because it is "history:.  I love the grinch and think it should win some
kind of award.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Henrichsen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: WGBH's "Talking" DVD Wins Industry Award


How odd. The Grinch came out last year and it has talking menus as well.
I
wonder where this one is better.
At 9/19/2002, you wrote:
> >
> > For immediate release
> >
> > Contact:  Mary Watkins/Media Access Group at WGBH
> > 617 300-3700 voice, 617 300-2489 TTY
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > First DVD to "Talk" to Users Wins Industry Award
> >
> > WGBH Boston's "Abraham and Mary Lincoln - A House Divided" Lauded
for
> > Innovative Audio Navigation Feature
> >
> > Boston, MA, September 19, 2002.  WGBH Boston, producer of such
> > groundbreaking PBS programming as NOVA, ARTHUR, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE,
and
> > FRONTLINE, and a pioneer in the field of access technologies for
disabled
> > audiences, was awarded a DVD AT ITS BEST GOLD RING AWARD during the
recent
> > DVD L.A. Fest in Los Angeles.  The award was presented to WGBH for
the menu
> > design of the three-disc DVD package, "Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A
House
> > Divided," an AMERICAN EXPERIENCE miniseries produced and directed by
David
> > Grubin. The DVD's innovative audio navigation, or "talking menu"
> feature, is
> > the first of its kind, and a model to the industry.
> >
> > In addition to closed captioning and video description, services
developed
> > by WGBH for the benefit of viewers with hearing or vision loss, the
DVD's
> > talking menus enable users to access all the DVD's features through
audible
> > menus.  The DVD was co-produced by AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and WGBH
Interactive
> > in collaboration with Planet Studio, a graphic communications firm
based in
> > Atlanta, Georgia.  The audio navigation feature was developed by
WGBH's
> > Media Access Group. Funding was provided by the National Endowment
for the
> > Humanities (NEH).
> >
> > The six-hour miniseries on the Lincolns paints a vivid picture of
the
> > complicated relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd -
people
> from
> > drastically different backgrounds who loved each other passionately,
> > quarreled intensely and shared many personal tragedies.  Using
historic
> > dramatizations and reenactments, interviews with historians and
> experts, and
> > historic documents and illustrations, the film weaves together the
lives of
> > the two Lincolns.  It also shows how their troubled lives paralleled
> that of
> > a nation at war and describes the impact of Lincoln's brutal
assassination
> > on the country and the sanity of his wife.
> >
> > Originally broadcast on PBS stations nationwide on February 19-21,
> 2001, the
> > three-part debut of Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided was
very
> > popular among television viewers - Nielsen estimated that 16,750,000
people
> > watched some part of the broadcast.
> >
> > Television critics throughout the country praised the documentary as
well.
> > The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Grubin and Geoffrey C. Ward have
> successfully
> > merged the broad sweep of history with the prickly nuances of
individual
> > relations.the series grows richer with every hour."  The Los Angeles
Times
> > had this to say: "American Experience resumes being TV's preeminent
U.S.
> > history teacher when rolling out Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House
> > Divided.[a] smart, moving, beautifully mounted three-parter.David
Grubin's
> > documentary stands head and stovepipe hat above the crowd."  And the
> Chicago
> > Tribune said: "Made under the glorious banner of American
Experience, this
> > ambitious and compelling six-hour joint biography ought to be
required
> > viewing. an example of a near-perfect realization."
> >
> > In addition to the complete documentary with audio description
> (narration of
> > key visual elements such as facial expressions and settings),
audible
> menus,
> > closed captioning and Surround Sound, the three-disc set includes
exclusive
> > interviews with the film's creative team; original narratives drawn
from
> > letters and diaries of Civil War soldiers, 19th-century African
Americans
> > and women; and other special features ­ all of it accessible.
> >
> > With NEH support, free copies of the DVD were distributed to 1700
teachers
> > and librarians in all 50 states. Many sent their thanks for the
audio
> > navigation, including Jim Allan of the Texas School for the Blind in
> Austin,
> > who wrote, "I thought the effort put in to make this DVD accessible
should
> > be lauded. THANK YOU!! It is a special moment when students who are
blind
> > get to use the same materials and receive robust information
> > independently!!!"  The DVD may now be purchased by calling
1-800-PLAY-PBS
> > (1-800-752-9727), logging on to shopPBS.com or visiting selected
Borders,
> > Barnes & Noble and Store of Knowledge bookstore locations.
> >
> > For more information on the DVD At Its Best Gold Ring Awards, and
the DVD
> > L.A. Fest, visit
http://www.theladvshow.com/DVD%20Awards%20Release.htm.
> >
> > WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer,
the
> source
> > of nearly one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup and companion online
content
> > as well as many public radio favorites. WGBH is a pioneer in
educational
> > multimedia (including the Web, broadband, and interactive
television)
> and in
> > technologies and services that make media accessible for people with
> > disabilities. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors:
Emmys,
> > Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards.even two Oscars. In 2002, WGBH was
honored
> > with a special institutional Peabody Award for 50 years of
excellence. For
> > more information visit www.wgbh.org.
> >
> > -end-
> >
> >
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>
>Catherine Alfieri
>7 Summer Tree
>Pittsford, NY 14534
>585-586-1682
>Founder:
>Monroe County Women's Disability Network
>[log in to unmask]
>http://www.mcwdn.org
>VirtEd
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>RochEd Online
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>"See with your heart, Speak with your heart!"