Blog [with]tv

Lives Worth Living On PBS: Independent Lens, October 27

Click the following links for details of the recent PBS program, Lives Worth Living, which aired on Thursday October 27th, a compelling documentary on the disability rights movement, and its profiles of courageous people in the Independent Lens series.

Trailer for Lives Worth Living     Photos and Press Kit for Lives Worth Living

The Emerging Disability Industry: Purchasing Power On The Rise

From MediAbility Factsheet: An Impressive Emerging Market by Vince Staskel, MS, VPS MediAbility Consulting, and retired Legal Rights Advocate in IDEA, ADA, SSA Claimant Legal Representation, and Media Arts Inclusion. He is very active in the promotion of performers-with-disabilities in the entertainment industry:

As baby boomers age, and we see an inclusive media ascendency of performers, producers, writers, and filmmakers coupled with an emerging disability media industry, there is huge marketing potential.
Recent disability marketing statistics reveal that of the 54 million persons with long-term disability:

     - 73% are the heads of households
     - 46% are married
     - 58% own their own homes
     - 77% have no children
     - 48% are principal shoppers

The aggregate income of persons-with-disabilities tops $1 trillion. As the disability marketing statistics show, this is more purchasing power than the pre-teen and teen markets combined. Including families of pwds, companies can reach four out of ten consumers in the disabled community.We are very confident there is a bright future developing here.

First and foremost, we must utilize and advertise to the pwd community. Although the recent 2009 Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) report of $1 trillion a year in spending has been criticized as “happy fluffy numbers” because it included family and friends, that should be the point of the study. Disability appending DOES include family and friends.They are