DVS Guide Spring 1995 Volume 6 A Publication of Descriptive Video Service¨ The DVS Guide, available also in large print and on audio via the DVS 800 Information Line, is produced by Descriptive Video Service, a national service that makes television broadcast programs and movies on video accessible to blind and visually impaired people. DVS¨ provides narrated descriptions of a program or movie's key visual elements without interfering with the program dialogue. DVS is a service of the WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston. DVS is broadcast free to viewers by more than 100 public television stations nationwide. To receive DVS on television, a viewer must have either a stereo TV or VCR with the Second Audio Program (S.A.P.) feature or a S.A.P. adapter. The following PBS series currently include DVS description: Mystery!, The American Experience, Nature, National Geographic Specials, some episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and specials such as "Baseball." Other previously described programs such as Wild America may be rebroadcast. Many described Hollywood movies and PBS programs on video are available by direct mail. Titles range from recent hits to thought-provoking documentaries. A viewer needs only a regular VCR to watch these home videos and hear the descriptions. DVS home videos are also available for loan at many public libraries. Call 1-800-333-1203 for information and news about DVS, for biweekly broadcast schedules, to place a video order, request the DVS Guide or DVS Home Video¨ Catalogue, or to leave a comment. You may also contact DVS via Internet at: DVS@wgbh.org. Major funding for Descriptive Video Service is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Cooperative agreements: H026B 20003-94, H026B 20004-94, H026C 40001-94, H026H 40001-94. Contents of this issue: News and Notes DVS Home Video Update Broadcast Program Schedule Equipment to Receive DVS Your Gifts to DVS are Important DVS Funders Inside Back Cover DVS Director: Laurie Everett DVS Guide Editor: Sharon King Assistant Editor: Mary Ann Pack Special Contributor: Tom Wlodkowski Production Assistant: Wendy Riseborough To be placed on the DVS mailing list or to share your thoughts and suggestions about DVS, write: Descriptive Video Service/WGBH 125 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02134 617-492-2777 extension 3490 or 1-800-333-1203 Internet Address: DVS@wgbh.org Descriptive Video Service¨, DVS¨ and DVS Home Video¨ are registered service marks of the WGBH Educational Foundation. News and Notes Thank you for your input!... We thank all of you who wrote, called and used the electronic highway to tell us which components of the DVS Guide are most useful to you. The result of your input is this reduced-size Guide with most of those features you requested still intact. This issue of the Guide was produced in large print and braille and is also accessible by calling our toll-free information line (1-800-333-1203). Because of our reduced budget, we are not able to produce the Guide in audio cassette, but have added the broadcast schedule and other Guide components to the toll-free line. If you have received the Guide on audio cassette in the past, you will receive future issues in large print unless you let us know that you prefer braille or plan to get all Guide information via the DVS 800 Information Line. To change your Guide format preference, please leave a message on the 800 line or return the back cover of this Guide. DVS 800 Information Line is expanded... By calling 1-800-333-1203, you can now access the DVS broadcast schedule (updated biweekly), a complete list of available titles from DVS Home Video, DVS news, a list of public television stations that broadcast programs with DVS, and much more. You can also leave your comments on this line. Tell us how the toll-free line or other formats of the Guide can be improved, and give us your thoughts and suggestions on description issues. Panasonic responds to viewers... Panasonic Company has announced that all 1995 models of stereo VCRs and stereo combination units will include a tactile button on the remote control to access S.A.P. This new user-friendly feature is the result of input from DVS viewers and other S.A.P. users. Thank you, Panasonic, for listening and responding. The first NOVA special broadcast with DVS... Thanks to funding provided by the National Science Foundation and United Technologies Corporation, DVS described "Mystery of the Senses: A Nova Mini-series with Diane Ackerman." This five-part special, which was broadcast in February, celebrates and explores the five senses-smell, taste, hearing, touch and vision-in a vibrant blend of science and imagery, literature and folklore, history and personal adventure. Check the DVS Information Line or call your local station for future broadcasts of "Senses." New station on the air with DVS... On January 4, WSKG Channel 46 in Binghamton, NY began broadcasting programs with DVS. Congratulations to all who helped in this effort! To help get DVS on the air in your area, please call the DVS Outreach Department at 617-492-2777 ext. 3490. Advisory councils help DVS... Each year, we ask about 20 people who are blind or visually impaired to serve on our consumer advisory councils to monitor and critique our descriptions and other aspects of our service. The local council, consisting of Boston area residents, and the national council of members hailing from across the country, meet in person and by phone, respectively. Our thanks to the members of the local Consumer Advisory Council - Bill Cuttle, Regina Chavez, Rabih Daou, Shirley A. Dopson, Rose Freecero, Ray Fournier, Kathleen Gasper, Linda Goodspeed, and Gerry Richmond - for insightful comments and suggestions. We'd also like to thank the participants on our National Consumer Council - Ben Bazo, Joanne Fischer, Debbie Grubb, Bud Keith, Laura Margolis, Jolie Mason, and Rodney Moag - for valuable input. Feedback from our consumer council members, along with your suggestions ensures that we continue to meet your needs. DVS Home Video Update New Titles... Steve Martin in "Father of the Bride," Walt Disney's masterpiece "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," and "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" with Bing Crosby are now available. And Coming Soon... More hits are coming, including: "The Sound of Music," "Disney's The Lion King," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "Terminator 2," "Star Wars," "The Joy Luck Club," "The Ten Commandments," "Total Recall," "Home Alone," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," and PBS documentaries like "FDR," "America and the Holocaust," "Geronimo and the Apache Resistance," "Midnight Ramble" and "Battle of the Bulge." Call 1-800-333-1203 for the latest information on titles or to place an order. DVS and Libraries... DVS will exhibit at the American Library Association's convention in Chicago this June. This annual event is our opportunity to inform librarians from all over the U.S. about DVS. If you would like to be able to borrow DVS home videos from your local public library, call and ask if they are one of the more than 500 libraries carrying DVS videos. If not, tell the librarian why you want DVS videos and suggest he or she call 1-800-782-5756 for a DVS Home Video catalogue. Q&A... Can DVS provide movies on audiocassette tapes? No. Currently, DVS can only provide movies in video cassette format because of copyright regulations. Copyrights are held on the entire movie-video and audio. To separate the audio from the video, a company must renegotiate with all parties (actors, screenwriters, muscians), and this can be prohibitively expensive. We are, however, investigating the possibility and expense involved in clearing audio rights. We would like to meet your needs, so keep your suggestions and requests coming. Program Schedule The April-June DVS program schedule follows, and includes all program information available at press time. Note that programs are listed by their national broadcast dates. These are the dates that most public television stations will broadcast the program; however, some stations have different schedules, so check for your local broadcast times. Following are the PBS series with description that are scheduled by PBS through June. Please note that the DVS describer and narrator are announced at the end of each program. The American Experience, 60 minutes Mystery!, 60 minutes National Geographic Specials, 120 minutes Nature, 60 minutes April Schedule April 2 Nature - American Trickster This program looks at the coyote and how it fits into our natural and cultural environment. April 6 Mystery! - Inspector Alleyn: Death at the Bar (2 hours) An eminent barrister is poisoned with cyanide meant for rats at the Plume of Feathers Inn in the fishing village of Ottercombe. April 9 Nature - Man's Best Friend This program presents a portrait of man's best friend, and the story of how dogs came to be treated as family members. April 13 Mystery! - Rumpole and the Children of the Devil Rumpole defends a member of a South London family of petty villains accused of devil worship in juvenile court. April 16 Nature - Nomads of the Wind: The Faraway Heaven This mini-series tells the story of Polynesia and the seafaring people who discovered and settled the islands of the South Seas. The first episode features the islands of Tahiti and the Marquesas. April 17 Baseball - Our Game, 1840-1900, Part 1 of 9 (2 hours) The first inning tells the story of baseball's rise, in one generation, from a gentlemen's hobby to a national sport. April 20 Mystery! - Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice