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We wish to enter the New Statesman New Media Awards in partnership with VIP on Air in the category of Accessibility. Based in Glasgow, VIP on Air Community Radio Station recently celebrated their 2nd On-Air birthday. However what makes VIP’s birthday a little more special is the fact that they were Europe's first radio station operated by and targeted towards blind and visually impaired people.
VIP was set up over 2003/2004 with the support of Glasgow City Council, The British Wireless for the Blind, Guide Dogs and Visibility, while their staffs are employed through the RNIB.
The studios for VIP were equipped by Clyde Broadcast and needed various modifications in order for blind presenter’s to be able to use it. Radio Broadcast desks, levels, metering etc are all historically visual indictor’s which in this case were unsuitable for the operator’s.
The studios were based around Clyde’s ECLIPSE analogue mixers with one studio having an extended table to allow discussion programmes. The ECLIPSE was modified to send signals to an interface designed by Clyde – the VIM (VIP Interface Module).
The VIM works by receiving messages from the mixer, transcodes them and then triggers appropriate message. It works in conjunction with both VIP’s music playout software and JAWS audio software designed to help blind people use computer’s. The VIM replaces visual indicators with audio commands through headphones for example, if the microphone level was too high, the operator would hear a command in their ear-piece telling them to turn it down.
“We couldn’t have operated without the modifications, especially for those who are blind or seriously partially sighted. I’m almost totally blind and I can operate every part of the desk – I’m able to run the show with CD’s, mini disk, carts and the hard-drive while operating the phone lines, the ISDN and dealing with four guests, a lot of which I probably wouldn’t have been able to do. Experience has a lot to do with it as well but as we try to encourage people who have never done it before to take part, the audio indicators make it less daunting. The voice cues in the ears are pretty helpful especially for cueing up the next track in pre-fade, or letting you know if you’ve got an incoming call or telling you ‘overload’ if your levels are peaking”, Alan Russell, Broadcast Producer.
VIP on Air first broadcast on the Internet in November 2003. Soon after, they were providing a 2 hour show for BBC Radio Scotland to broadcast once a month. And the success that arose from that, urged VIP on Air to apply to broadcast regulator Ofcom for a five-year FM Community Radio Licence. These licences allow small not-for-profit station’s to broadcast up to a 5km radius on the FM bandwidth. After eight month’s deliberation, VIP on Air was awarded their full-time licence in July 2006. They hope to go live on FM around autumn 2006 with some changes.
The current mix of programming comprises reading the newspapers, reading from books, undertaking discussion programmes, letting listener’s know what’s on TV and covering topics of interest to the blind community.
VIP on Air has not only brought career paths to blind and partially sighted people but has also given a disability group a voice and does it through a route of entertainment. Clyde Broadcast has enabled members of VIP on Air to operate equipment which traditionally uses visual aides.
Sarah Davenport
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