In several American cities, it is now possible for blind people
to read current major newspapers with any touch tone phone.
Below is information about the Newsline technology, followed by
an application form for this free service to print disabled
individuals. Once registered, one can call any of the Newsline
systems, paying only whatever phone charges normally apply.
Regards,
Jamal
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From the web page http://www.nfb.org/nlbroch.htm
Newsline Brochure
Extra! Extra!
The National Federation of the Blind's
Voice Telephone Newspaper Service
Newsline for the BlindŽ
Totally Electronic Synthetic Speech Service
NewslineŽ provides today's, yesterday's, and the previous
Sunday's issue of each newspaper
The user can easily select newspaper, section, and article of
interest.
Now Available Throughout the Country
USA Today
The New York Times
The Chicago Tribune
The Los Angeles Times
The Toronto Globe and Mail
The Washington Post
PLUS MANY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS!
Seven days a week
24 hours a day
Free Service to Those Who Cannot Read Regular Print
Newsline for the BlindŽ Network
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
410/659-9314
Now Blind Have Access To Newspaper Information
Lifetime learning, including detailed awareness of current
events, is part of what makes a good citizen, a successful employee
or employer, and a valuable participant in community life. Without
ready access to information, none of us can reach his or her full
potential. Until 1995, the nation's blind people did not have the
promise of ready access to a fundamental source of such
information--the daily newspaper. But now the National Federation
of the Blind (NFB) has created NewslineŽ.
NewslineŽ is at last making it possible for blind
individuals to gain access to the information in newspapers at the
same time as their sighted colleagues, friends, and family members.
Blind professionals, for example, can converse on relevant topics,
no longer being under-informed about information critical to their
professions or left out at social functions when the latest
editorial is discussed. Beyond this a wealth of other information
primarily found in newspapers is now also available to the blind on
an equal footing, making possible their participation in the life
of the community on the basis of equality.
[photo captioned "Now, those who are blind can browse through
newspapers quickly, finding timely information not easily available
before NewslineŽ"
Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind]
NewslineŽ Provides National and Local Newspapers
The national NewslineŽ network now provides USA Today, the
Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los
Angeles Times, and the Toronto Globe and Mail. Three of the six
national newspapers are provided to each local site as a part of
the ongoing service, and if a center would like the other national
newspapers, this can be arranged for an additional fee. Also, local
newspapers can be distributed through the same service. In addition
to carrying the news, local sites can use one or more special
channels to distribute announcements of specific interest to the
blind.
NewslineŽ Needs Partners
New local sites must be funded. Members of the National
Federation of the Blind are working to establish new centers as
quickly as possible. To do this, it is necessary to obtain funding
commitments from interested organizations, agencies, and
individuals. In light of the need and the cost-effective benefits
of the NewslineŽ network, the National Federation of the Blind
must develop partnerships. For more information call the NFB at
(410) 659-9314.
NewslineŽ Uses Synthetic Speech and Menu for Choices
The NFB has designed this revolutionary, totally electronic
system to receive digital transmissions from newspapers on the
morning of publication, reformat the data for conversion to
synthetic speech, and transmit the information to a Local Service
Center (LSC) which is a local call away for blind persons. The LSC
redistributes the newspaper over a conventional telephone using
synthetic speech. Blind and visually impaired individuals become
eligible for this free service by filling out a simple application
which is sent to the Newsline headquarters in Baltimore. Soon
thereafter the individual is sent his or her NewslineŽ
identification number and security code. This enables those who
cannot read conventional print to have access to newspapers on
Newsline in their home communities as well as in any other areas
served by Newsline when traveling throughout the United States
and Canada.
The Newsline user can easily choose which newspaper,
section, and article to read with the use of a standard touch-tone
phone. Each day, with his or her morning coffee, the user can
choose among the various newspapers and that day's, the previous
day's, and the previous Sunday's issue of each newspaper. The menu
provided allows the user to change the speed and voice quality and
even spell out words. Because of the rapid electronic transfer
technology used by the NFB, all of the text articles in the current
day's issue of the participating newspapers are available early
each morning.
The Newsline Service:
Options and Costs
Newsline is a free service to individual subscribers. The
cost of providing the service, paid from local sources, includes
(1) one-time initial establishment costs, and (2) ongoing
operational costs.
One-time costs include an initial establishment fee of $30,000
for a 24-line system. This covers the installation of fully loaded
equipment, technical assistance, upgrades, the set-up for three
large national newspapers, repair, maintenance, and (if needed)
replacement of all equipment and software--all provided with a
minimal demand on the sponsor. In addition, the local sponsor, i.e.
local NFB chapter, governmental or private agency, library,
newspaper, or nonprofit, will be responsible for the cost of
installing the telephone lines. Also, if additional national
newspapers or local newspapers are added to a NewslineŽ site, a
one-time initial establishment charge of $5,000 per paper will be
charged. The ongoing operational costs of a NewslineŽ site
include a network service fee of $12,000 per year. This fee covers
the ongoing delivery of the basic service, including three national
newspapers; management of the material placed on the local channel
of NewslineŽ; and general operation of the service. A charge of
$5,000 per year is made for the ongoing delivery of each additional
national newspaper, and a $2,000 yearly fee is charged for the
ongoing delivery of each local newspaper. Local newspapers are
defined as those located within the state of the NewslineŽ site,
or, in the case of very small states, small newspapers in the
immediate area. The only other required charge for a Newsline
site is the ongoing cost of the phone lines, which is paid directly
to the local telephone company chosen by the NewslineŽ site
sponsor.
To summarize, the cost to a sponsor to set up Newsline with
three national newspapers and one local newspaper would be:
One-time 24-line LSC establishment fee $30,000
One-time local newspaper establishment fee 5,000
First year's network service fee 12,000
First year's local newspaper service fee 2,000
Total establishment and first year's network fees $49,000
plus costs of establishing and operating 24 local user telephone
lines and one local service transmission line, estimated at $7,500.
Yearly ongoing costs for this LSC would be approximately $19,000.
For More Information About NewslineŽ
Call (410) 659-9314
NFB National Headquarters
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
http://www.NFB.org
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From the web page http://www.nfb.org/newsap.htm
Newsline Application Form
National Federation of the Blind
NATIONAL NEWSLINE FOR THE BLIND NETWORK(R)
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
APPLICATION/REGISTRATION FORM
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
HOME PHONE( ) WORK PHONE( )
I am registered with a state or private vocational rehabilitation
agency for the blind.
[ ] Yes [ ] No If yes, please give name below:
I am enrolled in a public school special education program for the
blind or state residential school for the blind.
[ ] Yes [ ] No If yes, please specify
I am registered with a cooperating regional library under the
program of The National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.
[ ] Yes [ ]No If yes, please specify
If you answered no to all the above questions, you must include
with this application a letter from one of the following certifying
that you are blind.
* Your doctor
* Social Security Award letter
* President of a local chapter or state affiliate of the
National Federation of the Blind
I certify that I am blind or visually impaired and unable to read
a printed newspaper.
SIGNATURE DATE
OFFICE USE ONLY:
ID# SEC# DATE NUMBERS GIVEN
PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.
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