INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AUDIO INFORMATION SERVICES
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD PRACTICE
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
3
1. Administration
4
2. Technical Operations
16
3. Volunteerism
28
4. Programming
35
5. Development
38
6. Copyright
7. About the Original Authors
46
51
2
INTRODUCTION
IAAIS Mission Statement
The mission of the International Association of Audio Information Services shall
be to encourage and support the establishment and maintenance of services
which provide access to printed information for individuals who cannot read
conventional print because of blindness or any other visual, physical or learning
disability.
The International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) has served the
needs of reading services for blind and visually impaired consumers since 1977.
Originally there were only subcarrier transmissions on FM stations. In addition to
traditional SCA broadcasting we now have internet streaming and pod casting,
telephone dial-in services, personal reader networks, synthesized speech, digital
television channels, cable channels and main channel FM and AM services.
At the core of all these services is the provision of accessible print media for a
population who would otherwise go without. Reading through these pages you
will hopefully find ideas and challenges - the ideas we offer freely and the
challenges we'd like to help you through. This document was written by those
currently in the field of audio information originally under the auspices of the
IAAIS Mentoring Committee and at this time under the IAAIS Education
Committee with input from various members. It does not claim to be fully
inclusive and should be viewed as an educational vehicle that offers basic
guidance to operating an audio information service. IAAIS has a strong and rich
history of supporting start-up and established services by way of information and
advice.
This is the third revision to this important document. It represents the expertise
of many of our members and we appreciate all who have participated in the past
and the present.
3
ADMINISTRATION
By Bill Pasco
Rev. 2015 Bill Pasco and Trish Speight
Radio reading and information services encompass many different specialized disciplines that are
peculiar to the communications industry or the rehabilitation field. However, all organizations, no
matter how big or small and no matter what their specialty, must be administered. Administration
principles are a constant no matter what type of organization is being discussed. Administration reaches
into every area of an organization; and good administrative practices are essential to the long-term
success of all organizations.
Every manager is involved in administration. Many non-manager staff and volunteers are also involved
in administration. We should not confuse administration with supervision. Supervision is a function of
administration, but only one.
Administration is the act of organizing and coordinating our work so that our goals are accomplished.
Administrators act in support of those goals and the staff executing those goals.
Good administration adapts itself to the particular type of organization involved and adjusts for the
particular issues that type of organization faces. However, the basic principles of good administration do
not change. If they are forgotten, ignored, compromised through ignorance, or the compulsion of the
moment, the organization will flounder and may collapse altogether.
It has been said that administration in the non-profit field is by nature very hard, very low paying, and
that a non-profit organization is a place where only the desperate will want to work. The administrators
that believe this are mistaken, and most likely are poor at administering their organizations. The fact is,
that if properly administered, a non-profit organization can be a wonderful place to work for its
employees and volunteers and an effective, innovative, and appreciated organization.
Though this chapter is predominantly concerned with administration and management, a word to the
importance of leadership is in order.
Leadership
Leadership and management are not at all the same thing. Management is concerned with the nuts and
bolts of establishing and maintaining systems for the efficient and effective operations of the
organization. However, management by itself has no soul. A manager is concerned only with efficiency
and numerical proofs of success. A leader, on the other hand, is concerned with the purpose and vision
of the organization.
A leader must understand why the organization exists, why its work matters, and be able to
communicate that purpose and vision in a way that makes other people, employees, volunteers and the
public want to work to support that vision and purpose. An effective leader is never happy with the
4
status quo, but is constantly seeking to push the organization to reach its potential and achieve its
vision. A manager will say “we do not have the resources to accomplish that.” A leader will say, “How
might we obtain the resources to accomplish that or succeed in spite of limited resources.”
Not everyone has leadership skills, but they can be learned. We encourage those reading this chapter to
never settle for just being a good manager. Strive, become a good leader and your organization, and you
personally, will grow and benefit.
ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES
The bulleted lists of principles below are time tested. Follow as many of them as possible and your
organization will be well on its way to success.
Administration covers the following list of sub-disciplines:

Budget and Finance

Human Resources Management

Forecasting and Planning

Office Operations and Information Systems
The chief administrator for an organization must seek advice and expertise from the following
professionals

Attorney

Accountant

Insurance broker

Banker

Comptroller

Information Technology (IT) professional
Expertise on these issues and from these disciplines must either be on staff or available through
consultants. Sometimes, this expertise will be donated by community-minded professionals, but if not
donated, it must still be obtained, even if the organization must pay for it. If your audio information
service is a part of a larger organization, some of this assistance may be provided for you.
Attorney

Legal advice on organizational design such as incorporation, not-for-profit status, government
relations, etc.

Review of contracts, leases and letters of agreement which bind the organization.

Advice on liability and risk assessment of policies and practices of the organization.
5

Representation of the organization in adversarial situations with ex-employees, government
entities or other organizations.
Accountant

Implement a system for proper accounting and bookkeeping practices.

Assist administration in handling cash flow issues.

Provide administration regular balance reports so administration can adjust to changing
conditions and unexpected expenses.

Annually review the organization’s books and financial procedures to certify the organization’s
financial status, and alert administrators of issues which could result in financial damage to the
organization.

File 990 tax forms to the IRS.
Insurance Broker

Advise administration on liability and assess potential risks to the organization.

Secure insurance coverage for:
Business Owners Policy –protects property from loss due to theft, vandalism, damage resulting from
fire, etc.
Liability coverage for personal injury of employees, volunteers, or visitors to the facility.
Workers compensation coverage for employees injured on the job.
Health insurance coverage for employees and their families.
Liability insurance for directors on governing boards or staff working on behalf of the organization.
(Directors and Officers Liability)
Banker

Assist administration in managing cash flow problems with short term or line of credit loans.

Secure longer term loans for capital improvements when necessary.

Advise administration on investment options permitting growth of the organization’s cash
resources while allowing sufficient liquidity to operate properly.
Comptroller

Prepare the organization’s payroll, making sure that proper tax withholding, cafeteria plan
deductions, vacation/sick leave, and other payroll issues are handled and tracked properly.

Annually prepare W2 and 1099 forms for distribution to employees.

If you do not have this expertise in house, there are many firms which can be hired to prepare
and track the payroll of a small organization.
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IT professional

Design and implement local area network (LAN) system supporting office operations, broadcast
operations, internet connectivity, and increasingly telephony.

Maintain servers, printers, and desktop computer equipment and software.

Insure organization remains in compliance with licensing provisions of software.

Advise administration on possible new applications of computer equipment and software to
improve organization functions.
Budget and Finance
The Three Non Profit Expense Categories Overview
Non Profit Administrators need to know the three basic areas of expenses so that they can accurately
and effectively run their agency. Nonprofits that file an IRS 990 must allocate their annual expenses into
three categories:

Administrative expenses—expenses for your nonprofit’s overall operations and management—
for example, costs of board of directors' meetings, general legal services, accounting, insurance
and office management

Fundraising expenses—including costs for publicizing and conducting fundraising campaigns,
maintaining donor mailing lists, conducting fundraising events and any other activities that
involve soliciting contributions.

