TV About Movies(R) today announced Ken Follett's epic eight-hour mini-series WORLD WITHOUT END will air with Descriptive Audio. The Descriptive Audio function enables viewers who are blind or who are losing vision to enjoy television through narrated description of the visual elements of a program, heard between the dialogue and action sequences. Descriptive Audio is enabled in the same manner as Second Audio Program (SAP) and is mixed with the soundtrack from the program so there is no loss of dialogue, music or effects in the audio.
"We've chosen to implement Descriptive Audio for World Without End ahead of any mandate from the Federal Communications Commission with the goal of making the mini-series available to a wider audience who we believe will enjoy being immersed in this incredible story," said Roger Eman, Chief Operating Officer at REELZ.
"The National Federation of the Blind is the nation's leading advocate for making content and technology accessible to blind Americans. We therefore appreciate the effort that REELZ has undertaken to make this program more accessible to blind viewers," said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "REELZ is showing leadership in making television content accessible to the blind, and we commend the network for that leadership."
"This is exciting news for the blind and those who are losing vision all across America as they now have a new and spectacular television program offering," said Art Schreiber, Chairman, New Mexico Commission for the Blind and Vice President, Senior Division of the National Federation of the Blind. "That REELZ has implemented this technology without requirement demonstrates their dedication to viewers."
Schreiber has been a longtime advocate for the visually impaired and personally lobbied REELZ to embrace Descriptive Audio TV.
World Without End premieres Wednesday, October 17, 2012 with three chances to watch at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT, 10pm ET/ 7pm PT and 12am ET/ 9pm ET. The two-hour premiere features the first two episodes. WORLD WITHOUT END, starring
Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City, The Big C) and
Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Young Victoria) is an adaptation of Ken Follett's international best-selling novel set amidst natural disaster, plague, and war in 14th century England two hundred years after the construction of the great cathedral as seen in the Emmy(R) Award-winning mini-series THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH.
WORLD WITHOUT END picks up with a new cast of characters, including Caris, a feisty young woman played by Charlotte Riley (THE DUCHESS, WUTHERING HEIGHTS), who inspires her medieval town of Kingsbridge to confront the most powerful forces of her time, namely the Church and the Crown, as they fight to save their town from ruin and, ultimately, usher in a new era of freedom, innovation, and enlightenment. WORLD WITHOUT END was produced by Tandem Communications (THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, THE COMPANY) and Take 5 Productions (THE TUDORS, THE BORGIAS) in co-production with Galafilm, in association with
Ridley Scott and Tony Scott's Scott Free Films (THE GOOD WIFE).
World Without End stars Emmy(R) Award and Golden Globe(R) Award winner
Cynthia Nixon (SEX AND THE CITY, THE BIG C) as the beautiful and deadly schemer Petranilla, two-time Oscar(R) nominee, Golden Globe Award and BAFTA-winner
Miranda Richardson (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, THE YOUNG VICTORIA) as the strong and determined Mother Cecilia, Olivier and Tony-nominee
Ben Chaplin (THE THIN RED LINE, ME AND
Orson Welles) as the mysterious Sir
Thomas Langley, Oscar nominee and Golden Globe Award winner
Peter Firth (MI5, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER) as the ruthless Earl Roland, BAFTA nominee Charlotte Riley (THE DUCHESS, WUTHERING HEIGHTS) as the wise and compassionate Caris,
Rupert Evans (AGORA, HELLBOY) as the duplicitous Godwyn, Nora von Waldstaetten (CARLOS, THE COUNTESS) as Gwenda, the street-wise peasant girl,
Oliver Jackson-Cohen (What's Your Number, The Raven) as the rough and dangerous Ralph, accomplished stage thespian
TOM WESTON-JONES (COPPER, MI-5) as the creative and ambitious Merthin, Gemini Award winner and Genie Award-nominee
Megan Follows (HEARTLAND, ANNE OF GREEN GABLESs) as Maud, a lady fallen from grace, and Genie-nominee
Sarah Gadon (in the up-coming Cosmopolis with
Robert Pattinson, (A DANGEROUS METHOD) as the attractive and intelligent Philippa.
Filmed on location in Hungary, Austria and Slovakia with
HoWard Ellis' Mid Atlantic Films (THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH), the eight-hour epic thriller is directed by
Michael Caton-Jones (ROB ROY, THIS BOY'S LIFE, SHOOTING DOGS - US title: BEYOND THE GATES). World Without End Executive Producers include
Ridley Scott (PROMETHEUS), Tony Scott (UNSTOPPABLE), Rola Bauer (THE PILLARS FO THE EARTH), David W. Zucker (THE GOOD WIFE), Tim Halkin (Kate Mosse's LABYRINTH), Jonas Bauer (THE LOST FUTURE), John Weber (THE BORGIAS), with co-producer Arnie Gelbart (THE BLUE BUTTERFLY.)
The global bestseller World Without End by Ken Follett has been published in 30 markets and was on the New York Times bestseller list for 26 weeks after the hardcover publication, then again on the list for its paperback edition. It hit the #1 position on the following bestseller lists: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Sony e-book, France's Livres Hebdo, The Globe and Mail in the UK and Germany's Der Spiegel.
About the National Federation of the Blind
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
About ReelzChannel
ReelzChannel - TV About Movies(R) is the only cable and satellite network devoted to delivering entertaining and informative programming that is all about movies, including the celebrities, fashion, music and stories behind the stories. The network is also home to ambitious television events, mini-series and series featuring big stories and big stars as seen with the Emmy(R)-winning THE KENNEDYS and coming in October 2012 with Ken Follett's eight-hour mini-series WORLD WITHOUT END. With shows featuring movie and entertainment experts, including
Leonard Maltin,
Richard Roeper and Sam Rubin, viewers get trusted insight into movies wherever they're playing, whether in theaters or at home.
ReelzChannel reaches more than 64 million homes on DIRECTV channel 238, Dish Network channel 299, Verizon FiOS TV channel 233, AT&T U-verse channels 799/1799HD and cable systems nationwide. Find ReelzChannel in your area by entering your zip code at www.reelz.com/watch. Owned by Hubbard Media Group, ReelzChannel is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with national ad sales based out of New York City with offices in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles and an entertainment bureau in Los Angeles.
Experience the WORLD WITHOUT END second-screen app for the iPad, available for free at the Apple App Store. For all other devices and smart phones, there is a full browser version available at
reelz.com/2ndscreen
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