[Blindtlk] Press Release on WIPO Treaty

[Bob Hachey]

Hi all,

Here's an interesting press release regarding a treaty that would extend to
the third world something that we here in America take for granted. IT is
very sad to note that groups such as the Motion Picture Association of
America, (MPAA), seem to feel that such a treaty could impact their members
negatively. How in tarnation could the extension and growth of alternative
format books hinder the business of movie makers?

This treaty failed to pass two-thirds of the Senate once before despite the
pleas of Bob Dole who was once Senate Majority Leader. This failure is
evidence that corporations wield way too much power in Washington DC and
that goes for leaders on both sides of the aisle. IT's time for American and
European officials to remove their tongues from the posterior of paranoid
organizations like the MPAA and do the right thing.

Bob Hachey  

 

For Immediate Release

 

Contact: Mitch Pomerantz

President

American Council of the Blind

Phone: (626) 372-5150

E-mail: mitch.pomerantz at earthlink.net

 

ACB Calls On WIPO Negotiators to Stop Stalling and Start Working to End the
Worldwide Book Famine 

As delegates enter the final days of a diplomatic conference in Marrakech,
Morocco to negotiate an international instrument aimed at providing people
who are blind or have other print-reading disabilities with greater access
to books, there is growing concern that time will run out before issues that
are crucial to the effective implementation of such an instrument get
resolved.  ACB's Executive Director, Melanie Brunson, who is attending the
conference as part of the World Blind Union's delegation, explained that
this agreement is supposed to make it easier for producers of books in
braille, large print, and audio formats to share them across borders,
thereby increasing the number of books that are accessible to people who are
blind, or have other print-reading disabilities around the world.  She
observed that delegates have been meeting for seven days now, and have spent
most of their time arguing over secondary issues instead of focusing on
provisions that will help to reach this goal.

Brunson noted that some observers fear the instrument is becoming a treaty
to protect rights holders from people who are blind instead of a treaty to
provide access to books for people who are blind.

ACB urges delegates, particularly those from the United States and the
European Union, to quit stalling and playing politics with the future of
their citizens who are blind.   ACB president Mitch Pomerantz says, "Even in
the best of circumstances, we only have access to about 5 percent of the
books published in the U.S. each year.  That percentage drops dramatically
for blind people living in less developed countries.  The time to act to
change this is now! We are counting on this body to do the right thing and
end our book famine."

About the American Council of the Blind  

The American Council of the Blind is the largest consumer-based organization
of blind and visually impaired Americans advocating for the rights of blind
Americans. Comprised of more than 70 affiliates across the United States,
the organization is dedicated to making it possible for blind and visually
impaired Americans to participate fully in all aspects of American society.
For more information, visit www.acb.org; write to American Council of the
Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; phone (202)
467-5081; or fax (703) 465-5085.