OPB has decided to end its Golden Hours reading service for the blind by April 30th. From the memo:
When Golden Hours began in 1975, the blind and visually impaired had
few options for receiving news and information. For many years prior
to the rise of the internet and prior to OPB radio becoming primarily
a news and information service, Golden Hours provided one of the only
options for the community it serves.Today, the number of TV news channels has skyrocketed, the Internet
has exploded, thousands of books and magazines are now offered on
tape. Advances in synthesized voice have led to new telephone and
online news services (like NFB Newsline, a telephone service that
provides audio of several Oregon-based newspapers such as The
Oregonian and The Statesman-Journal). Media habits among the blind
and visually disabled are also changing, albeit at a slower pace than
the sighted population, towards a greater use of on-demand media and
time shifting.As we reviewed potential options, it became clear that OPB can provide
a greater public service by promoting the services of organizations
already serving the blind and visually impaired community. For
example, the Talking Book and Braille Library, run by the State of
Oregon, currently serves about 6,000 of the estimated 50,000
Oregonians eligible to receive this free service. Similarly, only
800-900 people have signed up for the NFB Newsline.By June 30, OPB will launch a website of resources available for the
blind and visually disabled in Oregon and SW Washington. By this
fall, OPB will launch a cross-platform marketing campaign to address
this need. Promoting these services will help connect more people to
the services that can help improve their lives. This is an important
role for OPB to play in the communities we serve.
I volunteered at Golden Hours Radio back in the mid-90’s. A friend and I hosted the Sunday morning program and a weekday afternoon program for about a year. We’d read everything from the New York Times to the Oregonian’s TV guide. It was a great deal of fun – very much enjoyed working with other volunteers and staff. My hope is that OPB goes out of its way to help the paid staff find positions elsewhere.