1999 JERRY LEWIS TELETHON: WORLD'S FIRST LIVE MULTILINGUAL WEBCAST
PR NEWSWIRE - September 02, 1999 05:20
TUCSON, Ariz., Sep 2, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In a first for the World Wide Web, the 1999 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon will be transmitted live worldwide, in RealAudio(R) and RealVideo(R), as multilingual Internet programming in English, Spanish and Japanese. The 21-1/2-hour variety show, annually broadcast by nearly 200 television stations to some 75 million viewers, is enhancing its entertainment and educational value by offering Web users programming in the three most common Internet languages.
"We're going global using the dominant languages of choice among Internet users," said Jerry Lewis, MDA national chairman. "Tens of millions are affected by neuromuscular diseases worldwide, and thanks to MDA national sponsors CyraCom International and RealNetworks, we can give them research news and great entertainment while minimizing language barriers."
Lewis added, "We're setting a new standard for user-friendly Internet programming. I'm confident it will broaden our Internet audience beyond the 64 countries from which we attracted viewers with last year's English-only Webcast."
CyraCom International, a leading translation and interpretation services firm, will provide the United Nations-style translation that will be particularly valuable to Internet users in 26 Spanish-speaking and two Japanese-speaking countries, many of which have significant and growing populations of Web users (see attached list). The combined populations of the 67 nations with English, Spanish and/or Japanese as official or national languages exceeds two billion.
The Webcast will utilize state-of-the-art streaming media software provided by RealNetworks(TM). As a result, the Telethon's Internet audience will receive quality video and audio programming that's calibrated for each individual's computer hardware configuration and modem speed. Those with Pentium or better computer systems, with high speed modems or faster Internet access, will be able to watch the show full-screen and with maximum audio fidelity.
"RealNetworks is thrilled to help MDA offer the first live multilingual broadcast of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon," said Ian Freed, general manager, Real Broadcast Network (RBN), RealNetworks, Inc. "RBN's distributed multi-tier network makes it possible for organizations such as MDA to deliver high quality programming to large Internet audiences, worldwide."
Ken Anders, CyraCom International president and chief executive officer, said, "The Telethon has a rich history of firsts, and our interpreters are eager to help MDA pioneer another first by providing real-time Telethon translation in Spanish and Japanese. The scope of the show and its 21-1/2-hour duration make this the perfect test for what should be the gold standard in Internet communications -- live programming in native languages."
To see the Telethon live on-line, Internet users should go to mdausa.org or real.com and download free RealNetworks' RealPlayer(R) software. This accomplished, they can view on-demand Telethon highlights and other streaming media programming at mdausa.org, a Web site hosted by MDA national sponsor AT&T.
The live Telethon Webcast begins Sept. 5 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. Contributions to accelerate MDA-funded research worldwide can be made on-line during the Telethon or year-round at mdausa.org using AT&T SecureBuy Service(R).
Besides providing translating services pro bono for the Telethon Webcast, CyraCom International, based in Tucson, Ariz., is working with MDA to bring telephone interpretation services and the unique CyraPhone(TM) -- a dual handset interpreter phone that gives instant access to a database of more than 5,000 interpreters 24 hours a day in more than 150 languages and dialects -- to 230 hospitals nationwide where MDA clinics offer unparalleled help for people with neuromuscular diseases.
CyraCom will donate part of the fees generated from any of these medical facilities that introduce the user-friendly CyraPhone interpretation service as a result of its special cause-related marketing program for "Jerry's kids." The CyraPhone is patented and distributed only by CyraCom.
MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education.
The Association funds some 400 research teams worldwide. MDA investigators have made significant advances toward cures for several muscle-wasting disorders. They've also pioneered breakthroughs that may lead to therapies for heart disease, cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's diseases and cystic fibrosis. Such great strides have brought MDA-funded scientists to the threshold of human gene therapy trials in some forms of muscular dystrophy.
MDA was the first nonprofit organization honored by the American Medical Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award "for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity." For more information about MDA or referrals to any of its 230 clinics, call 800-572-1717, an MDA local office, or visit mdausa.org on the Internet.
RealNetworks, RealAudio, RealVideo and RealPlayer are registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc.
SOURCE Muscular Dystrophy Association (C) 1999 PR Newswire. All rights reserved. prnewswire.com -0- CONTACT: Jim Brown of Muscular Dystrophy Association, 323-575-4647,
jimbrown@mdausa.org; Jenny Sorensen of RealNetworks, 206-674-2374, |