Program expenses—expenses directly related to carrying out your mission and that result in
goods or services being provided in our situations that means how much it takes to run your
service including staff, recurring costs, even utilities
Together, administrative expenses and fundraising expenses make up a nonprofit’s “overhead,” or
“operating expenses.” Most charity rating entities like GuideStar and the Better Business Bureau give
higher rankings to agencies that spend about 40% on overhead and 60% on direct program expenses.
The IRS and these charity raters know that super low overhead doesn’t mean a better run organization.
They all realize that most organizations need to spend money on operating expenses to operate
effective programs.
The desire to keep overhead costs as low as possible has had pernicious effects on many nonprofits. A
lack of overhead investment has left many nonprofits with insufficient office space, nonfunctioning
computers, staff members who lack the training they need to do their jobs properly, and the inability to
attract the most effective people for positions with the agency.
This trend is changing and many stakeholders in nonprofit organizations are interested in going beyond
the lean overhead myth to gage success not only by the financial ratios but by the results.
7
Overhead ratios can help identify cases of fraud or gross mismanagement that is why accurate financial
reports and transparency in all areas of operations are vital.
For example if your fundraising expenses far exceed your program expenses it will raise red flags to
donors and the IRS. However, we cannot forget to balance numbers with strong communication of the
outcomes and results of our programs, regardless of expense ratios.
I.

Create a detailed line-by-line budget forecasting receipts and expenses for one year. It is best to
underestimate income and over-estimate expenses. (Quickbooks has a Non Profit edition with
many tools for budgeting.)

Create a general financial forecast for the next two or more years. This is critical to the planning
and fund raising process.

Track day-to-day expenses and receipts. Surprises are to be avoided.

Create an electronic database system to track inventory items such as radio receivers, general
supplies, capital equipment, etc.

Arrange for an annual review of your books by an outside accountant.

Make sure all federal, state, and local tax forms are filed on time.

All receipts, including individual donations, grant funds, contract payments, etc., should be
logged in daily.

All receipts of cash and checks should be kept in a secure place.

Receipts should be deposited in a bank regularly; large amounts of cash and checks should not
be kept on the premises for extended periods.
II.
Human Resources Management

No discrimination should take place in the hiring, promotion, or dismissal of employees based
on disability, race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, age, or national origin.

A written policy should exist detailing that no discrimination will be tolerated.

A hiring procedure should be created and applied to all new hires. It should include a public
notice of new job openings, standardized hiring and interviewing practices, and a full check of
references.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines should be followed in the hiring,
promotion, and dismissal of all employees.

Special care should be taken to abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the
Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAA).
8

Though federal rules governing mandatory practices are relaxed in organizations with small
numbers of employees, your organization should do all in its power to make its hiring practices,
work environment, and human resources policies non-exclusive. Comply with Federal Labor
Standards Act

Comply with HIPPA (management of confidential information)

Full-time employees are those who work thirty (30) hours or more per week and fall into one of
two categories, Exempt and Non-exempt.

Exempt employees are administrative and managerial employees who are paid a flat salary
regardless of the number of hours they work.

Non-exempt employees are employees who work a fixed amount of time for a fixed amount of
money. They are not administrative or managerial.

Non-exempt employees, must by law, receive paid overtime for working over eight hours a day
or over 40 hours per week. Overtime can be paid with extra wages or compensation time.
Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the usual hourly rate.

Full-time employees should receive benefits including, but not limited to, group health
insurance, paid sick leave, paid vacation leave, and a retirement plan.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers to provide health insurance to employees
working over 30 hours per week. Failure to do so may result in your organization having to pay a
fine.

Part-time employees are those who work fewer than 30 hours per week according to federal
guidelines.

Part-time employees, by law, should be made aware of the availability of health insurance
through the federal ACA insurance exchange, or the alternative programs available in many but
not all states.

Cafeteria plans have become very popular. These are plans that allow the employee to choose
from an array of pre-tax benefits. Talk with your insurance agent or your human resources
consultant for more information.

Not-for-profit organizations are allowed to offer their employees a form of tax sheltered
retirement program called a 403B plan. This is similar, though not identical, to the 401K plan
that for-profit businesses offer. Talk with your insurance agent or accountant for more
information.

All employees have a right to an annual performance review.

Performance reviews should be used as tools to encourage better performance, not as a
punishment device.

Annual reviews should be based on performance as it relates to the job description and actual
goals and objectives of the employee, rather than on vague general standards.
9

All employees have a right to a written job description.

All employees must fill out an IRS W-4 tax withholding form and an I-9 form verifying their
citizenship status. Each state may require other forms be filed upon hiring.

The organization should provide each employee an Employee Handbook detailing general
policies and procedures and explaining benefit policies, leave policies, and grievance policies.
Each employee should sign a document acknowledging that he or she has received and read the
handbook. This will help prevent the “you never told me that” defense if problems arise.

Each employee should answer primarily to one supervisor. When an employee answers to more
than one supervisor, or worse, has no supervisor, misunderstandings and breakdowns will
occur, performance will be poor, and animosity will develop.

Discipline procedures should be clearly spelled out. No employee should be dismissed
arbitrarily. Poor performance or misbehavior should be carefully documented as should good
performance. Discipline should be graduated, i.e. verbal warning, written warning, suspension,
and dismissal. The reason for all actions should be made clear to the offender, as well as the
steps necessary to redeem him or herself.

Both hiring and dismissals should be given in writing.

Resignations should be in writing, not verbal.

Whenever an employee leaves the organization for any reason, an exit interview should be
conducted to determine what organization practices might be improved.

Employees should never be promised promotions or raises unless the organization actually
intends to promote or raise the salary of the individual.

An employee should never be disciplined or reprimanded in front of other people.

Overall, keep in mind that it is always a good idea to consult with a human resources specialist
or attorney when in doubt.
III. Meetings and Conferences

Department and/or full staff meetings should be held periodically to allow team building and
information transmission.

Meetings should not be scheduled unless there is something to discuss.

All meetings of three or more people should have a written agenda. Robert’s Rules of Order are
a longstanding traditional way to run a meeting.

When possible the agenda should be circulated in advance to allow additions or changes from
attendees.

Meetings should be scheduled for a finite period of time.
10

The chairperson of the meeting is responsible to ensure that all present get a chance to express
their views, and that no one dominates the discussion. Attacks on individuals should never be
tolerated at a meeting. A meeting should be a safe place to express ideas.

When difficult subjects are to be broached, face-to-face meetings between the individuals
involved should be the norm. E-mail and phone message warfare are destructive, do not solve
problems, and should be discouraged.

Just as with group meetings, one-on-one meetings should have a purpose. Impromptu meetings
are usually disorganized and waste time.

When the subject of either a group or individual meeting is potentially hurtful to an individual or
volatile, such as when discussing the need to discipline a volunteer, then care should be taken
that the meeting is private.

Meetings can be either a team-building tool or a destructive burden on the staff; it is up to the
administrator to make sure meetings are positive, not negative.
IV.
V.
Forecasting and Planning

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

All organizations should have a carefully thought out mission statement which states the basic
purpose of the organization.

All organizations should set a vision - what the organization aspires to become and where it
intends to go.

All activities of the organization should support the mission and the vision. If an activity does
not support the mission and vision, it should not be undertaken.

Steps on the road to attaining the organization's vision should be set as goals, objectives, etc.
These steps constitute a plan that may cover from one year to several years.

Plans should be aggressively optimistic but also realistic. Executing a plan takes time, talent,
money, etc. All of these elements must be accounted for.

It is the administrator’s responsibility to orchestrate, but not dictate, organizational planning.
The constituencies of the organization - its listeners, volunteers, paid staff, etc. - should have
input regarding the plan.

There are a number of different planning models in common use for organizational strategic
planning. It is less important which particular model is used than that some planning model and
planning activity take place.

It is sometimes helpful to bring in a strategic planning consultant or facilitator to help with the
planning process.

