The TAPING RECORDER May 31, 2002 No. 2-0501
News from and about Taping For The Blind, Inc.

ROAD TRIP -- This time we have had our intrepid reporter out and about and
on assignment in Minnesota! We start this edition with a report from Jim
Martinez, Radio Manager, on his trip to the International Association of
Audio Information Services convention in Minneapolis.

IAAIS CONFERENCE - BEST SELLERS MINNEAPOLIS MAY 9-11, 2002
By Jim Martinez

For the third consecutive year, I attended the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
AUDIO INFORMATION SERVICES (IAAIS) yearly conference. It was nice to see
old friends and meet new ones. This year one of our board members, David
Gillmore, attended the conference with me. David worked at the National
Association of Educational Broadcasters for several years. We felt he would
have a better understanding of issues that we are facing on a local as well
as a national level.

This was not your typical conference. In years past the workshops and
seminars dealt with a variety of topics. This year it was essentially two
topics: digital radio and Secondary Audio Programming (SAP), including the
future existence of our signal on both types of broadcasting.

Digital radio is the future of all radio stations. It is the equivalent of
High Definition Television (HDTV) in the television market. As of right now
the first shipment of digital radios will be a hybrid of analog and digital
signals and will appear on the market sometime in 2003. The reason they are
a hybrid is because not all radio stations are capable yet of broadcasting
a digital signal. In order for a radio station to carry a digital signal,
the current transmitter must be replaced or modified. That's where we come
in or don't come in, as the case may be. HTBR's signal can be heard on a
subcarrier or sideband signal of KUHF. Our question about KUHF is, when the
time comes to carry a digital signal, will they continue to broadcast our
analog subcarrier signal? This is not only a question for us but for all
radio reading services around the country. The IAAIS will submit comments
to the FCC later this year. This process will take several years, but the
IAAIS feels we need to be on the threshold of the digital future.

The second topic that was discussed was our ability or, once again, lack
of ability to be heard on the SAP option on all stereo televisions or
VCRs. As you know, we can be heard on Channels 8's SAP option. As some of
you may also know, our signal is interrupted by Descriptive Video Service
(DVS) on some of their programs. Some of our volunteers have told me when
they go home to hear their program, they end up hearing the audio
description of the particular program that is being shown on Channel 8. In
the past this was just a minor occurrence, but recently it has happened on
a regular basis. As of April 1, 2002, the FCC mandated that all major
networks as well as PBS (in the top 25 markets) must carry 50 hours of DVS
per calendar quarter. The networks can pick and choose the particular
programs or hours. In the coming months or years, DVS will continually and
more frequently disrupt HTBR's signal on SAP. As I mentioned regarding
digital radio, the IAAIS feels we need to be proactive on this important
issue. If you would like to help with these two issues, the IAAIS has asked
that you write your senator or representative. If we don't make our voices
heard at the beginning stages, they may never be heard.

As all of you know by now, we are in the process of converting our analog
equipment to digital. One of our recording booths has the new equipment. We
have ordered seven new digital machines. They will replace the reel-to-reel
recorders. This means all readers who record their program on reels will be
trained on the new equipment. By the end of the summer, all radio readers
will use the new machines as well. Custom Recording readers will be trained
in late summer and into the fall. They will continue to use cassettes until
we convert all recording booths to the new digital equipment (and we will
continue to be able to furnish cassettes to our clients, but they will also
have the option of getting compact disks). Don't worry, the new equipment
is not difficult at all just ask the readers who are already using it.

Finally, the American Council of the Blind is having their annual
convention in Houston. The IAAIS is looking to man a booth at the exhibit
area. This is a good chance to meet some of the people who benefit from
your reading and to give information to people from other cities on how
they can contact the reading service in their area. If you are interested
in helping us, please call us at 713-622-2767 and ask for Jim.

As usual, thank you for helping us "Turn Sight Into Sound."

***

Thanks for a great report, Jim!

CONVENTION APPROACHES -- As Jim mentioned, the American Council of the
Blind will hold their national convention from June 29 to July 6, 2002, at
the Adam's Mark Hotel (2900 Briarpark, off Westheimer), so it isn't far
off. We have been asked about attending, so here is the scoop. The
exhibition hall is open to all, they just want to give you a name badge
before you enter. You may also attend other regular sessions without cost,
but if you would like to have a regular name badge, we request you
register. The pre-registration fee is $20.00 and this registration is
available on-line at:
http://www.acb.org
This will allow you to buy tickets for any of the terrific tours we have,
as well as the Friday night banquet. The registration fee at the
convention is $30.00, so you could save a few bucks by registering
early. If you want to have a voting registration, you can join the Houston
Council of the Blind for $7.00 and this membership in ACB will allow you
voting privileges.

Volunteering opportunities are available, as Jim noted in his
article. We would also welcome volunteers to help in the Houston Council
of the Blind booth (call Bob Bartlett at 713-645-6370). General volunteer
duty at the convention is also welcome (call Dr. Ed Bradley at 713-697-2424).

Also, Taping is calling for HELP! Volunteers are needed to help
distribute headsets to patrons of Taping's audio description services
during the ACB convention June 28 - July 6. There will be 6 described
performances - including the Galveston Outdoor Musical production of "No,
No, Nanette" (on Friday, June 28); NASA IMAX movie; the Houston Museum of
Natural Science IMAX "Kilimanjaro"; and a dinner production at The Great
Caruso. No public speaking is required, nor is technical knowledge
needed. This is a great opportunity to work alongside other volunteers and
to mingle with visually impaired clients. See Cynthia or a staff member at
Taping if you
are interested.

While at the convention, we suggest you go check out the audible
pedestrian signal that will be installed to cover traffic on
Briarpark. This is part of a demonstration project and is being done in
conjunction with the City of Houston and TranStar. After examining vendor
offerings in a real world setting, we will be selecting a vendor and hope
to see a number of intersections covered with these signals.

SYMPATHY -- The sympathy of the entire Taping family goes to Kate Rodwell,
volunteer describer and front desk help, on the death of her husband of 27
years. David Rodwell was killed on May 24 in a car accident near Little
Rock, Arkansas.

MOVING ON -- Congratulations to Jeff Clarke, CEO and General Manager at
KUHT, Channel 8, who will become President and CEO of San Francisco's
public broadcasting station KQED on June 10, 2002. Clarke is a past
president of Taping's Board of Directors, having served in that capacity
for two years. He is currently on Taping's Advisory Board.

LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING -- Doctors can be frustrating. You wait for six weeks
to get that appointment, and the first thing the doctor says is, "I wish
you had come to see me earlier."

RLB