final Pattern REGEX_NAME = Pattern.compile("NAME=\"(.+?)\"");
   private static final Pattern REGEX_GROUP_ID = Pattern.compile("GROUP-ID=\"(.+?)\"");
+  private static final Pattern REGEX_CHARACTERISTICS = Pattern.compile("CHARACTERISTICS=\"(.+?)\"");
   private static final Pattern REGEX_INSTREAM_ID =
       Pattern.compile("INSTREAM-ID=\"((?:CC|SERVICE)\\d+)\"");
   private static final Pattern REGEX_AUTOSELECT = compileBooleanAttrPattern("AUTOSELECT");
@@ -339,6 +341,7 @@ private static HlsMasterPlaylist parseMasterPlaylist(LineIterator iterator, Stri
     for (int i = 0; i < mediaTags.size(); i++) {
       line = mediaTags.get(i);
       @C.SelectionFlags int selectionFlags = parseSelectionFlags(line);
+      @C.RoleFlags int roleFlags = parseRoleFlags(line, variableDefinitions);
       String uri = parseOptionalStringAttr(line, REGEX_URI, variableDefinitions);
       String name = parseStringAttr(line, REGEX_NAME, variableDefinitions);
       String language = parseOptionalStringAttr(line, REGEX_LANGUAGE, variableDefinitions);
@@ -362,7 +365,7 @@ private static HlsMasterPlaylist parseMasterPlaylist(LineIterator iterator, Stri
                   /* sampleRate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
                   /* initializationData= */ null,
                   selectionFlags,
-                  /* roleFlags= */ 0,
+                  roleFlags,
                   language);
           if (isMediaTagMuxed(variants, uri)) {
             muxedAudioFormat = format;
@@ -380,6 +383,7 @@ private static HlsMasterPlaylist parseMasterPlaylist(LineIterator iterator, Stri
                   /* codecs= */ null,
                   /* bitrate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
                   selectionFlags,
+                  roleFlags,
                   language);
           subtitles.add(new HlsMasterPlaylist.HlsUrl(uri, format, name));
           break;
@@ -406,7 +410,7 @@ private static HlsMasterPlaylist parseMasterPlaylist(LineIterator iterator, Stri
                   /* codecs= */ null,
                   /* bitrate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
                   selectionFlags,
-                  /* roleFlags= */ 0,
+                  roleFlags,
                   language,
                   accessibilityChannel));
           break;
@@ -678,6 +682,30 @@ private static int parseSelectionFlags(String line) {
     return flags;
   }
 
+  @C.RoleFlags
+  private static int parseRoleFlags(String line, Map<String, String> variableDefinitions) {
+    String concatenatedCharacteristics =
+        parseOptionalStringAttr(line, REGEX_CHARACTERISTICS, variableDefinitions);
+    if (TextUtils.isEmpty(concatenatedCharacteristics)) {
+      return 0;
+    }
+    String[] characteristics = Util.split(concatenatedCharacteristics, ",");
+    @C.RoleFlags int roleFlags = 0;
+    if (Util.contains(characteristics, "public.accessibility.describes-video")) {
+      roleFlags |= C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_VIDEO;
+    }
+    if (Util.contains(characteristics, "public.accessibility.transcribes-spoken-dialog")) {
+      roleFlags |= C.ROLE_FLAG_TRANSCRIBES_DIALOG;
+    }
+    if (Util.contains(characteristics, "public.accessibility.describes-music-and-sound")) {
+      roleFlags |= C.ROLE_FLAG_DESCRIBES_MUSIC_AND_SOUND;
+    }
+    if (Util.contains(characteristics, "public.easy-to-read")) {
+      roleFlags |= C.ROLE_FLAG_EASY_TO_READ;
+    }
+    return roleFlags;
+  }
+
   private static int parseChannelsAttribute(String line, Map<String, String> variableDefinitions) {
     String channelsString = parseOptionalStringAttr(line, REGEX_CHANNELS, variableDefinitions);
     return channelsString != null
diff --git a/library/hls/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriodTest.java b/library/hls/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriodTest.java
index add244db158..a3e2af53b64 100644
--- a/library/hls/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriodTest.java
+++ b/library/hls/src/test/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/hls/HlsMediaPeriodTest.java
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ private static Format createSubtitleFormat(String language) {
         /* codecs= */ null,
         /* bitrate= */ Format.NO_VALUE,
         /* selectionFlags= */ 0,
+        /* roleFlags= */ 0,
         language);
   }
 }
diff --git a/library/smoothstreaming/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/smoothstreaming/manifest/SsManifestParser.java b/library/smoothstreaming/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/smoothstreaming/manifest/SsManifestParser.java
index 2047ef1c627..66731660f57 100644
--- a/library/smoothstreaming/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/smoothstreaming/manifest/SsManifestParser.java
+++ b/library/smoothstreaming/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/source/smoothstreaming/manifest/SsManifestParser.java
@@ -719,6 +719,7 @@ public void parseStartTag(XmlPullParser parser) throws ParserException {
                 /* codecs= */ null,
                 bitrate,
                 /* selectionFlags= */ 0,
+                /* roleFlags= */ 0,
                 language);
       } else {
         format =