Low-cost seminars on the basics of good planning are widely available.
Office Operations and Information Systems
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The modern office is changing constantly as technology and administrative theories change. A modern
office puts great information handling power at the fingertips of each employee. Designing and
maintaining this increasingly complex system requires a number of skills that the office manager of
yesteryear just does not possess. As the entire area is in flux, we only intend to get the administrator
thinking through the bulleted list below.

Every employee should be expected to be able to work with computers and standard software.
But remember, there is a need to choose software and hardware accessible to people who have
a disability.

All employees should have computers available to them.

Computer workstations, in the modern office, should be networked (connected together).
Networking facilitates information exchange and shared resources but can be tricky to maintain.
It is important therefore to have an IT professional available to keep this critical system
functioning reliably. Stand-alone workstations are no longer an effective use of resources.

Either individual or network capable printers. Both ink-jet and Laser printers have become
economical and fast. Consider a multi-purpose network printer. This can provide exceptional
speed and cost savings to the entire office and includes printer, scanner, faxing and
photocopying functions all in one unit.

The organization should have an Internet provider to allow for E-mail and use of the World Wide
Web.

Internet connectivity has become dangerous in the modern world. It is critical that firewalls,
antivirus software, and anti-spam and spyware programs are used to protect your data and the
health of your system overall.

All critical data should be backed up on a regular basis and kept off site. There are many ways to
accomplish this nowadays, so consult your IT professional.
A standard software complement for a computer would include the following:

Operating System such as Windows version 7, 8.1 or 10 (avoid anything older); Linux; Apple OSX;
Google Android latest addition.

Office applications including a word processor, spreadsheet program, presentation manager,
database manager, e-mail client, and calendar program. Increasingly these applications can be used
“in the cloud” as on-line applications. However, local desktop applications are also still a good
choice.

You may need other more specialized software such as a financial tracking program, Scanning /
faxing software, graphics software, Braille Translation software, or screen reading software. The
brands and types of software are dependent on the operating system you choose though, so we
recommend no brands here.
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
Always buy as much computer as you can afford. The machine will be viable for four or five years if
you buy wisely. It is no longer wise to accept used computer equipment as a donation. Modern
computer technology is changing so rapidly that a used machine will be obsolete upon arrival.
Additional office equipment might include:

Desktop photocopier.

Fax machine.

Postage scale and/or postage meter.

NOTE: You can combine all these functions now using your computer and multi-purpose printer
which can handle photocopying and faxing as well as scanning and printing.

Record keeping is a critical function. If you keep records electronically, then make sure back-ups
are made every few days and kept off premises or in the cloud (on-line). If paper records are
still used, photocopy important documents or make an electronic version by scanning and
storing the copies off premises.

At least one filing cabinet and desk should be lockable so that personnel records, petty cash,
checks awaiting deposit, etc. will be secure.

All workspaces and equipment should be selected with an eye to accessible universal design for
employees and volunteers who have a disability.

A First Aid kit is a must!
The Telephone:

The telephone system is a very critical system. We recommend that you buy a modern, wellknown name telephone system. Avoid cheap bargain systems; you will not be happy if you buy
one.

Modern phone systems are digital, and the desk phone cannot be plugged into the standard
home-style phone jack. They require a "switch," which is a special central computer to operate.

Someone should be assigned the task of understanding the phone system thoroughly, as it will
need occasional reprogramming and adjusting.

Many systems have voice mail as part of the system. However, if yours does not, do not use an
answering machine. It may not even work with the system, and such machines are no longer
considered professional.

If you need an answering service, contact your local phone company. Very modern, reliable and
flexible systems are available as a service from them at a nominal monthly fee.

A telephone should be available at every desk.
13

Get at least three external phone lines plus a fax line. Most stand-alone fax machines cannot be
connected to the digital phone system and must use a separate line.

If your system will allow it, have the audio from your audio information service featured while
people are on hold. This is an excellent public relations tool.

It is becoming common for the computer network and telephone system to be integrated into
one system. For instance, employees can check email from home using only their phone, or get
voicemail messages in their email in-boxes.

Telephone companies, cable companies, and high-speed internet providers used to all be
separate companies. This is no longer true. It is often desirable to use just one company for your
combined internet provider and phone provider. This usually saves money and simplifies repair
and services calls.

Take a good hard look at Voice Over IP or VOIP telephone service. This technology uses the
internet to handle your phone service instead of conventional phone lines. Though VOIP initially
was less reliable than conventional phone lines, the technology has matured and can provide
your organization much better phone and computer interconnectivity.
Ergonomic and Comfort Considerations:

A modern office should be well lighted, well ventilated and should avoid crowding many people
into one room.

Water should be conveniently available for employees and volunteers. Alternatives to drinking
fountains include bottled water or free-standing water filtering systems which can provide hot
and cold water on demand for a monthly lease fee.

Setting aside an area in which volunteers and employees can relax, take a break and/or eat
without interfering with those working is a good idea if possible.

Avoid allowing telephone cords or AC power cords to run across open walkways. If a wire must
cross an open stretch of flooring, enclose it in a portable vinyl wire track available from any
office supply house.

OSHA, (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), has many employee safety regulations.
Though most of them deal with industrial rather than office settings, it is still a good idea to be
aware of these federal regulations.

The ADA, (Americans with Disabilities Act), has many standards for making the work place, and
your services such as web pages and newsletters, fully accessible to people with a disability. In
practice, the regulations are also helpful to everyone else, so do not ignore them. How
embarrassing to be sighted on ADA grounds when you administer an organization devoted to
serving people with disabilities.
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In Conclusion
This general area of interest could obviously take an entire book and we have allowed only a short
chapter. There are many good management, administration and business books available, not to
mention inexpensive seminars that can help an administrator improve his or her skills. One of the most
important administrative traits is caring for one’s employees, volunteers, and the people being provided
services. A true regard for people and belief in the mission of the organization will make up for many
other shortcomings in administrative expertise.
Resources:
The Non Profit Executive’s Ten Basic Responsibilities by Richard Moyers
Managing the Nonprofit Organization by Peter Drucker
Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Patrick Lencioni
councilofnonprofits.org (Find your local council)
GuideStar.com
Nonprofitresource.com
Nonprofitassistancefund.org
Techsoup.org (brand name non-profit priced software, hardware etc. for accounting, office
administration, human resources and donor records)
15
Technical Guidelines for Creating an Audio
Information Service
____________________________________
By: Art Hadley
Rev. 2015 Michael Todd, Jim Martinez
The primary function of most audio information services is to provide voice recordings or broadcasts of
printed material. There are several main outlets for these recordings:

standard broadcast (radio, cable, internet)

internet (live streaming of broadcast, archived on-demand audio)

telephone (dial-up information systems, on demand listening for those who don’t own
or don’t have the knowledge to operate a personal computer

