DEAF LIFE AND SILENT NEWS PUBLICATIONS

Autumn Nichol Cultural View of Deafness

WHAT DO WE NEED?
The need for media sources.
Two men make it possible.
Julius Wiggins = Silent News Matthew Scott Moore = Deaf Life

Julius Wiggins
Born Toronto, Canada on September 19, 1928. Born deaf Belleville School for the Deaf in Belleville, Ontario. WWII began- Became a soldier Post war- Became a furrier under his fathers practice Age 20, Moved to New York Deaf Gathering in NYC met wife Harriet
Have 3 children

How did the idea spark?

On a family trip to California, the Wiggins stopped in Los Angeles to visit relatives Harriet saw a billboard reading, WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY?
Why not have a Deaf newspaper???

Got a large council together

Everyone didnt believe they could do it
Convinced people to buy shares in Silent Press Started the organization

 First issue January 1, 1969

Headline Silent News is Born

Columns ranged from financial advice to how to have a positive outlook on life Paid subscribers: 7,000 Monthly readers: over 30,000
Problem Those who bought the articles passed it on to their neighbors. Therefore, less people need to buy the monthly issues
One article even asked readers to subscribe rather than pass the articles on

Later Years
3 competing Newspapers
Silent News DeafNation Newswaves

Only one victor SILENT NEWS!

Internet started
Formed a webpage to keep up with the times

Great advertisement for deaf vendors of deaf and hard of hearing products and services

Death of Julius
On October 13, 2001 Wiggins passed away
Publication stopped
Deaf community lost one of its most important cultural icons

Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD)

Launched a print paper (SIGNews) in late 2003. Some of the writers and artists who had been featured in Silent News appeared in SIGNews

Some of todays best-known deaf bloggers had their start as writers and cartoonists in Silent News

Matthew Scott Moore

Born deaf to hearing parents- no deaf relatives
Did not see this as any hindrance though

Rochester Institution of Technology (RIT)

Major: Social Work Minor: Photography/Film

1981 Founded a new independent organization: The Student Communication Center

Desired for a way to give Deaf students hands-on experiences with print and video media

BIGGER PICTURE
DEAF PRODCAST

DEAF LIFE
After graduating college- Wanted to start a weekly magazine focusing on Deaf community topics 1984, Produced the first pilot episode.
hour long Magazine-format Open-caption Focused on Deaf issues during the time

June 23, 1984 the episode aired on primetime on WOKR, Rochesters local ABC affiliate

Deaf Life Magazine

Moore dreamed of making Deaf Life a weekly magazine At that time, there were no Deaf Magazines published by deaf individuals
However, there was no funding available for Moore and his co-workers
The Olympics was in session and local organizations had just donated a lot of funds towards that

July of 1987, a dream became reality

Sent to subscribers for $2.50 an issue Had a high pass along rate (just like Silent News)

Other Languages
Deaf Life Japan
January 9, 2010

Both Major Sources for the Deaf Community