| AATV IS CONNECTING |
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| AND BUILDING BRIDGES |
Mission: American Abilities Television
Network (TM) a
service of Mirusmedia, is a broadcast internet provider. Our objective is to create and disseminate multi media content to
help, inform, educate, empower and entertain the 30 million plus Deaf and Hard of Hearing people across the nation.
Vision: AATV will tap the state of the art digital technology world
to expose the issues and topics relevant to the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Community.
What
We Do: By using the latest broadcast digital television cameras and equipment, computers and software we will produce
weekly AATV Shows, and a series of Documentaries, Promotional Videos and Live Events. AATV is also creating new and innovative
broadcast internet content by using Animation Software for new and educational Cartoons, Digital Video Games and Music
Videos on and about issues featuring the Deaf & Hard of Hearing world.
History: Richard J. McCollough, an award
winning Broadcaster/Producer/Director created AATV in the fall of 2002. McCollough was leaving the NBC affiliate
in Rochester, NY in the fall of 2002 and began to search for something to do for the rest of his life, but it had to help
people in some profound way. He came up with AATV to help and inform people. "I have invested a great deal of
my own money, time and effort in the past 5 years, because I believe in the need", he says. "I had conversations
about my goals over the years with a number of people in the community from Dr. Al Simone, now Former
President of RIT, Dr. Alan Hurwitz, President of NTID, Dr. Harold Mowl, Principal at RSD,
Dr. Robert Panara, Professor Emeritus at NTID, Susan Miller and the late Marcia Dugan from
Hearing Loss Association of America as well as grass roots activists in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community and they
all have pledged support for my effort, because they know I am sincere and very determined to make it a reality". McCollough says further "for decades the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have
been neglected and underserved when it comes to broadcast programming, but now AATV is a new source to help fill the
gap in programming". We want AATV to be a reliable and credible source in addition to what is currently out there.
The Team: Richard is
joined by award winning Associate Producer, Christopher Morrison as well as a
young and creative production team.
The Future is Syndication: In Rochester, NY, a place with a
high concentration of Deaf & Hard of Hearing, the response has been fantastic. Our efforts are now
focused on getting AATV shows syndicated from coast to coast.
Richard's
Personal Experience with Hearing Loss: While working on this AATV programming in 2008 I had the most frightening experience,
I suddenly had a severe hearing loss. I had trouble hearing the phone, people talking to me and it even affected me on the
air as a Broadcast Meteorologist while working at WSPA-TV 7 CBS in Spartanburg, SC. I was scared. I had to tell my collegues
at the station to speak up and I had to turn the volume up on the tv the phone and the IFP, a device we place in our
ear much like an hearing aid to hear the producer talk to us. I actually was a bit embarrased and only told people
I had to tell about the affliction. Wow dosent that sound familiar! I found out I had an unusual build up of wax in my
ears which caused the experience due to the new make-up for HI-Definition Television. I cleaned my ears and slowly my hearing
returned to normal. However, ironically in those 2 days, I have had a taste of what it is like with not hearing
well. It made me more dedicated to the cause of helping the Deaf & Hard of Hearing with this programming.
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