His Honor Mr. Justice Featherstone is in danger of losing his appeal when confessions in court and at home prove worthless. April 23 Nature - Nomads of the Wind: Crossroads of the Pacific The west Pacific islands of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa became the cradle of Polynesia, from which the culture expanded eastwards. April 24 Baseball - Something Like a War, 1900-1910, Part 2 of 9 (2 hours) The second inning introduces some of the most extraordinary individuals ever to play-Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson. April 27 Mystery! - Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle Two beautiful women disrupt life both in Chambers and at Rumpole's home. April 30 Nature - Nomads of the Wind: Burning their Boats The story of HMS Bounty echoes that of the people of Polynesia, who had, long before, "burned their boats" on Easter Island. May Schedule May 1 Baseball - The Faith of 50 Million People, 1910-1920, Part 3 of 9 (2 1/2 hours) The third inning looks at the Black Sox scandal of 1919. May 4 Mystery! - Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Johnson Hilda is on the case to catch a thief when vital evidence is stolen. May 7 Nature - Nomads of the Wind: Distant Horizons The final great migrations of the Polynesians were their most ambitious-north to Hawaii and southwest to New Zealand. May 8 The American Experience - The Way West, Parts 1 and 2 (1 1/2 hours) Tentatively scheduled with DVS. Call 800-333-1203. This film chronicles the struggle of Native-American peoples from 50 tribes to defend their homelands and their ways of life. May 9 The American Experience - The Way West, Parts. 3 and 4 (2 1/2 hours) Tentatively scheduled with DVS. Call 800-333-1203. May 11 Mystery! - Rumpole and the Family Pride A cousin invites Hilda and Rumpole to Sackbut Castle for a stately weekend, but the discovery of a corpse in the lake makes it clear the invitation isn't purely social. May 14 Nature - Nomads of the Wind: The Pierced Sky The coming of Captain Cook and other European explorers to the South Seas changed Polynesia forever. But today, Polynesians are recovering from the overwhelming impact on their cultures. May 15 Baseball - A National Heirloom, 1920-1930, Part 4 of 9 (2 hours) The fourth inning looks at the wonderful career of Babe Ruth. May 17 National Geographic Special - The Great Indian Railway The Great Indian Railway, the largest single train system in the world, carries millions of passengers daily and links areas with hundreds of languages, religious sects, and incredible landscapes. May 18 Mystery! - Rumpole on Trial Rumpole loses his temper before Justice Oliphant and is put on trial for contempt. May 21 Nature - African Bambi This program tells the story of a Thomson's gazelle. May 22 Baseball - Shadow Ball, 1930-1940, Part 5 of 9 (2 1/2 hours) The fifth inning looks at the game's fight to survive the Depression and the rise of the Negro leagues. May 23 When Billy Broke His Head...And Other Tales of Wonder This program presents the common experiences of America's 43 million citizens with disabilities-told from their perspective. May 28 Nature - Last Stand of the Giants This program looks at the ancient forest of the Pacific Northwest. May 29 Baseball - The National Pastime, 1940-1950, Part 6 of 9 (3 hours) Baseball is integrated when Jackie Robinson takes the field in 1947. May 31 The American Experience - D-Day Using archival footage and oral histories, this program examines the experiences of the brave young soldiers who were there. June Schedule June 4 Nature - Anima Mundi & Before It's Too Late This program presents a spectacular sequence of closeup cinematic portraits of wildlife set to an original score by Phillip Glass. June 5 Baseball-The Capitol of Baseball, 1950-1960, Part 7 of 9 (2 1/2 hrs.) The seventh inning celebrates the glorious heyday of New York City baseball and its most memorable moments. June 11 Nature - Lost World of the Medusa This film explores the tropical island archipelago of Palau, located in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. June 12 Baseball - A Whole New Ball Game, 1960-1970, Part 8 of 9 (2 hours) The eighth inning takes place in the '60s, when baseball is threatened by football for fan appeal and players organize into a union. June 14 The American Experience - "Disaster Night" (3 hours) Tentatively scheduled with DVS. Call 800-333-1203. A look at three of the most famous natural disasters-The Great San Francisco Earthquake, The Hurricane Of '38, and The Johnstown Flood. June 18 Nature - The Ghosts of Ruby This program explores the wildlife that haunts a "deserted" ghost town in the American West. June 19 Baseball - Home, 1970-present, Part 9 of 9 (2 1/2 hours) The ninth and final inning covers the most recent history of baseball and explores the future of the game. June 25 Nature - Gorilla: King of the Congo This documentary follows a photographic expedition into the Congo, home of the shy and elusive lowland gorilla. Equipment to receive DVS To receive DVS in your home, you need either a stereo TV or VCR that includes the Second Audio Program (S.A.P.) feature, or you need a S.A.P. TV receiver (sometimes called a decoder) that enables your existing TV set to receive S.A.P. and DVS. When purchasing a stereo TV or VCR, be sure to tell the salesperson that you need to access S.A.P. easily. And, if you're buying a VCR, specify that you want a model that receives and records S.A.P. Recoton Corporation has a limited number of S.A.P. decoders available for purchase. The F.R.E.D. III S.A.P. Decoder will enable any television to receive stereo and S.A.P. This decoder includes a built-in amplifier, but no speakers. If you have a monaural TV set, you will need to obtain speakers in addition to the F.R.E.D. III. The price is $49.95 including shipping and handling. To get this special price, be sure to say that it is for a blind person. To order the F.R.E.D. III (item No. V624), you may call in your order and charge to a credit card or send a check or money order. To charge to a credit card, call 1-800-231-0031. (The phone will be answered, "Haven Industries.") Send checks or money orders to: Recoton Corp., 4623 Crane Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. If you have technical questions about the F.R.E.D. III or need customer service, call 1-800-732-6866. Lighthouse Consumer Products also offers the Recoton F.R.E.D. III (No. Y3021). For more information, call 1-800-829-0500. For information about a pre-tuned, stand-alone S.A.P. receiver from Compol, Inc., call 1-800-722-0755. Note: Mention of a product or service in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement by Descriptive Video Service. Our intent is to increase awareness of items that may be helpful to our viewers. Your Gifts to DVS Are Important To the hundreds of viewers who contribute to assist DVS with programming and outreach activities, a big thank you. This support is extremely important to us and is helpful when we approach corporations and foundations for grants. Your financial commitment helps these organizations get a clear picture of the significance of DVS to blind and visually impaired people and lets them know that their funding will contribute to the advancement of a service that means a lot to you. Your gift, no matter what amount, will help us continue to bring you hours of described programming for the whole family. Thanks for sending your gift today and for being as generous as you can. Laura Oftedahl Development Manager DVS Appreciates Your Support! DVS needs your support to continue providing programming with description. Please consider a gift today. -- $30 -- $50 -- $75 -- $125 -- $250 -- Other To show our appreciation, we'll send youÉ -- For $30 or more, one DVS Special Edition Mug -- Do not send me a thank-you gift, but use my entire gift for DVS. Please make checks payable to Descriptive Video Service and mail to: Descriptive Video Service, WGBH, 125 Western Avenue, Boston, MA 02134. Contributions to Descriptive Video Service are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law, except for the fair market value of any gifts received. DVS Funders Inaugural Circle General Motors NEC Foundation of America Panasonic Company George B. Storer Foundation Additional Supporters ACB of Ohio J. Walton Bissell Foundation The Boston Foundation Bushrod Campbell and Adah Hall Charity Fund Mr. and Mrs. John L. Cooper Corporation for Public Broadcasting Foundation for Advancement of the Blind Arlene Gordon Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Gund Gilbert H. Hood Family Fund Houston Council of the Blind Lions Clubs of Massachusetts Missouri Council of the Blind Mitsubishi/Horizon Research, Inc. National Endowment for the Arts National Science Foundation Thomas Anthony Pappas Charitable Foundation William F. Paul Polaroid Foundation Protestant Guild for Human Services Randolph T. Snively TeleSensory Corporation U.S. Department of Education United Technologies Corporation Jo Wullenschneider E. Matilda Zeigler Foundation for the Blind Send the DVS Guide to... We'll be glad to send the DVS Guide and DVS Home Video Catalogue free to interested individuals, organizations, libraries and schools. Please fill out and return the following information to us. Name ---- Organization (if applicable) ---- Street ---- City ---- State ---- Zip ---- Format Preference for DVS Guide and DVS Home Video Catalogue- large print braille To hear an audio listing of the DVS information, call 1-800-333-1203. Is this person eligible to receive Free Matter? yes no If you are moving, please return this form with your new address. Please let us know if you would like to discontinue receiving our mailings.