Pod Casting provides an on demand digital listening option

mailed recordings (usually CDs regular audio or MP3)
In most cases, telephone system recordings will actually be recorded on a telephone, although many
telephone information systems also allow listeners to listen to archived broadcasts. Other material will
generally be recorded using standard broadcast microphones, signal processors, and/or computers.
In this document you'll find guidelines for construction of a full-featured audio information service. New
services starting up are often on a shoestring budget, and when faced with severe financial limitations,
you may find the list of studios and equipment to be more than a little out of reach. But it is possible to
start small. Let's take a quick low-budget look at our two main outlets, telephone and broadcasting.
If you want to put up a telephone information system, there are not many short cuts available to you;
you're going to have to spend a substantial sum to buy an industrial computer filled with telephone
interface cards and the very specialized software to drive it. You'll also have ongoing expenses in
providing the telephone lines to use the system. If you have a mid-sized daily newspaper you intend to
provide every day (or at least every weekday), using live volunteers to read, you'll be providing probably
ten to twenty hours of programming each day. This will be a substantial commitment in both time and
money. Still, if you're not ready to do that - you're starting small, and demand is not yet there - there are
ways you could begin providing a rudimentary service at a lower budget. For instance, you could use a
cheap PC and low-cost phone software or even a large capacity digital answering machine to set up
mailboxes with separate messages in each. The messages can be articles in different categories with a
short intro message defining the choices. The recordings can be made from any phone, so you could
hold off building studios until your budget has grown some. However, if you're trying to adapt cheap
16
consumer or business telephone equipment and software, you're going to be on your own. You'll have
to innovate and compromise, and you're not likely to find much help or others who've done it before.
For a broadcast operation, whether the signal radiates on an FM subcarrier, a TV subcarrier, or on the
Internet, it is possible to start with a very small budget and operation. No matter what the budget, big or
small, most recording, production and playback will be done on a PC. Simple audio recording and
playback are not very demanding, so even an older, slower PC may be adequate (although a large hard
drive is absolutely necessary). A service starting with a very small budget could probably obtain a couple
of PCs at very little cost. While it is essential for consistent audio levels and good quality sound to add a
microphone preamp (so the signal is strong when it hits the electronic chaos of the computer
soundcard) and a limiter/leveler/compressor (so that the volume is about right most of the time), it is
possible to record perfectly adequate voice audio using a $10 microphone plugged right into an off-theshelf PC, using a quiet office or living room for a studio. But it isn’t likely.
Remember, though, that hour-long shows make for large file size, and you'll need to network computers
and maybe record CDs to move those shows around from one machine to the next. Professional
broadcast automation software will generally cost thousands of dollars, but there is professional
software offered as low at $300, and there is probably low-cost shareware that could be used to set up
an automated "radio station."
It is often possible to obtain donations of professional equipment to start an audio information service.
However, old equipment is usually not worth the time and effort it would take to make it operable or
simply figure out how to hook it up since manuals may not be available. Broadcast consoles will
probably require more in repairs and refurbishing than it would cost to replace them with new high-tech
alternatives. Probably the only used and donated pro broadcast equipment you should consider using is
equipment racks, microphones, and microphone mixers. Shure mic mixers last forever, and often go
through several owners. They are useful items, especially for an operation starting on a shoestring.
Broadcast tape cartridges, turntables, CD players, and mini-disc players can be used to play
announcements and fill music, but so can your PC, and usually much cheaper and more dependably.
In the broadcast world, the ways our signals are disseminated are changing all the time. Since TV SAP
channels have gone largely unused, you might be able to obtain the use of your local PBS channel's SAP
for no money, which allows almost anyone with a stereo TV to hear your signal. PBS (and other
networks, on occasion) is including Audio Description on the SAP channel for some shows; your
agreement might be to carry your service any time other programming for the visually impaired is not
transmitted. The FCC has supported Audio Description, and may someday soon require a simple onebutton command on the remote to hear the SAP channel on TVs. Current TVs tend to bury it in a menu
structure which makes it all but inaccessible.
The standard FM SCA subcarrier has an uncertain future. As FM stations begin to transmit digital
signals, it is possible that the subcarriers we use will become less viable from increased interference. Yet
the digital stream may offer us new "carriers" in the future. While this means that you may be buying
17
equipment which may soon become obsolete and that methods of transmission may appear that we've
never dreamed of, it doesn't mean that your core function will change. No matter what the medium,
quality recordings of human voice will always be the starting point. So if you're starting a service on a
tight budget, you should know that your investments in transmission systems may provide you just a
few years of service, but investing in decent microphones and good acoustical treatment of studios will
provide a long-lasting return. No one would guess the ways your signal may be transmitted twenty years
from now, but if you build your studios right, they'll still be in use, with little change, for a long time.
Let's take a look at the typical functions of an audio information service, and the equipment, facilities,
and techniques involved:
I. Recording with a telephone
Your telephone information system will probably allow local telephones to be hooked up just like dial-in
units coming in through the telephone network. Or, you may have to install phones you'll actually have
to dial to get the system. Either way, get good headset telephones. If you're auditioning models, try to
find out how good the microphone sounds (they vary a lot) and make sure the buttons don't click or
clunk when you press them.
II. Recording with a Computer
Using DOS or Windows software to record standard .wav files allows you maximum flexibility to play
them back. Don't buy a system that uses a special proprietary file format. Windows .wav files can be
recorded at any frequency response or signal-to-noise setting you're likely to want, and any standard
player can play back all versions, as can most broadcast automation systems and the best telephone
systems. To avoid losing massive amounts of programming from computer crashes, simply equip every
computer with huge hard drives and keep multiple copies of shows until they air. Recording at about the
minimum quality acceptable for voice broadcast, 8k sampling at 16 bits, approximately one meg of disk
space is required for each minute of audio. At that rate, a 100 gig hard drive will hold over 1600 58minute shows, well over two months of 24/7 programming.
In both cases, most recording will be done in studios, acoustically-controlled environments. Following
are some guidelines to creating and equipping those studios.
III. Studios
There are four general types of studios you may want to consider. If you have a broadcast operation (no
matter where the signal goes, FM transmitter, FM subcarrier, TV cable, Internet, whatever), you'll
probably want a main point to control what goes out, the Control Room. Then you'll want a Production
Room. Here, you'll do any audio work that needs to be done, such as repairing problem recordings,
creating public service announcements and promos, etc. Optimally, the Production Room should be
equipped much like the Control Room. That way, if the control room is down for whatever reason,
broadcasting can continue from the Production Room. And operator familiarity is enhanced by similar
layouts. Third, you'll want Recording Studios for individuals to record on the computer or telephone. (In
some cases, you may allow telephone recording to be done from the home, if you don't mind the
18
occasional air conditioner roar, airplanes, dogs, etc. in the background). And fourth, you'll want a Live
Broadcast Studio. In a main channel broadcast operation, this studio might be used for interviews or talk
shows and should be equipped for a minimum of two readers.
For smaller agency’s you can combine the Control Room and the Production Room with a Live Studio.
Control Room

There you'll probably want a computer or three for on-air playback, recording, automation (both
unattended and live-assist), etc.
Notes on Automation: AUTOMATION SOFTWARE
Broadcast automation incorporates the use of broadcast programming technology to automate
broadcasting operations. It can run a facility in the absence of a human operator. They can also run in a
"live assist" mode when there are on-air personnel present at the control room.
Modern systems run on hard disk, where all of the programs, music, voice tracks, public service
announcements, station IDs and other announcements are stored. These audio files may be either
compressed or uncompressed, or often with only minimal compression as a compromise between file
size and quality. For radio software, these disks are usually in computers, sometimes running their own
custom operating systems, but more often running as an application on a stable OS like Windows, Linux
or others.
Scheduling allows for exact timing. Some systems use GPS satellite receivers to obtain exact atomic
time, for perfect synchronization with satellite-delivered programming. Reasonably-accurate
timekeeping can also be obtained with the use of Internet protocols (IP) like Network Time Protocol
(NTP).
In addition to running the broadcast programming, many automation systems can automatically
download audio files for playback (such as from the Program Share) and automatically upload audio for
use as podcasts.
Examples of broadcast automation include WireReady, NexGen and Wide Orbit.
And you'll want some sort of console or mixer to allow multiple sources to be controlled.

