Radio for the Print Impaired U.K.

National Talking Express are in the process of setting up a radio service for the English speaking community, who find normal printed material difficult or impossible to access.

Radio for the Print Impaired U.K will transmit around the clock, initially on the Astra satellite. Once established, we anticipate cable companies will take up the service, which will be eventually supported by advertising. As well as making the programs available via the Internet (click here for MP3 streams already sent out via ACB radio in New Zealand), the advent of D.A.B. will make the project an ongoing development to eventually include immediate listener interaction.

Our aim is to provide access to the sort of information generally available to the print-reader , such as newspapers and leaflets, magazines and the like. We do not intend to provide a "cover-to-cover" service for all material, as this would cause problems with copyright. Organisations of and for the blind, with whom we have already made contact are keen to use the facility.

As well as visually impaired, we plan to provide for those with other disabilities such as dyslexia, strokes, parkinson's disease victims - in fact, any person for whom printed material has proved to be an access problem. The anticipated program format in the main will be in eight hour blocks repeated three times a day; there will be a "live" element in the form of a "phone-in" with experts to give advice on particular subjects such as benefits, rights, gardening and various hobbies and other pursuits, computers and associated technology, child care, etc. The week-end programming will be much more participatory and probably not stick strictly to the eight hour repeat format adopted for week-days. We have modelled our thinking on services provided by Voice Print in Canada (Canada's National Radio Reading service based in Toronto) and several local providers on the air in the States.

As the Radio for the Print Impaired U.K. project will cost around £400,000 for it's first year of operation, we are seeking financial assistance in the form of grant aid and sponsorship. If you are willing to sponsor us, or able to assist financially, we would be happy to arrange a meeting to discuss the project further.

For further information please contact :
Paul David on +44 (0)20 8933 9126
or E-Mail: alec@bridgewooda.freeserve.co.uk

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