PWDBC - Disability TV on air
An ambitious plan to start a 24-hour all disability TV channel was launched yesterday on the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The catchily named PWDBC - - has started the ball rolling on this ambitious plan by setting up a drum-banging website.
They intend to hit the mainstream with a mix of comedies, dramas, reality, sports, information and news programmes all made by disabled people - um, that's PWDs - Peoples Withs some of those Disabilities.
"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," explains PWdBC's founder Howard Renensland.
"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."
The website is currently rather business-oriented, with scoping documents and their vision. But they're also calling for disabled people with relevant skills to get involved now. You can follow the very latest in their progress on the site's .
Comments
What a dreadful name! Almost as bad as VIP On Air - the blind radio station in Scotland (Visually Impaired Person for those who don't know)
Noble, everso noble. Disability will never become mainstream. This channel will make no difference. Only people interested in disability will watch. Where's the learning in that? NO ONE WILL CARE. WHAT'S THE POINT?
Will the forthcoming Sky Disability channel be included in my basic cable package?
Coolio. I'd like to get involved in something like this b/c I really want to get into media and it's difficult to find a way in to production companies who would really rather have able-bodied peeps b/c disability will cos them money and time.
This sounds really cool! I wish the ´óÏó´«Ã½ did this it would be brilliant, and I would love to see what goes on in the media sense and Ouch too!
Gazz - why so cynical?
I dont think it will be successful, firstly too expensive to produce, secondly lack of consistent funding and thirdly lack of interest. Surely we should be aiming to have a society where we can all participate and not live in little niches? Too many people are already feeling alienated enough from each other to want cause pain and hurt, because of lack of dialogue and mutual communication. Here we are talking about another way that us crips can be different with our own 24 hour channel so we dont have to see the real world! Its not for me. I am disabled and I would not want to watch it on principle... I am all for accessible TV, audio-description and captions, etc (apart from signing all over everything which drives me mad! Being a VIP it makes the actual picture smaller whilst I have this person waving their arms around and pulling faces at me.... disconcerting when viewed from 6 inches from the screen...) but apart from that, whats wrong with proper TV? I dont want to have my TV viewing life ruined by crips with chips and non-disabled agendas.. I shall be voting with my tv remote..
I think tihs is a really great idea, but it won't succeed if the response issued forth is only pessimistic. Personally, I'm going to contact them just because I've always been interested in this kind of thing but have never found an outlet such as this one.
I like the idea of this, in theory. I think it's brilliant! I think this could work. Get the feeling we'll be in for "some" cringing moments/programmes no doubt but, if the rest of the channel has a more casual take on disability or, just have run of the mill programmes that just "happen" to have all Disabled people in it, then it's fine. Not sure on the name of the company, a bit lengthy.
I guess as a disabled Actor/T.V presenter, and someone who has actively campaigned against and challenged mainstream T.V companies in the UK, I am heartened by the announcements. Regardless of how odd the title is or obscure people might think it will be it is clearly a start. It is time the ´óÏó´«Ã½ put its money squarely where its mouth is and did something similar. With there involvement in things like BCIDN, we are not really seeing more disabled people on the screen. Its hipocritical when you think about it and actions speak louder than words. So come on ´óÏó´«Ã½ and the other main players in the T.V stakes, PULL YOUR SOCKS UP
I do not like this Special Apartheid!
good luck in the endeavor! (sincerely) i'd like to contact them for the same reasons as tara.
best wishes on this project! :)