You might have some auxiliary audio sources, too, even if you won't use them very often. Some
you'll probably never need. But here are several items you might be called upon from time to
time, even if only rarely, to get audio from and feed to your broadcast chain:
· AM-FM tuner
· Weather radio
· DAT digital cassette player
· Mini-disc player (or recorder)
· CD player (or recorder)
· TV broadcast receiver
· Internet-connected computer
19
You need a clock. One cheap way of having accurate time is to spend $50 apiece and buy a half dozen
atomic clocks, the kind that set themselves several times a day from WWV radio signals. But the best
way is to get a Master Clock system, which can provide a top-of-the-hour pulse to synchronize the clocks
on your computers, too. ESE makes a lot of this sort of thing.
Production Room
Any audio work you don't do on the air is generally done in the Production Room. Ideally, the
console/mixer here would be much like the Control Room, with items wired similarly. Often, the audio
with the highest quality demands may be done here, such as a chance to get your famous senator in to
sit and record a public service announcement for you, which you'll then add music to, mix, and put on
CDs to distribute to local radio stations. With PCs and audio software, a certain amount of audio
production can be accomplished at any desk, but you'll still want one place where limitations are few.
For that reason, you might consider extra equipment you might not have in the air studio, like
compressors/limiters, digital reverb and effects, etc.
Most of that work, however, can be done on the PC. You will probably want to purchase some good
audio editing software. Cool Edit costs $75 and can do anything. For an extra $50, you can equip it for
four-track recording. Other brands of audio production software that many people like include Sound
Forge, Pro Tools, Adobe Audition and S.A.W. (Software Audio Workshop).

Add a CD burner to your computer, so you can both make audio CDs (you'll find many reasons
why you'll need to) and archive and store audio files, graphics, documents, etc.

Consider multiple microphones so you can do group interviews here.

A telephone interface would also be helpful for talk shows or phone interviews.
Recording Studios
Every studio should be equipped the same, so readers are okay with using whichever is available. Let's
just assume you don't want to record 20th century reel tapes anymore, ever. Then, here's what a wellequipped Recording Studio should be able to do, and the equipment you'll need to do everything:

Solid countertop with carpeting or padding.

Microphone with foam windscreen, stand, and acoustic isolator (mic mount)

Mic preamp/processor·

Computer and monitor with audio recording software and fast network connection to allow
files to be moved to other locations for playback and/or archiving

Headset telephone (if you operate a telephone information system)

Speaker, to monitor playback, preferably with a headphone jack which mutes the speaker;
these cost about $5 a pair at any computer store.
20

Headphones

Good lighting

Timer (not necessary for only computer recording)

Consider installing a cough switch by running the microphone wire through a small box with
a nice silent push button switch. The switch shorts the mic connections together to mute it.
Do not use such a thing on a (powered) condenser microphone.
Live Broadcast Studio
Not much equipment is necessary for this room. In most cases, recording or broadcast here will be
controlled from the Control Room. In some cases the Live Studio and the Control room are combines
into one room.
Here's the equipment you'll need:

Microphones - Two is the minimum; three is better. A third mic could be provided for
and only hooked up when needed for groups. Mics need stands and isolation mounts.

Consider hooking up cough switches for each mic.

You'll need a nice big clock in here.

You might need a big timer or stopwatch to pre-record timed shows.

Speaker that can be muted when the mics are on

Headphone jacks with volume controls: Consider hooking up the speaker and/or
headphones to a channel over which you can speak from the Control Room to cue the
talent.

A microphone mixer is needed to feed the multiple mics in this room to your console.
You could have each mic in this room be one pot on the console, but it's better to bring
all the mics in the room to a separate mixer, especially one that can compress and/or
limit, then bring that output to the console. This mixer should be in the Control Room so
you don't have to go into the studio to set the levels while they're reading.
IV. Studio Construction
This room needs is ventilation, good lighting, and silence. Whether your studio is equipped with a
computer for recording broadcasts, a tape recorder, or a telephone, you need to do three things in the
studio:
A. Soundproof - You need to keep sound out, and probably keep sound in, too.
21

Construct stud walls with isolation space between adjacent walls, or Build walls out
of concrete block or other acoustically absorbent material.

Seal all openings, like outlets and windows

Use two layers of drywall.

Spend as much as you can afford on soundproof doors; it probably still won’t be
enough.

Use multiple layers of glass in windows between studios; seal each one.

Stop sound from going into the common ceiling area. Seal ceiling area before
installing drop ceiling, or lay sheets of drywall on top of acoustic ceiling tiles.
B. Control reflections - You need to control what happens to the sound inside the studio.

Cover walls, doors, and ceilings with absorbent material.
Carpet is not a good choice; it absorbs highs only, making the room boomy.

Standard acoustical tiles are effective for the ceiling.

Use wedge foams, like Sonex or MarkertTek, on walls. Or build absorbers with
wood frames, burlap or other fabric covers, and heavy fiberglass mat and/or soft
batting inside.

You might not need to cover all surfaces; two adjacent walls may be enough since
the reflections are broken up.

Foam can be screwed, glued, stapled, nailed, tacked, or hung.

Tilt the windows to avoid reflections.

Carpet or pad table and counter surfaces.

If there's any way to do it when you're designing, avoid parallel walls. Make rooms
wedge-shaped, triangular, curved, or just skewed.
C. Ventilate - getting fresh air in and controlling temperature

Ductwork to/from adjacent studios will leak sound.

Install U-turn in each duct path for isolation, and Use padded (acoustically
dampened) ducts.

Make sure your HVAC contractor understands audio demands.

Audio/computer equipment and a person generate a lot of heat.

Airflow must be slow to prevent whistling and roaring; ducts and vents larger
than they would normally use may be needed.
22

Don't make the AC breeze blow directly on the reader
You'll also need to run some wires, so connector boxes and big conduits up to the attic or hanging ceiling
or down to the basement will help, to network your computers or feed audio in or out. And outlets are
cheap. Install enough to plug in six or eight items in the beginning, so you won't cuss about it later.
V. Broadcast and recording equipment
Buy new equipment or accept donated used goods? The used goods used to be a reasonable idea. But
nowadays, choices are more like A) Tie your engineer up for two full weeks rebuilding an old console, or
B) Buy a new Mackie from your local music store for $350. B is probably the better choice. (Or consider
Behringer clones of Mackie equipment for half the price.) If you don't have an old engineer, you don't
want old radio equipment. If you're broadcasting, you'll want a Control Room that's equipped better (or
at least differently) than the smaller recording studios. In it, you'll need some sort of mixer, most likely,
to get various sources out into the world, like microphones, tape decks, CD players, and computers.
You'll probably want a production room, too, for producing audio segments like program intros and
announcements, plus repairing problem recordings. It's handy to equip the Control Room and
Production Room similarly. Then users feel more familiar going between studios, and the Prod Room is
available as a backup control room.
Recorders
The time has passed for reel-to-reel tape recorders. If you don't have tapes you need to play, don't
bother buying any (or maybe buy one for the rare instance you need to play a tape). The same goes for
broadcast cartridge machines. If you can think of a reason why you need DAT digital tape recorders, get
some. If not, don't bother. The same goes for mini-discs. You may want to buy cassette decks to supply
your listeners with audio programs by mail:

If you want to record long blocks of programming for repeat broadcast, consider using
computers to do that. Computers can easily record everything you broadcast. You can
keep all recordings stored for rebroadcast or feed them to your telephone system for
playback on demand.
Broadcast Console
Assuming you'd need maybe 12 to 16 sources to start (with each input offering generally one sliding
"pot," or volume control, on/off switch, and maybe assignment switch to select which channel is being
fed, and maybe equalizers), you could buy a console in any of three general categories and price ranges:

High-end professional broadcast mixers, from names like Wheatstone and AudioArts,
are generally in the $20,000 range. Options may include voice processors, telephone
interfaces, etc. This sort of console is necessary to fully implement remote controls, like
to turn on and off On Air lights, mute speakers, start tape decks, etc. It is also useful for
splitting signals, like running two output channels at once.

