[Greater-Baltimore] FW: Audio description

[Danielsen, Chris]

Good morning everyone:

The ABC network plans to include live description throughout its Oscar telecasts on Sunday night. Below is a note I wrote to our local affiliate, which does not currently carry the AD signal. Also the press release about the event is attached, and we will be putting out a podcast about it later today. If you like, please take the opportunity to also write to the individual I wrote to at Channel 2 as well so that they know how important this is to us. The address I sent the email to was advertised as being for closed captioning matters, but I believe it goes to their director of engineering. There is also a phone number, which is 410-372-2607

Let me know if you have questions, and please copy me at cdanielsen at nfb.org<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> if you send an email to the station.

Warmly,

Chris


From: Danielsen, Chris
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2021 9:46 AM
To: sal.iacia at wmar.com
Cc: Rick Boggs <rick at audioeyes.com>; alewis at nfb.org; 'alomabouma at gmail.com' <alomabouma at gmail.com>
Subject: Audio description

Hello Sal:

I am a blind viewer here in Baltimore. For a while now I have noticed that your signal does not seem to carry the Second Audio Program for audio description of programming for blind viewers. I have been meaning to bring this to your attention for a while but I mention it today with some urgency because ABC plans to air the Oscar ceremony on Sunday, as well as the pre- and post-shows, with live audio description for the blind. (See the attached press release.) It will be a shame if your many blind viewers in the Baltimore area cannot experience this. I am not sure whether you are not carrying the SAP signal from the network or if my cable provider, Comcast, is not passing it thru, but Comcast does pass thru audio description from other local channels, specifically WBAL and WJZ. I hope this is a simple fix that you can implement before Sunday. Please reach out to me at 410-262-1281 if you have questions.

This is also a matter of concern for the greater Baltimore Chapter of the National federation of the Blind of Maryland, for whom I serve as chair of advocacy and policy.

Warmly,

Chris Danielsen


Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.
Director of Public Relations
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314, Ext. 2330 | cdanielsen at nfb.org<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>
Twitter: @rlawyer

[National Federation of the Blind]<https://nfb.org/>

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