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Most
of us rely on our local newspaper to keep in touch with what is
happening in and around the area in which we live, providing information
which does not reach us by means of television or radio. This is the
really local news from which the visually impaired are completely cut
off unless they happen to have a relative or friend who can spare the
time to read to them regularly. The "talking newspaper" fills
this gap, and plays an important role in helping to restore their
independence as well as creating the opportunity for them to continue to
take an active interest in the community. Every fortnight The Chichester Area Talking News Association produce an hour of local news and features on cassette tape or CD for blind and partially sighted people in the Chichester District. They also produce a quarterly magazine programme. Edited
versions of CATN programmes are broadcast everyday on Chichester
Hospital Radio. |
Graham Brooks (producer) and Pat Bowman (presenter) putting the finishing touches to the CATN magazine programme. |
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The CATN news programme in production |
The
CATN programmes are put together, at their studio at St. Richard’s
Hospital, by a production
team, including a producer, readers, contributors and a technical
operator. The programme is recorded on to a computer and
the resulting sound file is then copied onto cassettes and CDs. These
are then inserted into special wallets and posted free of charge to
listeners who play them on their cassette or CD players at home - in
other words "the newspaper they cannot read". Listeners
return their cassettes or CDs by posting them back in the wallet using a
personal return address label and droping them into the nearest post
box. It is returned free of charge to the studio. The recording is then
erased from the tape and made ready for the next edition. The
Chichester Area Talking News programme is distributed fortnightly and is
a 60-minute programme with the main content made up of local news and
features taken from the Chichester Observer, Bognor Regis Observer, and
the Midhurst and Petworth Observer. Also included are an information
desk, special items behind the news, and features on gardening, nature
and fashion. The CATN quarterly taped magazine INSIGHT contains articles of general and local interest.. The 75 minute iprogramme is produced In addition to the newspaper. |
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The
catchment area for listeners and news items is Chichester
Area Talking News has a team of Area Helpers to introduce our service to
new listeners and to look after the needs of existing listeners. If you
are not already a listener and would like an Area Helper to contact you,
or if you know of a friend or relative who would benefit from our
talking newspaper, please write or email us and include the following
details: Name, Address, Post Code and Telephone number. |
Please write to: Chichester Area Talking News Studio, St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 4SE Telephone 01243 775050 or E-mail: studio@catn.org.uk
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Donations
are a very welcome source of urgently needed money. If you are able to
make a donation, however small, your gift would be very much
appreciated. If you would like to find out about being a volunteer
please write or e-mail us with your details and and we will get back to
you. When
it was first distributed in 1975 CATN was delivered to 42 blind and
partially-sighted people. Today the postal distribution is in excess of
500. The
service continues to be free and all help is voluntary. Money is raised
through annual fundraising events and donations. Funds are raised to provide an efficient and centralised
headquarters complete with top-quality equipment for recording,
duplicating, and administration. Financial help continues to be required
to meet the cost of replacing cassettes, CD’s and wallets and for
office maintenance. Membership is open to all visually impaired people. All listeners, and volunteers working for the association, are automatically members of the Talking News. There is no subscription, but donations are always welcome. |
