July 26, 2005
An Accessible Tourism Television Show
Today, on the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). People With disabilities Broadcast Network (PWdBC) made its formal launch. For thep ast several months I have been in communication with PWdBC founder, Howard Renensland about the channel. Planned programs range from a news show - drawing on the skills and experience of Inclusion Daily Express' Dave Reynolds - sitcoms, a fitness and a cooking show. The possibility that has caught my imagination is a travel show that takes a front-and-center look at inclusive travel options.
See the PWdBC web site at: http://pwdbc.org/
Follow the PWdBC blog at: http://pwdbc.blogspot.com/
Disability Broadcasting Company Launches on Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
Los Angeles, CA -- July 26, 2005 -- On the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the People With disabilities Broadcasting Corporation (PWdBC) is pleased to announce the formal launch of its website and the initial stage of creating and maintaining a powerful new disability media presence.Central to PWdBC's mission is the creation of the first 24-hour TV channel "of, by and for people with disabilities . . . and everyone else," which will include comedies, dramas, reality, sports, and information and news programs. PWdBC is in exploratory conversations with a number of media companies to make this channel a reality.
PWdBC is also in discussions with a number of entertainment unions and guilds, universities, disability groups, philanthropic organizations and advertisers to generate support, to develop partnerships and alliances, and to create a pool of talented actors, writers, producers and other support professionals.
"It is important for us in the disability community to advocate and legislate, but it's time for us to create and celebrate both our historical and future contributions to American popular culture," said Howard Renensland, PWdBC Founder and President.
Renensland, an accomplished actor, writer, director, and teacher, has an adult daughter who was born with disabilities.
An estimated 54 million Americans identify themselves as having a disability, while the worldwide population of people with disabilities is estimated at over 600 million. The unique perspectives of this powerful, creative minority are largely missing from the mainstream media, and therefore society as a whole.
Few characters with disabilities appear in television and film. Actors with disabilities portray just a handful of these. Perhaps more importantly, people with disabilities are not represented in the creative processes behind the camera, making accurate portrayals of people with disabilities rare.PWdBC will work toward correcting this imbalance by becoming the first mainstream media entity to design all programs to be accessible and available to everyone, to give a voice to this growing population, and to foster the employment and training of a large number of talented people with disabilities in the entertainment and information industries.
"We feel strongly that the global concerns of people with disabilities will be most rapidly advanced through the successful inclusion of persons who have disabilities within the structure of mass media itself," Renensland explained.
For more information, or to submit resumes and demos, contact:
Howard Renensland, Founder & President
PWdBC, People With disabilities Broadcasting Corporation
Post Office Box 685, Wilton, CT 06897
203-216-1300
howard@pwdbc.org
www.pwdbc.org
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See Also:
It's high time people with disabilities were represented on TVhttp://www.abqtrib.com/albq/op_columnists/article/0,2565,ALBQ_19865_3971979,00.html
New Television Show on Travel and Disability Planned
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/18423/117206
(USA Today) Study: Disabled actors not represented in films, TV shows
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-07-27-disabled-actors_x.htm?POE=click-refer
(Screen Actors Guild) SAG RELEASES GROUNDBREAKING REPORT ON PERFORMERS WITH DISABILITIES TO MARK15th ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
http://www.sag.org/sagWebApp/application?origin=page1.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=Hidden&contentUrl=/NewsAndAnnouncements/announcementLander.jsp&cp=null&announcementPage=/Content/Public/pwd_pressrelease-7-25-05.htm
(Screen Actors Guild) Executive Summary: The Employment of Performers with Disabilities in the Entertainment Industry
http://www.sag.org/Content/Public/exec-sum-pwd.pdf