Massachusetts Reading Network

 I caught a short ID on WLLO around 2:00 AM and was surprised to hear that there was not a reading program but a reading network program which had been operating under my nose for years. After this ID they proceeded to read the highlights from the Boston Herald Newspaper .


TIC Network ID


The Talking Information Center turns out to be an award winning radio reading service. They broadcasts the reading of printed materials over a network of numerous affiliates including both radio and cable TV. Their programming runs 24/7. As I've noted in a previous post, reading services for the blind are few.

The network began in 1977, on 95.9 WATD-FM  under the watch of Ed Perry.  Knowing there were no reading services station in his area, Ed donated his SCA signal for that use. Ron Bersani, a teacher at Marshfield High School helped start the program. Their own biography summarizes these humble beginnings.

"TIC began broadcasting June 19, 1978 from a tiny third floor room at WATD with two borrowed microphones, a beat up cassette deck and an old reel-to-reel recorder. Broadcasts consisted of four hours daily, Monday through Friday."

 While no longer part of the network today, they remain a great oldies station on par with WVLT. Three primary affiliates make up the network today:

• 1530 WVBF-AM
• 104.3 WRRS-LPFM
• 102.9 WLLO-LPFM

WRRS-LPFM is owned by the Berkshire Benevolent Association For the Blind, Inc.which is operated by TIC. WVBF-AM is actually owned by Rhode Island Public Radio engineer Steve Callahan.  It signed on in 1981 as WCEG-AM, but was off air by 1988 and was subsequently deleted in 1991 under the ownership of Middleborough Broadcasters.In 1992 it was re-licensed as WVBF-AM under Callahan.WLLO-LPFM is owned and operated by Londonderry highschool. They aren't listed on the TIC website but that's where I clipped the ID so I am certain they are affiliated. They signed on in 2004 and are also carried on their local cable TV network.

Reading Services for the Blind

Braille was invented in 1816 by Charles Barbier. Several improvements were made to the language by Louis Braille including the addition of Musical notaitons in 1821. Braille allowed the blind to read books, magazines and newspapers. But radio made innovations to serve them as well. but with the growing popularity of books-on-tape how long will this novel public service last?

*Currently the FCC actually requires hat one SCA [Subsidiary Communications Authorization] channel in a community (not necessarily on an NCE station) had to be kept for a radio reading service for the visually impaired. http://reader.ku.edu/oldsite/scatech.htm#sca

The first two on this list offer Radio Reading Services as a primary service. The rest as a secondary sideband service that requires a special radio. Other services as noted.

WYPL 89.3 Memphis, TN
http://www.memphislibrary.org/wypl/index.html
The West Memphis Public Library started this station as a closed circuit service reading for the blind. In the beginning, the Memphis Lions Clubs bought specially made radios for visually impaired individuals. By the mid-1980s, there were about 11,000 listeners and 4,000 on the waiting list for the special radio that only carried the service. These days they reach about 2.4 million homes.

WRBH 88.3 New Orleans, LA
http://www.gnofn.org/~wrbh/
On September 12, 1982, WRBH signed on the air. since then they have been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including being named the 257th Point of Light by President George Bush in 1990.

WWNO 89.9 New Orleans, LA
http://www.wwno.org/
Began offering a reading service on their side band in the 1970s with help from Robert T. McLean. The same Dr. Mclean went on to found WRBH.

WLRN 91.3 Miami, FL
The only reading service for the blind in South Florida and airs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
http://www.wlrn.org/rrs/

KDPS 88.1 Des Moines, IA
http://www.kdpsradio.com/
Iowa Commission for the Blind established a reading service in the 70s.
The service may now be defunct.

WVIA 100.3 Scranton, PA
The estemed Pell reading service launched in 1981. It is supported by a grant foundation of the same name. http://www.wvia.org/resources/prrs.html

WDET 101.9 Detroit, MI
http://www.wdetfm.org/dris/index.php
The Detroit Radio Information Service, a radio-reading service for people with disabilities. Provided by Wayne State University.

WTEB 89.3 New Bern, NC
This reading service is receivable by either sub-channel radios which are loaned free to qualifying individuals, or by televisions which have second audio capability.
http://www.wteb.org/blind.asp

KNOW 91.1 Minneapolis, MN
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/stations/knowksjn/
This may be well the first one adding the service possibly as early as 1969. Reports indicate it may currently be suffering from interference likely caused by a translator on 90.7. The repeater runs christian K-love branded programming via satillite....

WIGH 88.7 Lexington, Tennessee
(no info)