About

 

Our vision

A radio reading service for print disabled people focused on providing regional and national news and current affairs.

Introduction

NZ Radio for the Print Disabled (NZRPD) holds a license from The Ministry of Economic Development http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms to broadcast on 1602 MHz from its station in Levin. 75 volunteers broadcast weekly at the station, providing 22 hours a day of local, national and international news and current affairs to the print disabled community. The Station is governed by a constitution and is a registered charity with the Charities Commission http://charities.govt.nz/. A management board is elected annually at the AGM of the organization. A station manager (a volunteer and board member), reports to the board and is responsible for the management of the station and for employing station staff.   There are 2.5 staff with varying backgrounds and experience in access radio.  The Station Manager is responsible for the overall management of the station on a day-to-day basis, supported by a technical officer, board treasurer, and the board chairperson. These are all volunteer positions.
The station offers the community the following services:

• A dedicated radio reading service for the print disabled
• Training and skills development for volunteers
• Promotion and information on local community events and services

Our operating mission

• To meet the information needs of people suffering print disabilty
• To be contemporary and innovative in all areas of station operation
• To be responsive and flexible in responding to the needs of our community
• To be cost effective
• To value people

Programming

The RRS is on air 127 hours a week and provides a balanced and wide variety of programmes using daily and current information covering local, national and international topics produced and broadcast to a professional standard.
We work in partnership with our listeners, staff and volunteers using material sourced from, and in co-operation with the publishers of local and national newspapers, magazines and periodicals, authors and publishers of books, newsletter and local information from community organizations and local government, Radio for the Print Handicapped Australia, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, a variety of American Radio for Print Disabled programme producers and provide a range of religious based programmes on Sundays.

AIM – To provide programmes  covering a range of current, local and international news, special interest topics, social issues, ethnic stories and information, children’s stories and religious articles using approved printed material from newspapers, magazines, newsletters and periodicals and approved Australian, European and American broadcasts via satellite and internet.
Programmes to cater for the needs of people with print disability, new migrants where English is a second language, the elderly and physically disabled, men, women and children, Maori, Pacific, Asian and European listeners, listeners who are time poor and those for whom access to papers, magazines etc is difficult.

Programming guidelines

• Articles must be read in their entirety and not edited.
• Author and publisher to be acknowledged when programme recorded
• Reader and date recorded in ‘programme record book’
• Programmes must be stored in ‘Mainstore Computer’ for 35 days in accordance with Broadcasting Standards Authority Regulations, to allow for complaints or reference if required
• Complaints to be acknowledged in accordance with the Broadcasting Standards Authority Regulations. See RRS policy guidelines
• Any changes – ie one off programming – eg St Patrick’s Day – are made in consultation with PA’s and Station Manager. (See programme Schedule)
• Deletion of or addition of a programme to be made in consultation with PA’s and Station manager. Date and reasons noted in ‘Programme record book’
• RRS to switch to Radio NZ ‘National’ for after hours programme

History of NZ Radio for the Print Disabled