[visionary] Re: Audio Description
- From: "Donna Smith" <dsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <visionary@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 15:27:55 -0500
Any idea on how closed captioning is funded by networks? Of course, that is an
FCC mandate supported by Congress, so they have no choice about it, but I'm
wondering if there are some similarities in the funding/administration of both
CC and AD.
Donna
-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Smith [mailto:ccddfs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 6:00 AM
To: visionary@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [visionary] Audio Description
Hi all. I'm sure that at some point I've mentioned the battle to get audio
description included as a part of television, movies and live entertainment as
a focus issue within the blindness movement. First, we got the great ruling by
FCC requiring a certain amount of television programming to be audio described,
and then we lost that advantage when this ruling was challenged by industry in
court. Nevertheless, audio description by all major networks started in
earnest last year subsequent to the FCC ruling and prior to the court decision.
Now it seems that all three networks are planning to discontinue it. While I
believe it is a legitimate civil rights issue under the ADA, I hold no great
hope that the current administration will do much to promote it as a mandate.
How can we make them look at this as a marketing issue? Is this something that
iCan! can help with?
Below is first the initial message alerting us as to the proposed
cancellations, followed by the letter I've sent to all three networks. I'd
like to hear some feedback.
Thanks.
Donna
(From Barry Levine, President of Audio Description International,
barry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Hi Folks,
I'm told that ABC and NBc intend to discontinue broadcasting described
programming after March 31. Further, I'm told that CBS will continue
only through grant funded activity.
I cannot personally vouch for this information. However, I believe it.
It comes from a credible source.
While there is a more organized effort under way, we cannot allow this
to go unchallenged by the grassroots consumer of audio description. If
we want these networks to continue providing described TV programming,
we must tell them. I'm also told that ABC, for example, has received
all of three email messages encouraging them to continue with described
programming.
Folks, please, if you want it, you must tell them you want it. We must
do what we can to flood these networks with our fervent requests that
they continue providing described programming. Three email messages is
like spitting on a forest fire. We need a thousand times that.
Do we want described television?... or not.
I've included below, the addresses of the three major networks. Please
write to them. Tell them what you want. Ask your friends and family
members to write to them.
ACB is attempting to track these contacts. As you write to the
networks, it would be helpful if you were to copy
info@xxxxxxx
Just send a copy to that email address, with 'DVS tracking' in the
subject field.
The simple fact of the matter is that it isn't going to happen without
your own effort; just a little effort. If the networks discontinue
described television, and you've not written to ask them not to, don't
come back and complain when you don't have it to enjoy.
Herewith, the three major networks...
ABC
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4551
http://www.abc.com/
netaudr@xxxxxxx
CBS
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 975-4321
http://www.cbs.com/
audsvcs@xxxxxxx
NBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
(212) 664-4444
http://www.nbc.com/
nbcshows@xxxxxxx
(My letter sent to all three networks)
To whom it may concern:
I am disturbed to learn that your network is considering the cancellation of
audio description for your programming, and am writing to urge you to
reconsider.
As a member of your viewing audience and as a person who is totally blind,
I can tell you that my television usage has significantly increased since
the
introduction of audio description. As a member of two national advocacy
organizations who have been supporting the addition of audio description to
television
programming, and educating their membership about how to access it, I can
also tell you that discussion regarding your network's efforts to provide
this
access including which programs have it and how to use SAP to hear the
description has been a hot topic on many e-mail lists, at many
organizational meetings
and in newsletter articles. I feel very comfortable in stating that your
efforts have been noticed and appreciated and your viewing audience has
increased
because of those efforts.
As I'm sure you are aware, there have been glitches along the way as well.
There has been inconsistency at the local network and cable television level
as to the transmission of audio description that you have provided. There
has been the problem that although practically all new televisions are
equipped
to receive SAP, it is frequently embedded in a menu-driven process that is
difficult or impossible to access by a person who is blind or visually
impaired.
There's also been the issue of advertising its availability and making
people aware that it exists and how to use it. I personally had to purchase
some
new equipment and have friends who are more electronically savvy than I give
me some instructions about how to access audio description via SAP. All
this
to say that in the year's time that you have been making audio description
available, there has been a pretty significant learning curve required to
educate
all parties on its use and availability. If you are basing your decision to
cancel audio description on the notion that it is not being used or that it
is not impacting your viewing audience, I'd suggest that you have not given
it enough time to prove its worth. I would challenge you to consider the
following:
What have you done to market it?
Have you considered that when reaching out to the senior citizen market that
a significant number of those individuals are blind or visually impaired?
What do you typically do to promote new additions to your programming and
did you apply the same effort and standards to audio description?
I know that the industry fought in court the FCC mandate to provide audio
description and won. Now I challenge you to honestly assess it as a
marketing
tool to increase viewership as opposed to considering it only as a civil
rights access issue. While I certainly believe that I have a right to
access
the information and entertainment your network provides, it is equally true
that I am a factor in the demographics you assess to determine what
programming
to provide and how to attract advertisers to support that programming. My
fingers are poised over the on/off switch and channel select buttons,
awaiting
your final decision. You provided audio description and you gained me as a
viewer. You take away audio description, you lose me as a viewer. It's
really
that simple.
Sincerely,
Donna Smith
5550 Columbia Pike, Apt. 891
Arlington, VA 22204
donnafsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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