press release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mary Watkins, Media Access Group at WGBH
617 300-3700 or
[log in to unmask]
access.wgbh.org

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME VIDEO RELEASES
DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (TM)
ON A FULLY ACCESSIBLE DVD

Universal Studios Home Video and the Media Access Group at WGBH
collaborate
on access features, including audio description and "talking menus"

Boston, MA (November 16, 2001) - The Collector's Edition DVD of Dr.
Seuss'
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, from Universal Studios Home Video, will
be
available on Tuesday, November 20 at DVD retailers nationwide.  The new
release is the first of its kind  - a Hollywood film made fully
accessible
on DVD - featuring description, audio navigation and captions for viewers
who have vision or hearing loss.  The Media Access Group at WGBH worked
with
Universal on both the descriptions and audio navigation features.

The enhanced Collector's Edition DVD (full screen version) offers video
description for viewers who are blind or visually impaired, as well as
captioning for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.  It also offers an
audio navigation feature - or "talking menu" - enabling viewers who are
blind or visually impaired to access the DVD's multiple menu options
without
the assistance of a sighted person.  Users can access this audio
navigation
feature by pressing "1" plus the "Enter" or "Select" button on the
player's
remote control once the disc begins playing.  These features also are
available within the DVD's "bonus materials" menu.  In addition to the
full-length film description, audible menus, captioning and Surround
Sound,
this deluxe disc includes a selection of special features, such as
deleted
scenes and outtakes, background on the making of the film, a music video
of
the theme song sung by Faith Hill, information about the cast and
filmmakers
and more - all of which are b!
oth described and captioned.

Due to their enhanced technological capacity, DVDs have become a
phenomenally popular consumer product, and demand is growing for studios
to
develop more fully accessible DVDs in the future.  According to Media
Access
Group/Services Director Lori Kay, "The Media Access Group at WGBH was
thrilled to work with Universal Studios Home Video to make this popular
family film more accessible to audiences with vision or hearing loss.  We
look forward to working with Universal, and other studios, in the future
to
make description and the audible navigation system a standard DVD
feature."

Directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, this
PG-rated,
live action film is a remake of the animated TV favorite based on a
children's book by Dr. Seuss.  Released in theaters in 2000, Dr. Seuss'
How
the Grinch Stole Christmas went on to gross $265 million at the box
office -
making it the most successful holiday film in history.  For more
information
about the film, visit
www.universalpictures.com.

The Media Access Group at WGBH, with offices in Boston, Los Angeles and
New
York, is a non-profit service of Boston public broadcaster WGBH.  The
service group includes Descriptive Video Service, which has made
television,
film, video - and now DVDs - more enjoyable to viewers who are blind or
visually impaired since 1990, as well as The Caption Center - the world's
first captioning agency - founded in 1972.  The third branch of the Media
Access Group, the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media, is a
research, development and advocacy entity that works to make existing and
emerging technologies accessible to all audiences.  Members of the
Group's
collective staff represent the leading resources and experts in their
fields.  For more information, visit access.wgbh.org.


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