Low-end professional broadcast mixers, like Arrakis or Radio Systems, run between
$2,000 and $4,000. In the most important ways, they're similar to the high-end units but
somewhat less versatile (and less likely to need a hole cut in a counter to mount one).
23

General-purpose recording and sound-reinforcement mixers are another option. Mackie
and Yamaha build excellent units, ranging from about $350 to $2,000. Behringer has
stolen Mackie’s innovative designs and makes them way cheaper, but they’re well built
(and they’ve settled in court with Mackie). These units are harder to "build in," since
portability is often a desirable trait. They're not made to be installed permanently like
broadcast units.

Analog units will look complex, with equalizers and effects sending channel controls for
each input. This can be intimidating but allows visually impaired operators to control
these parameters more easily than using digital equipment with tiny screens

Digital units allow for future expansion or computer control and have lots of stuff built
in. Yamaha ProMix 01, for instance, can be MIDI controlled (or be a MIDI controller). It
also can save entire setups, including all volume controls, equalizers, compressors,
reverbs, etc., and bring them up with the push of a button. The price is well under
$2000.
Microphones - Spend around a hundred bucks apiece. Much less, you'll get junk. Much more, you'll be
wasting money.

You want your mikes to be cardioid (directional) so room noise is minimized. Many fine
models are available from Shure, Electrovoice, Audio-Technica, Seinheiser, and many
others.

You don't need condenser microphones (they're not as rugged and they need outboard
power). Dynamic mics will be fine.

You will need foam windscreens and some way to mount the microphones, either floor
or desk stands, or mounted, countersprung pantograph arms.

If the mics or the mounting stands don't come with isolators, spend fifty bucks or so for
each mic to get good ones.

Your microphones, like all your other audio wiring, should stay in the balanced (3
connector) mode, using pro connectors.

Consider some headphones with microphones built in. Some readers may like them
better, since they can move around more. And it does force people to wear
headphones, which isn't easy. However, people who highly prize their hair or are germfreaks may complain about having to wear them.
Microphone Processors - Best to take the sound from each microphone and do several things with it
right away: 1) Amplify it to a much higher volume ("line level") which is much more resistant to
interference, and 2) Compress and/or limit it, to make sure your recorded levels are good and
consistent.
One nice unit is the DBX 2865, which sells in the $200 range. Many similar units are available, but most
24
are in the $500 to $3,000 range. Shure used to make a couple of mic mixers which offer gated
compression; these work quite well and offer both the extra benefit of having lots of inputs and
outputs, and the added usefulness of being handy to grab for all the other places you occasionally need
a mic mixer, compressor, or preamp, whether it's a remote live broadcast or a meeting in a hotel
ballroom. If you can find an old Shure SE30, you’ll probably get it for under $100.
Monitor Speakers - In most locations, you're going to want to monitor the sound. You don't need the
monster monitors most recording studios and radio stations would insist on. Most of your monitoring
needs can be satisfied by two levels of speaker: cheapie and small pro quality.
Cheapies - In your individual recording studios, you ought to provide both headphones and speaker for
playback. One easy way to do this is to buy cheap computer speakers with built-in amplifiers (and
volume control) and a headphone jack (which mutes the speaker). You can buy a pair of these for $10 to
$50, including the “wall wart” power supply.
Small Pro Speakers - Can't hardly beat the Fostex 6301. It's a small, tough, powerful speaker. It has a
couple of audio plugs on the back, a power switch and light, and volume control; it plugs into an outlet
and will accept almost any audio signal you can send it. Its built-in amp will generate about ten watts,
and that'll be plenty loud. It can be mounted on the wall or sit on a table. These run about $175 each,
but you won't have to budget a nickel for amplifiers. You'll want to have these in places where real
listening is done, such as your main Control Room or Production Room(s). Optional mounting brackets
let you put them up on the wall to get them out of the way.
VI. Getting the signal out
If you're broadcasting, main channel or subcarrier, the first thing you'll probably need to do is get the
signal out of your building to the radio (or TV) station. Traditionally this was done on a leased telephone
line. Cost can be anywhere from around $60 to $200 a month. The output of your line-level equipment
(console, distribution amplifier, microphone mixer, etc.) will feed this line just fine.
LIVE STREAMING
Live streaming, which refers to content delivered live over the Internet, requires a form of source
media, an encoder to digitize the content and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the
content. The audio stream is compressed using an audio codec such as MP3 or AAC.
Audio from the console or mixer must be pushed out to the Internet. One way is to use an Instreamer,
which is a small, aluminum box, created by Barix. The Instreamer takes audio from the source and
transmits it as a data stream to an Ethernet cable. The operation can be controlled by a web interface
from a web browser.
The data is sent to a Content Delivery Network (CDN). A CDN is a large distributed system of servers
deployed in multiple data centers across the Internet. The streaming station pays the CDN to deliver
25
their content to their audience. A CDN is a necessary middle-man because it offers better performance
and availability. CDNs also offload the traffic served directly from the content provider’s origin
infrastructure.
Examples of CDNs include StreamGuys, EdgeCast Networks Inc. and Velocix. Another new option is
www.radionomy.com.
To receive audio, the end user must have a computer or other hardware. Barix makes another device
called the Exstreamer. Exstreamer is a hardware IP audio straming player that receives a data stream
from an Ethernet cable and outputs the sound into a headphone line-out. The operation can be
controlled by a web interface from a web browser.
Extreamers can be used for very affordable streaming from the reading service to the host broadcast
station. They can also be used to supply the audio to hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities.
An example of the streaming audio chain:
Radio Reading Service audio -> Instreamer -> Content Delivery Network
->Extreamer -> Audio out to host broadcast station or other facility.
Another way to feed the Internet or relay your signal to another station, is to use a separate
computer. Another way to transmit audio to the Internet is through the use of a dedicated computer
via a sound card.
If you put up a RealAudio feed, you must use a RealAudio server. You'll need a separate computer in
your plant running RealProducer software (basic version free) to generate a stream of data, which will
then be relayed on your Internet connection to the RealAudio server. Or, if you have a fast enough
connection, you might use that computer to generate a dozen or so Windows Media streams directly,
with no expensive downstream server. Again, the software is free at both ends. Or you could use
Shoutcast software to generate a streaming MP3 signal and send it to a relay service, such as Live 365,
which will generate multiple streams.
Radio and TV stations usually don't depend on the phone company to get their signal to the transmitter
building. They use an STL, a Studio to Transmitter Link, usually microwave. If you've got a few thousand
to spend (up to many thousands), you might consider this option. Monthly operating costs may
ultimately provide big savings over ongoing phone line rent.
DTV
Another subcarrier option to transmit your signal is digital television (DTV). The digital TV conversion in
2009 was the switchover from analog (the traditional method) to exclusively digital broadcasting of free
over-the-air television programming. Since that time all television stations have multiple channels (For
example Channel 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 etc). Your signal can be put on one of these channels. It takes very
little bandwidth from the TV station and the TV station can promote your station as a public service.
Your local PBS station will most likely provide a channel. If not, try a commercial TV station.
26
To feed an Internet stream or send your signal to another station, you might need a separate computer.
If you already have a computer you will not need to purchase another computer. A common option
with reading services is to use a Barix Box.
The Barix box will have to be connected to your network router on your end and another one connected
to the network router at the receiving station (NPR for example). The reading service and receiving
station will each need a computer for the initial set up. After the set up the receiving station neither
station will no longer need a computer to operate the Barix Boxes. You will need to type in the IP
address of the Barix in your browser to connect it (http://www.barix.com/).
Buying a Barix Box is a one-time purchase and there will be no need for a monthly fee to a phone
company or another internet service provider.
27
VOLUNTEERISM
By Letty Graham Corona
Rev. 2015 Andrea Pasquale, Cindy Johnson
The quality of an audio information service depends largely on the skills and abilities of its volunteers.
Volunteers participate as readers, non-readers and serve as members of the board of directors.
Non-readers can provide assistance with office work, outreach, radio repair, receiver delivery, public
speaking engagements and fundraising. There may be technically oriented volunteers who have an
interest in training in the technical aspect of your audio information service such as sound editing or
programming.
I.
Recruitment

