[stylist] CD Baby removes accessibility for blind musicians and fans

[Fred Wurtzel]

Hi Donna,

I sent the following message to CDBaby.  I have a friend here in Lansing who
has his music on there, too.  I kept my message low-key and friendly.  I
doubt it will help, but it's a try.

Warm Regards,

Fred

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

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Donna Hill
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 12:25 PM
To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List; nfbp-talk
Subject: [stylist] CD Baby removes accessibility for blind musicians and
fans

Hi Friends,
Recently, posts have begun to appear on other NFB lists about the 
inaccessibility of CDBaby's
new site for those of us who rely upon text to speech
software. We are no longer able to use the Preview functions (which 
access audio clips from the CDs), making the
Discover new Music option also inaccessible.  Some have also been unable
to complete the purchase function.

CD Baby was always accessible to us in the past, and many blind
musicians & NFB members, such as Lisa Ostrow along with the musicians 
featured on the "Sound in Sight" CD which supports programs of the NFB's 
Performing Arts Division are CD Baby artists. One of my own CDs has been 
there for years.

As you all know, independent musicians struggle against many odds. The
same is true with blind musicians, few of whom are ever signed by
national labels.  Ask yourself, for instance, to name a nationally known
female singer or musician who is blind. I'm sure you will find it to be
a very short list -- not that there's a lot of blind guys in the
national spotlight.

As blind artists, we count on the sales we get from blind music
lovers, who can no longer access our CD Baby pages. A letter to one
blind fan from CD baby states that they removed the accessibility
function when designing the new site. They expressed regret, but
indicated that they have other priorities.

I am researching an article for the American Chronicle, and would be 
happy to include any concerns any of you are having with the site. If 
you wish to participate in the article, please contact me off list at:
dwhill at epix.net

Also, please re post this. If there is any other way any of you can help 
us or any other ideas, we would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Donna Hill, Head of Media Relations
Performing Arts Division, National Federation of the Blind
Media Specialist, NFB of PA
570-833-2708
dwhill at epix.net
--
Read my articles on American Chronicle:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
Follow me on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/dewhill
Join Me on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
Or,  FaceBook:
http://www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
Apple I-Tunes 
phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374 
Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind

www.padnfb.org




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