Update the Telecom Act of 1996 - NOW
The National Association of the Deaf is calling attention to the fact that, although we have legislation requiring captioning on television, this legislation DOES NOT apply to the internet. BUT the internet is where the action is happening! Television is moving to the web. Google, Yahoo, and AOL have all made announcements regarding their video plans.

Not only that, new companies are springing up that will be broadcasting ONLY on the internet. PLUS we have an added problem in that video content is beginning to be produced exclusively for cellular telephones. Recently CBS announced it would develop a mobile soap opera just for cellular telephones.

Things are moving along at breakneck speed, aided by the internet. (But according to the NAD, the Senate in Congress is not moving fast enough.) If we, the deaf and hard of hearing community, do not act NOW, it will be too late. A whole new world of video content - news, entertainment, education - is going to open up and in fact is already here, and we will be left out! We urgently must pressure Congress to update the Telecommunications Act of 1996 sooner rather than later.

What can you do to help? Go to the NAD website and you will see under the Take Action section, "Ask Congress to Caption Internet Videos." Below that are three links:

• Take Action - This page has a form you can submit right away to let your desire for captions on the internet be known. This form goes to Representatives. After you submit the form, you will be directed to click on a link to a similar form for the Senate. On both forms, you can customize your letter if you wish.
• Learn More - Read up on the facts behind the need for action now.
• Spread the word - This form lets you pass on the need for action to friends and family.

• "CBS to Make a Soap for the Smaller Screen" - Washington Post, Thursday, January 12, 2006, page D05.
• AOL and Intel Join Forces
• Google to Launch Video Marketplace"
• Coming Soon to TV Land - The Internet, Actually - New York Times, January 7, 2006 (archived article)
• Yahoo already offers downloads of tv programming, without captions, at http://tv.yahoo.com. Yahoo has additional television-related plans, as can be seen at the Yahoo Press Center.

Email to a Friend

 [ send green star]

Thank You for the information Kara.

     Auricle is gone for a while on a family medical emergency.  Don't know how long she may be tied up?

    REally appreciate you giving us this information and plese keep us updated here when you find more information, Kara?

 [ send green star]