Put together procedures including recruitment campaign, standard reading test, volunteer
handbook, training and broadcast assignments, and formal separation procedures.

Don’t start recruiting volunteers until you’re ready to move them right into your screening and
training procedure.

Don’t let poor “customer service” ruin your recruitment effort, answer initial phone calls within
24 hours.

Compose a public service announcement (PSA) that answers the volunteer’s unspoken
questions: “Why should I volunteer for you?” “What will I be doing?” “Who will benefit by my
volunteering?”

Send out your “user-friendly” announcement to radio stations, newspapers, local cable stations,
church bulletins, company newsletters, local colleges and universities, local magazines,
retirement groups and civic organizations. Some cities will include notices for charitable
agencies in the monthly service bill for utilities.

As your service grows, you will also recruit through personal referrals, public speaking
engagements and health fairs.

When a prospective volunteer calls, avoid “red flag” words like “need” and “desperate” that will
scare them away.

Reassure volunteers that, if accepted, they will be thoroughly trained and that you will support
them as they join the world of audio information services.
28
II. First time in the Studio and Auditions, Standard Reading Test:

Invite them to listen to your broadcast online or to sit in with an experienced volunteer, or staff
member to see what they would be doing

Have the new recruit fill out an application that has them list a realistic amount of time they can
donate to the service, special abilities, hobbies and willingness to serve in other non-reading
areas.

Give reading instructions and necessary reading characteristics that you are looking for.

It is recommended (and many feel it is essential) that they not pre-read test material. One of
the most vital abilities required is the ability to read aloud without previous preparation and do
it well.

Prepare an oral reading test with print material that would be normally read on the station. For
example, have them read an article from a newspaper.

Sometimes you may want to have a more formal audition and you can include excerpts from a
newspaper, book or short story, magazine article and a list of commonly mispronounced words.

Prepare a standardized scoring sheet for the reading test and ideally only select readers who
exhibit very strong reading skills. Many smaller services do not have this luxury. If you feel you
have the time to teach and correct issues invite them in to practice and work with a trained staff
member.

Keep your standards high. It’s ok to turn away a prospective reader with speech issues or if you
feel they would need too much training. If they are nice or enthusiastic about the service, offer
them some other ways to help– your listeners deserve the best.
III.
Orientation:

Call your newest volunteer with the good news and schedule an orientation meeting.

Increase new volunteer confidence by acquainting them with your service through a handbook.

Provide them with guidelines for developing their potential as a volunteer.

Give them a tour of the station and introduce them to key individuals at the service.

Have them observe broadcasts, give them a loaner radio, or direct them to your online stream
to listen in and to make them well acquainted with the programming.
IV.
Training: Effective training is essential for building a skilled and talented body of volunteers.

A training program needs to be flexible - evening and weekend training hours are essential.
29

Some volunteers will need more training than others - not just in reading but in the operation of
equipment.

Periodic workshops are important for all volunteers to maintain and upgrade skills.

A training handbook and clear written instructions on the operation of equipment will give new
volunteers the confidence they need.

Review with the new volunteer what your expectations are and the goals of the service as well.

Explain to the volunteers that if their skills or behavior does not measure up to standards, they
will be reassigned or asked to resign from the volunteer core.

Be prepared to decline potential volunteers whose skills may not be adequate or cannot be
improved upon.
V.
Scheduling/Substitutes:

A staff person should be put in charge of volunteer scheduling.

If your organization is very large or just starting out one or two volunteers can be earmarked for
assisting in scheduling.

All programs should have volunteers assigned on a regular basis each week.

Compile a list of substitute volunteers who can read on short notice.

List of substitutes needs to be broken down into categories based on your specific program
needs. For example you may not have any live productions or you may have many. Category
examples are:
~The type of need: on-air or pre-recorded shows
~The type of material to be read: newspaper or magazine or book
~The availability schedule of the volunteer for last minute sessions.
VI.
Supervision

Supervision of volunteers is essential for quality control of programming.

Periodically give the reader a CD or have them listen online to their program and have them
critique it.

