UPDATED! Volunteers for project to help the blind...........

Austin Grammer · **Voice Talent** Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 39

UPDATE: See this thread over in the Bulletin Board Section for instructions on how to participate in the pilot episode!
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic4981.html

"The News From The WWW From The Voices Of The WWW"

The Gig: I'm looking for 10 to 20 VO artists that are willing to volunteer 5 to 10 min of their time once a week to read one news article of their choosing from any Internet news site. You read / record it, send it to me, and I'll edit everyone's articles together into a hour long program and distribute it via the Internet to as many Radio Information Services / stations that will air it. This is a volunteer thing, I won't make any $ and neither will you, just donating our time / services to help other people. Reply to this thread if you are interested and if I get enough people lined up I'll contact everyone and work out the logistics.

Background: When I got my home studio setup about 6 months ago and signed on with V123 and launched my VO biz, I also signed up as a volunteer with the local Radio Reader service in my town. Most communities have them: local people of all backgrounds volunteer their time and come to the service / station and spend 30min to an hour reading local newspapers, magazines, and books. The recordings are then broadcast on a "sub carrier frequency" of a regular broadcast radio station to special receivers that are tuned to pick up the Radio Reader station (this is how Muzak / background music in stores and restaurants started before moving to satellite). The people who have these receivers in their homes are blind / visually impaired and rely on them as a way to stay up to date on the news. I have been reading / recording / producing my own 30 min program called "The News From The WWW" for the past few months. I enjoy reading the news sites like Yahoo Most Popular News, Drudge, Digg, etc. I just bookmark news stories that I think are interesting, and then when I have some free time in between VO projects, I read the articles I bookmarked.

I would like to expand the show to a hour, and had the idea to see if other VO artists would be interested in helping out. The directors of these services like the idea of the show as it gives it's listeners a chance to hear some of the news that is the buzz on the Internet. My show is currently on 3 services in Illinois reaching a potential audience of over 45,000 people in Central & Southern IL and in the Chicago area. If I got more people involved I would try to get it on more services across the country:

http://www.thechicagolighthouse.org/default.asp?page=crisradio
http://www.will.uiuc.edu/community/services.htm
http://www.wsiu.org/index_siris.html

As VO professionals, we have all the gear needed to read / record the news in our own home, so we don't have to physically go to the reader service to volunteer!
You can pick any story you like, anything that you find interesting. Basically, if you would e-mail it to a friend, you could record it for many other people who might also be interested. I try to keep in mind the target audience of the service (senior citizens) and also try to avoid breaking or fast changing news stories in order to give the show more
shelf life as one of the stations airs the show on Tuesdays and the other on Thursdays.

I would envision the VO volunteers introducing each of their stories like this: "Hi this is Mike Johnson from Chattanooga, TN and mikejohnson.com with a story about X"

Here is a script I use along with the articles from this weeks show (I ad lib transitions between the articles):

"The following is a production of the IL R R.

Hi, I'm (my name) and I hope you'll join me as I spend the next half hour sharing some of most read news stories from the World Wide Web. While not necessarily the top stories of the day in the mainstream news, these stories are sure to be entertaining, thought provoking, and sometimes just plain silly.

Here is a rundown of the headlines from the stories on today's show: (read headlines)

Will foreclosures spark an arson boom?
http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/09/news/economy/birger_arson.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008011013

Iran aims for summer satellite launch: Ahmadinejad
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSDAH13854820080211

Police Go Live Monitoring D.C. Crime Cameras
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/10/AR2008021002726_pf.html

14-Year-Old Thief Shamed At Orange Co. Intersection
http://www.wesh.com/news/15243803/detail.html

Passing the Torch: Kennedy's Touch on Obama's Words
http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=4259093

Georgians want access to Tenn. water
http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/NEWS0201/802080435

(ad lib intros and read stories)

That's all the time we have this week for The News From The World Wide Web. I'm (my name) and if you would like to get in touch with me, feel free to contact me through my website at www.mywebsite.com. This has been a production of the IL R R. This program is intended solely for the use of Radio Reading Services and those people with Vision or Print Impairment."

David Bosco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 281

Austin:

Yes, I'd be interested in becoming part of your effort. I think it's a great idea. Presently, I participate in radio programming for the blind and print-handicapped. One day a week, two half-hour shows on CRIS Radio (Connecticut Radio Information System) out of the Danbury studio. It's similar to what you have described, basically "closed-circuit" radio.
I am enjoying the experience and helping others at the same time, but there's very little feedback from a relatively small audience.

I am not familiar with the on-line news websites you are referring to. Obviously, this is your baby, but may I make some suggestions?

Once you get your team together, perhaps you could supply us with a list of websites that will contain articles that should be of interest to the target audience. In that listing, perhaps some sort of indication that a particular news item or article has already been submitted by someone else and accepted by you, to avoid duplication.

Or, it may make more sense for someone to be the editor, perhaps yourself, making the decisions on what will be read for a particular issue and sending those assignments out to your team on a rotating basis.

I believe commentaries from nationally known or good local columnists would make the program more colorful. Also, amusing articles, observations on everyday life experiences from good writers.

Please let me know when you are ready to get this going.

Thanks,

David Bosco

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008, 12:00 (GMT) Post subject:

For YEARS I volunteered as a radio reader for the Blind and Visually Impaired in both Birmingham, AL, and here in Atlanta. I haven't done it in years and would enjoy the chance to get involved again.

I've been very blessed with my v/o career and if I can use my talents to help the visually impaired then that's the very least I can do.

I'd like to try to get involved, Austin.

Tom Pagnotti · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 220

Great effort Austin, and I too would be happy to help.

You know David – back when I was in CT at WTIC, I was one of the first readers for CRIS (when Ron Milligan was director). I did a piece called The Back Pages. The lighter fluffier stuff and the comics. My co-host, and this is how far back is goes: Mayor George Athenson. (spelling?)

... showing my age! Rolling Eyes

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

Sure, Austin --
I used to rercord textbooks ffor the blind/dyslexic at RFB&D in Princeton, NJ. I always loved that kind of work.
Count me in,

Cameron Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 479

I'd be very happy to help out--count me in too!

Cheers,
Cameron

David Bosco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 281

Tom:

On Wednesdays at 10:30 AM, "The Back Pages" is my thing. Yep, they're still doin' it! Also, on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM, I do a segment called "Market Time" where I read sale-priced items from the Sunday inserts for CVS, Walgreen and Rite Aide pharmacies.

Takes you back a little?

Erik Sheppard · **Voice Talent** Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1317

Great idea and effort. Sign me up as well.

Craig Koepke · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 422

Hey what about me? I would love to join in. I am in contact also with a local area volunteer reading group.

Craig

Thomas C. Gass · **Voice Talent** Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 179

If you're in need of German voices as well, count on me Wink

Thomas

Scott Paxton · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 187

Wonderful idea. Count me in. That reminds me, I haven't gone out to the nursing home to sing for the residents in a few years. Life is short. Learn all you can and share it with everyone.

Thanks

Craig Koepke · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 422

I just checked in with the manager of Iowa Public Radio at the University of Northern Iowa. They have an ongoing program as well so you might want to check with your local college or university. They are glad to assist you.

Lee Gordon · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 1549

Kim White · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008, 20:31 (GMT) Post subject:

Austin,
Count me in! Could give us each a genre/topic so we don't double? I'll take human interest/religion for $200 Alex... LOL!

Great idea!

Claire Dodin · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 400

I'm in too if you don't mind the French accent. Will you give us the stories to read? (with 20 people, chances are we'll pick the same stories otherwise) Very Happy