UPDATE: Missed the show? Be My Eyes is proud to present the full 2-hour broadcast audio of One World: Together At Home, with complete, professional audio description from WGBH. A huge thanks to the Global Citizen team, Comcast/NBC Universal, ViacomCBS, Descriptive Video Works, and most of all, Sumaira Latif and everyone at Procter & Gamble who made this audio described program possible.
According to the World Health Organization, there are 2.2 billion people worldwide living with a vision impairment. That’s why, when you put on a concert for the whole world, accessibility really matters.
But how do you describe a live, 8-hour event? That’s where we come in!
One World: Together At Home kicks off Saturday, April 18, promising inspiring and heartwarming stories from the frontlines of the COVID-19 response, and appearances from some of the most well-known global artists. The event is curated by Lady Gaga and hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert. How could we possibly ensure accessibility for such a marathon? The answer is, lots and lots of volunteers.
So this weekend, we’re teamed up with Global Citizen to offer a unique audio described experience via the Be My Eyes app.
We’ve recruited a team of personal audio describers, as part of our “Specialized Help” feature for visually impaired users in the Be My Eyes app. There, specialized volunteers will be on call during the event, ready to describe anything users want to know about the event. They will read the lineup, help access streams and content, and answer questions about what’s going on in the broadcast.
We’re also encouraging our users to call upon volunteers today too – to tell them about the event, talk to the volunteers about the importance of staying safe at home, and maybe even enjoy a few minutes of the show together!
To promote this effort and encourage broader awareness about the importance of accessibility, the Be My Eyes family will be broadcasting live on YouTube throughout the day. Subscribe to our YouTube to receive notifications.
You can watch One World: Together At Home on YouTube, Facebook or dozens of other platforms.
For more info about what One World: Together At Home is all about, and how Global Citizen has succeeded in raising millions of dollars for the World Health Organization through this effort, head over to Global Citizen’s website.
To hear more about the history of audio description, captioning and accessible broadcast media, listen to our newest episode of the 13 Letters Podcast with Larry Goldberg.
A special thanks to Procter & Gamble, Global Citizen and all our other friends and partners who have made this possible.
