by Ralph Sanders
By the time you read this, you may have already heard ACB’s most recent public service announcements on an ABC or ESPN radio network, or someone will have mentioned them to you. The broad-based airing of our announcements represents a major success for ACB. We are excited to open new avenues for communicating to the American public our view of blindness and our willingness to provide support to anyone who needs information or encouragement. I believe this may be the first time ACB public service announcements have been distributed via a national radio network.
The three public service announcements were developed through a joint effort of the membership committee, the board of publications and the public relations committee over nearly two years. The project was initiated in late 2001 by Pam Shaw, then chair of the membership committee. An early version of the announcements was played at the Houston convention, and membership feedback was sought. The three committees continued to work collaboratively over the next two years. Then, last summer, the announcements were aired on America’s first commercial radio station, KDKA, in Pittsburgh.
The theme of the PSAs is “The American Council of the Blind Forging New Frontiers for our Future.” The spots were produced by Chuck Adkins, a blind professional announcer, under the direction of Jonathan Mosen, then ACB Radio director. While writing and producing these spots took quite a while to accomplish, we clearly have an impressive product that was well worth the wait.
We are encouraging members of affiliates and local chapters to use the transcripts of the announcements as a working draft to develop local spots to be submitted to local stations.
It is a widely held belief among many members that it is difficult for us to make a major difference because of the lack of funding for projects. It is important for everyone to know that the three spots developed in this campaign were accomplished with less than $500 of treasury expenses by the ACB.
Please note that the wording in the transcript below may not completely match the wording in the recorded version of the announcements because of the need, during production, to comply with time constraints.
Public service announcement one
Do you have trouble distinguishing between a twenty and a ten-dollar bill in dim light? Are you having difficulty reading the newspaper? Are you experiencing severe vision loss? Or, do you know anyone who is?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the American Council of the Blind can help you.
We are blind and visually impaired people from every walk of life who work together to enhance our lives.
For more information, or a membership application, call (800) 424-8666 or contact us online at www.acb.org. The American Council of the Blind Forging new frontiers for our future
Public service announcement two
“I am sorry but your baby is blind,” the doctor says. “The problem is your child cannot see well enough to keep up with classroom work,” the teacher says. These are words a parent never wants to hear.
It doesn’t have to be the end of the world. The American Council of the Blind is here for you and your child. With a national network of state and local chapters, the American Council of the Blind can make sure that you meet people who understand blindness. We will ensure your child meets blind people who have succeeded in getting their education and who work as lawyers, teachers, automobile mechanics and in virtually every other profession.
For more information, or a membership application, call (800) 424-8666, or contact us online at www.acb.org. The American Council of the Blind Forging new frontiers for our future
Public service announcement three
We are the American Council of the Blind. We are blind and visually impaired men and women who come from every community within our country. We are tall, short, old, and young. Some of us are athletes and some of us are couch potatoes while most of us are somewhere in between. We reflect every ethnic, religious and racial group within our society.
Some of us who received quality education and sound training are working successfully in virtually every profession — psychologists, auto mechanics, administrators, computer analysts, cooks and engineers. We are the American Council of the Blind working to ensure the right to opportunity for education, training, employment and a meaningful life for all Americans, including those of us who are blind or who have significant vision loss.
For more information, contact us by phone at (800) 424-8666 or join us on our web site at www.acb.org. The American Council of the Blind Forging new frontiers for our future