RIS based its programming on its motto "Independence Through Information". Given that many visual impairments tend to be age-related, RIS's services were specially tailored to their needs. One of the most popular programs was the daily newspapers where a pair of narrators read local and regional newspapers, including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Other programming included popular magazines, ads from grocery, drug and department stores, TV listings and other special interest publications. Additionally, RIS provided translations of printed material to Braille or audio recording.
Historyedit
At its founding in 1976 RIS was broadcast from the campus of Duquesne University to whom it paid rent for space and a small fee for transmitter use on WDUQ-FM. Around 1991, the University told the small non-profit that it no longer had room for them on its campus and gave it 30 days to vacate. Protesting loudly, the service was able to convince the University that 30 days was not ample time to relocate. Following a year of emergency fund raising, design, and build-out, the station moved to the Birmingham Towers on the Southside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
In 2004, facing a lack of funding and a possible shutdown, the board of RIS began exploring possibilities of partnering with another organization. On November 1, 2005, RIS entered into a Management Agreement with WDUQ. This agreement allowed the reading service to remain a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a governing board responsible for all fundraising and community outreach while WDUQ was responsible for the day-to-day RIS business operations, including programming, services, personnel and volunteer management.
However, by 2009, the service was no longer able to sustain operations, and the service went inactive on August 14, 2009.[1]
Other Radio Information Service - for the blindedit
^Crawford, Amy (2009-08-07). "Out of money, reading service for blind ends on Pittsburgh radio". TribLIVE. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
radio, information, service, this, article, external, links, follow, wikipedia, policies, guidelines, please, improve, this, article, removing, excessive, inappropriate, external, links, converting, useful, links, where, appropriate, into, footnote, references. This article s use of external links may not follow Wikipedia s policies or guidelines Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message The Radio Information Service or RIS was a reading service for the blind in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania that was carried via subcarrier on WDUQ in Pittsburgh RIS Logo Prior to closing in 2009 the RIS weekly audience was 1 200 listeners with two thirds of the audience over 60 years of age Most listeners lived in Allegheny Washington and Westmoreland Counties but RIS also served nine other counties in the region including Armstrong Beaver Butler Cambria Fayette Greene Indiana Lawrence and Somerset RIS also serves parts of Ohio and West Virginia Listeners accessed RIS through a special FM radio receiver over the Internet on Comcast Cable systems or through the RIS Telephone Dial In Service Contents 1 Programming 2 History 3 Other Radio Information Service for the blind 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksProgramming editRIS based its programming on its motto Independence Through Information Given that many visual impairments tend to be age related RIS s services were specially tailored to their needs One of the most popular programs was the daily newspapers where a pair of narrators read local and regional newspapers including the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review Other programming included popular magazines ads from grocery drug and department stores TV listings and other special interest publications Additionally RIS provided translations of printed material to Braille or audio recording History editAt its founding in 1976 RIS was broadcast from the campus of Duquesne University to whom it paid rent for space and a small fee for transmitter use on WDUQ FM Around 1991 the University told the small non profit that it no longer had room for them on its campus and gave it 30 days to vacate Protesting loudly the service was able to convince the University that 30 days was not ample time to relocate Following a year of emergency fund raising design and build out the station moved to the Birmingham Towers on the Southside neighborhood of Pittsburgh In 2004 facing a lack of funding and a possible shutdown the board of RIS began exploring possibilities of partnering with another organization On November 1 2005 RIS entered into a Management Agreement with WDUQ This agreement allowed the reading service to remain a separate 501 c 3 nonprofit organization with a governing board responsible for all fundraising and community outreach while WDUQ was responsible for the day to day RIS business operations including programming services personnel and volunteer management However by 2009 the service was no longer able to sustain operations and the service went inactive on August 14 2009 1 Other Radio Information Service for the blind editRadio Reading Services American Foundation for the Blind Chicagoland Radio Information Service Live NPR Illinois Radio Information Service Detroit Radio Information Service Radio Information Service by Wabash Valley College Live Sun Sounds of Arizona Listen LiveSee also editRadio reading serviceReferences edit Crawford Amy 2009 08 07 Out of money reading service for blind ends on Pittsburgh radio TribLIVE Retrieved 2016 05 26 External links edithttps web archive org web 20120204153440 http www readingservice org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Radio Information Service amp oldid 1186538724, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
