Talking Information Center receives International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) Program Award for "Best Newspaper Presentation, The Boston Globe"

The award winning Talking Information Center for the Blind (TIC) recently added another honor to its roster, continuing what has become a long-standing tradition for the network. TIC’s most recent award was presented by the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) at its yearly convention, which was held in Lawrence, Kansas in June.

TIC Programming Assistant John Shea accepted the IAAIS Program Award, on behalf of the Talking Information Center, for "Best Newspaper Presentation, The Boston Globe" featuring volunteer readers Joan Shea of Norwell, MA and Marc Provost of Marshfield Hills, MA.

“We feel very fortunate to consistently be in the ranks of IAAIS Program Award winners, joining a select number of reading services from around the world,” notes TIC Executive Director Ron Bersani. “We are particularly proud of the talented volunteers who make these programs possible for our visually impaired listeners.”

The Talking Information Center serves the listening needs of over 20,000 visually impaired and print-handicapped listeners by broadcasting newspapers, magazines, books, and special consumer information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and Connecticut through its seven network affiliates.

TIC’s Award Winning Readers
Joan Shea of Norwell, MA has volunteered at TIC since 1999, bringing listeners The Boston Globe every Thursday (as well as the Metro West Daily News on Tuesdays). Formerly an employee of Federal Government, Joan is a retired mother of four, and grandmother of seven. In addition to her volunteer work as a reader at TIC, Joan also volunteers at South Shore Hospital, which is where she first heard about the Talking Information Center, and also at the John Alden House.

Marc Provost of Marshfield Hills, MA started out volunteering at TIC by reading for a variety of programs, including substituting for the morning papers. Marc is now a regular, reading the Boston Globe on Thursdays. A technical writer, Marc often works with the scientists at Woods Hole preparing grants. The proud owner of four Shetland sheepdogs, Marc’s interests also include natural history, antiques, and philosophy.

With only three fulltime employees, TIC relies on hundreds of volunteers to deliver daily reading and information services to its listeners throughout Massachusetts.

About IAAIS
The International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) is a volunteer-driven membership organization of services that use audio technology to turn text into speech for people who cannot see, hold or comprehend the printed word and who may be unable to access information due to a disability or health condition. IAAIS currently represents over 140 reading services in countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa.

IAAIS encourages the establishment and preservation of audio information/radio reading services as a cost-effective means of providing people with date-sensitive information and programming developed to enrich the lives of consumers.

About TIC
In 1977, Ed Perry, the founder of radio station WATD-FM in Marshfield, MA, donated his Subsidiary Carrier Authorization signal for use as the first radio reading service in New England. TIC began broadcasting in 1978 for four hours daily, Monday through Friday.

Currently, over 20,000 listeners in Massachusetts rely on the Talking Information Center (TIC), which broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to visually-impaired and print-handicapped listeners including those suffering from AIDS, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, paralysis or other physical illness that makes holding a publication or turning pages impossible. TIC provides listeners with special receivers that are small radios tuned only to the Talking Information Center.

The Talking Information Center (TIC), located in Marshfield, MA, is a non-profit reading service that broadcasts newspapers, magazines, books, and special consumer information covering specific subject areas such as obituaries, medical updates, jobs, stock market updates, sports, supermarket specials, voting guides, community newspapers, and television programs. In addition, TIC broadcasts book readings every evening as well as cultural programming including old-time radio drama, theater, and poetry.

TIC is the hub of the Massachusetts Reading Network, broadcasting to all of Massachusetts as well as southern New Hampshire and Connecticut. Operating similarly to other broadcast networks, TIC has affiliates throughout the state of Massachusetts that provide inserts of local news and information that is of interest to listeners in their area. TIC has also added a website, featuring a live audio stream, selected archived programs, and links to other service organizations, including all TIC affiliate stations.

TIC affiliates include: Audible Local Ledger (ALL), Mashpee, MA; Audio Journal, Worcester, MA; Berkshire Talking Chronicle (BTC), Dalton, MA; Connecticut Radio Information System (CRIS), Windsor, CT; Lowell Association For The Blind (LAB), Lowell, MA; MetroWest Radio Reading Service, Framingham, MA; and Radio Reading Service Goodwill, Springfield, MA.

The Talking Information Center is located at 130 Enterprise Drive, (P.O. Box 519), in Marshfield, MA 02050. For more information about TIC please visit www.ticnetwork.com, email general@ticnetwork.com, or call 800-696-9505, or 781-834-4400.