[stylist] Request from NFB's Performing Arts Division, re CD Baby accessibility

Tue Nov 3 19:02:22 UTC 2009

Hello,

Here is the reply from CDBaby along with my original post to them.  FYI.

Warm Regards,

Fred

Hi Fred,

I am so sorry!

We are aware that our website upgrade was actually a huge downgrade for the
blind. Our site used to be VERY user friendly, and I think that it was
overlooked by our programmers.

It IS a priority thoug, and we are working on making a dial up site that
will be readable. This isn't going to happen anytime in the next 2-3 months,
but we ARE working on this and it is an issue that is not being ignored! 

 We are disappointed by this too. We were really proud of how accessible our
site was before for the blind, and we would love to have this fixed so we
don't loose these customers 

Cheers,

Amy

In Reply To:
Hello,

I have used your web site for many years.  Some of my friends have their
material on your service.  Suddenly, it will not work with my screen reader.
Since I am blind, this is how I must navigate your site.  The preview
function is totally unuseful.  Could you please fix this?  I am sure it is
something simple like a setting or something.  

Thanks for your help.

Best Regards,

Fred Wurtzel

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-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Donna Hill
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:24 AM
To: nfbp-talk; NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] Request from NFB's Performing Arts Division, re CD Baby
accessibility

Hi Friends,
Below is a post from Performing Arts Division President Dennis Holston 
which just appeared on Perform-Talk. CD Baby customers using screen 
readers are no longer able to use the site to either listen to clips of 
songs or purchase them. The company has been blowing off the requests of 
blind fans and blind musicians who have their work posted with CD Baby. 
Dennis shares his letter along with the contact information for CD Baby.
Please help by sending a short e-mail or making a call... and by passing 
on this post.
Thanks,
Donna Hill, Head of Media Relations
NFB's Performing Arts Division
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[Perform-talk] CDBaby
Date: 	Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:28:49 -0500
From: 	Dennis H.R. Sumlin <DHolston at nyc.rr.com>
Reply-To: 	Performing Arts Division list <perform-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: 	Performing Arts Division list <perform-talk at nfbnet.org>

Hello All.

I have written a short letter to the people at CDBaby about the current
issue of access.  I encrage people to fax and send snail mail letters to
them as well as call them.  The CDBaby info and my letter are below.

Feel free to pass around this letter.

EMAIL
cdbaby at cdbaby.com
PHONE
1-503-595-3000
1-800-BUY-MY-CD
FAX
1-503-296-2370 

To Whom it may concern.

My name is Dennis Sumlin Holston, president of the Performing Arts division
of the National Federation of the Blind (PAD, NFB).  We are a volunteer-run
non-profit and a CD Baby member artist. It has come to our attention that
the online music store "CDBaby" recently made an upgrade to their website.
As a result, the previously blind user friendly website became unusable by
blind customers.  This has caused a major interruption in the day-to-day
purchasing of CD's from the site.  Blind artists all over the country are
using CDBaby as an avenue to sell their music.  The Performing Arts
division's 2007 release of Sound in Sight, a major source of income for our
projects,  is also being sold through this method.  

Blind CD Baby customers have written to you about this issue as far back as
two months ago. I encourage CDBaby to look into and rectify the
accessibility issues on their site.  If needed, the Performing Arts division
of the NFB will offer any assistance in this effort.  If there are any
questions as it relates to this issue, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely:

Dennis Sumlin Holston 

President, Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind.

DHolston at nyc.rr.com

212 933-0688

********
Dennis Sumlin Holston.
President: Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind.
(347) 875-7469 
http://www.padnfb.org
President: Westchester chapter of New York State.
Artist Recruitment Specialist: The Visionary Media Company

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Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
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