(repeat)Deaf Group Sues...

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Marie sent me this article to scan. This is the USA Today version of what

was already posted.

Mikey A

Hearing-impaired wage fight in theaters

Eight Oregonians sue the three largest chains to install closed-captioning

By McMahon USA TODAY

Eight hearing-impaired residents of Oregon who want the closed-captioning

technology in-stalled in theaters nationwide sued three of the nation's

largest movie-theater chains Thursday.

Now available in a few movie houses nation-wide, the devices project

captions from the rear of the theater onto individual screens. The acrylic

screens, similar to those used in TelePrompters, reflect the captions while

allowing users to see through them and view the movie.

Promoters say the screens do not block the views of other patrons, and the

system also provides blind users with descriptions of the movies via

infrared headsets.

" In the community of the deaf and the blind, this is huge, " said Larry

Goldberg, director of media access for the Boston public television

station, WGBH, where the technology was in-vented in the early 1990s. " For

people who have never been able to go to the movies, or who have lost their

sight or hearing growing up, this a return to the magic of Hollywood. "

The class-action lawsuit was filed in Portland under state and federal laws

prohibiting discrimination against the disabled in federal court. The

chains named are Regal Cinemas of Knoxville, Tenn., Century Theatres of San

, Calf., and Carmike Cinemas of Columbus, Ga.

The lawsuit is not seeking monetary damages, said Portland attorney

Dennis Steinman, whose parents are hearing-impaired.

" We just want access to the technology, " called Rear Window Captioning,

Steinman said.

He said his clients had written to the chains, all with theaters in Oregon,

but had never received any response.

Spokesmen for all three chains declined to comment Thursday because

officials had not seen the complaint. " I know my company looks at all these

things, " said , senior vice president for human resources at

Regal Cinemas. He said the chain, with more than 400 movies screens. is the

nation's largest. The technology; which costs about $15,000 per theater; is

in use at about 48 theaters and in Disney theme parks nationally, said

Goldberg.

The General Cinema chain introduced it to movie theaters in Sherman Oaks,

Calif., in 1998 and now has it in 10 theaters. " It's been a great success

for us, " spokeswoman Robin Lang said.

Among the General Cinema theaters with the new technology is the Cinerama

Theater in Seattle, refurbished last spring by Microsoft billionaire

.

Besides installing the new technology; paid $15,000 to have the

latest Star Wars film - Episode I The Phantom Menace - captioned when it

opened in his theater.

" This technology is here. This technology is cheap and the time has come

from these theaters to respond " to federal and state discrimination laws,

said Steinman, " by installing these devices in movie theaters across the

country. "