On-air checks can be used with live broadcasts

Volunteers have a right to know how they are doing. Offer constructive feedback after the check
or evaluation
30
VII.
Recognition : Support, recognition and appreciation are instrumental in attracting and
maintaining a loyal and enthusiastic volunteer base. Some ideas are:
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Informal everyday acknowledgement of volunteers is the most powerful and effective way of
saying, “thank you!” say it before they leave the office.
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Time is the greatest gift we give one another – spend a little time and briefly chat with
volunteers when they come in.
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Using humor and creativity in recognition demonstrates that you have put time and thought
into personal recognition.
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Yearly awards receptions, potluck gatherings, and holiday parties are popular.
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Gifts such as mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, pens, calendars, tickets (donated) to concerts,
movies, sporting events and plays are good ways to thank.
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If they display a special interest let the volunteer develop a program and let them tape a pilot
program.
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Keep candy, throat lozenges, tissues and goodies in a handy spot.
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Involve volunteers in long-range planning of your agency. A newsletter is a great way to let them
know what is going on behind the scenes.
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Nominate a volunteer or the entire core for community, state and national recognition.
VIII.
Volunteer Record keeping
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Record keeping is an important aspect of volunteer program management.
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Data collected can be very important to the entire organization.
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Recordkeeping can:
Evaluate program effectiveness
Document volunteer’s effectiveness
Justify expansions of programs
Provide information for public relations/media contacts
Demonstrate “community support”
Be used as “in-kind match” in grants and funding proposals
Help in long-range planning
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Volunteer records are usually kept on computer data base program systems.
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The following are suggestions to maintain a useful volunteer file:
date: when did the person begin volunteering (useful for awards)
name and address: the correct spelling of the volunteer’s name, work and home address as well as
phone numbers, FAX, mobile number and e-mail
hobbies/skills: here is a place to uncover the hidden talents of volunteers
time availability: when can the volunteer work? days, hours, serving just a specific number of hours?
emergency contact: who should be called in the event of an emergency
Listed below are a few useful on-line resources for volunteer management…good luck!
Go to:
http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/
http://cvacert.org/ - Certification for Volunteer Administration
http://blog.lodestar.asu.edu/
http://www.501commons.org/resources/tools-and-best-practices/volunteer-management
http://www.shrm.org/communities/volunteerresources/pages/default.aspx
http://www.idealist.org/info/VolunteerMgmt
http://www.nprcenter.org/volunteer-management
http://www.serviceleader.org/leaders/
Great books to get you started:
Handling Problem Volunteers: Real Solutions by Steve McCurley and Sue Vineyard
book and one of my favorites!
*A lighthearted
The (Help!) I-Don’t-Have-Enough-Time Guide to Volunteer Management
By Katherine Noyes Campbell and Susan J. Ellis
Teaches you how to enable volunteers to take ownership of the program and truly help run it.
IX. Board of Directors
If your organization is a standalone 501 C 3 Agency they must have a Board of Directors comprised of
volunteers. Many organizations in the IAAIS are affiliated with another larger entity and many of the
functions of a Board of Directors are fulfilled by that parent organizations Board.
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Even if an IAAIS service has a parent organization many have supporting fundraising organizations or
auxiliary groups that are designated 501 c 3 status by the IRS. Either way it is good to know the functions
and duties of a Board of Directors.
A Board of Directors can contain from 4 to 25 members, according to the Bylaws of the Organization.
The Bylaws also define the length of the term of the member. Usually no more than 3 years, with
differing procedures for re-joining and terms of absence before serving an additional term. Many sample
bylaws are available to look at online.
Meetings of the Board should be at a set time monthly, bimonthly or quarterly. The annual meeting will
usually be at a time stipulated in the bylaws so that operations are planned for the next year including a
budget, member elections and a meeting calendar can be voted on. In general meetings of a 501 C 3
organization follow Robert’s Rules of Order, this is longstanding traditional way to run a Board meeting.
Members of the Board should ideally be diversified representatives of the community. It is always
helpful to have a member with a special skill set like an accountant or lawyer or a very well off individual
that can donate to your agency and recruit their peers to donate, but the most important attribute is to
look for someone who understands what you do and why you do it. People who understand your
mission and believe strongly in what you do are invaluable public advocates for your service. They are
invested emotionally and financially and will take their role seriously.
It is always a good idea to have an end user or relative of a listener on your Board.
The board acts as trustee of the organization's assets and ensures that the nonprofit is well managed
and remains fiscally sound. In doing so, the board must exercise proper oversight of the organization's
operations and maintain the legal and ethical accountability of its staff and volunteers.
The main legal responsibilities of a nonprofit board are often summarized in the "three Ds":
Duty of care: Board members are expected to actively participate in organizational planning and
decision-making and to make sound and informed judgments.
Duty of loyalty: When acting on behalf of the organization, board members must put the interests of
the nonprofit before any personal or professional concerns and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Duty of obedience: Board members must ensure that the organization complies with all applicable
federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and that it remains committed to its established mission.
In addition to its legal responsibilities, the board acts in a fiduciary role by maintaining oversight of the
nonprofit's finances. Board members must evaluate financial policies, approve annual budgets, and
review periodic financial reports to ensure that the organization has the necessary resources to carry
out its mission and remains accountable to its donors and the general public.
The Board of Directors hires an Executive Director or Manager to oversee the day to day operations.
Boards should direct the agency with planning and oversight but never micro manage the staff. Staff
Supervision is the duty of the Executive Director or Program Manager- whomever is in charge of day to
day administration duties.
The Board of Directors should review the policies of the organization at least every few years including
the following examples;
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Bylaws, Strategic Plan, Employee Policy or Handbook, Whistleblower Policy (IRS 990 tax return
question), Gift Acceptance Policy, Document Retention Policy
All organizations no matter the size should have the Board of Directors sign a Conflict of Interest policy
annually. (IRS requirement and annual question)
Board Information Resources
Compasspoint.org/boardbasics
Foundationcenter.org
Boardsource.org
Guidestar.org
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PROGRAMMING
By: Carol Ann Dennhart and Ken Zahnle
Whatever method is used by audio information services to disseminate information, the common
denominator is the organization of basic programming. The programming developed for the listeners is
the vehicle in which equal access to printed material is fostered. It is the primary product of any audio
information service and should be planned and implemented according to the overall informational
needs of the listeners.
Operating under the understanding and premise of programming theory, block and strip methods for
reading services are universally used. A review of programming at various reading services would most
likely reveal a combination of block and strip. Block programming would involve several hours of similar
programming placed together in the same day to create audience flow (for example, a series of
entertainment magazines). Strip programming would be across-the-board scheduling; putting
successive episodes of a program into the same time period every day, five days a week (for example,
placing the Chicago Tribune every evening at 7 p.m.). Decisions affecting the arrangement and timing of
programming are contingent upon factors such as listenership needs and the local delivery schedule of
the reading material.
Primary emphasis of audio information service programming should focus on print information not
available through other sources. As the service grows, additional newspapers, magazines, and books
should be added along with special interest programs such as call in programs or local interviews
featuring information about services or events in the community. A minimum of two hours of local
programming each day is suggested for a new service. Usually this is a daily broadcast of the most
widely read local newspaper.
I.
Newspapers
Local newspapers form the core material of any reading service.
Both weekly and bi-weekly newspapers should be included in the programming.
Along with local news stories from the listening area, obituaries, editorial opinions, advertisements, and
local happenings should be stressed.
Having the primary local paper read during the day and rebroadcast in the evening provides access to
listeners who are employed during the day.
II. Magazines
Consider the array of magazines available through subscription or off the newsstand in order to satisfy
the variety of current reading needs. Look for local and regional publications.
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Priority should be given to the articles, features, columns, etc. that are unique to those periodicals.
Plan around the delivery schedule of the magazine subscriptions in order to provide any time-sensitive
material in the appropriate time slot.
III. Books
Consider utilizing bestsellers for the timeliness that radio offers to the listener.
Hourly segments of the book are generally recommended.
Books should be presented in their entirety, unedited and unabridged.
Popular local authors or books with a regional flair are good choices.
IV. Off Site Programming Options
IAAIS members have access to the Program Share at no charge. The program share has a wide variety of
programming available for stations to use daily. It is possible for a small station to provide a few hours a
day of local programming and round out a 24 hour a day broadcast with programming from the Program
Share.
Satellite Programming: In order to retrieve a particular satellite program, satellite downlink equipment is
required (audio information services co-located with NPR affiliate stations may have the equipment to
be used jointly along with the technical staff necessary).
V. Examples of other supplemental programs produced by non IAAIS stations
ACB Reports (one 30 minute program per month) www.acbradio.org
CDC provides filler material
NPR Content Depot
VI. Listener Survey
The use of a survey as listener research is twofold. First, it is a way to determine the likes and dislikes of
the listeners and implement change if appropriate. Second, it enables the staff at the reading service to
discover any new reading interests of the listeners. When developing the survey, keep in mind the
following points:
Be courteous, since you are asking for a gift of the person’s time and effort.
Keep it simple to read and respond to as possible.
Remember the audience and consider a check-item questionnaire rather than a completion type or one
that asks to reply with extended discussion.
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Keep it brief.
Distribute it in all accessible formats for the listeners.
Provide a return envelope or a call-in format for survey answers.
Offer the results of the survey to the listeners.
Survey Monkey, surveymonkey.com, offers a free online tool that is a useful way to collect and analyze
data. Use of a survey is also a way to develop a good demographic profile of the listeners for grant
writing or budget presentations such as with area United Ways.
Listener Advisory Groups
A council made up of any number of listeners who meet on a regular basis (defined by the group) to
critique and offer suggestions to the staff of the reading service is highly recommended. It is a valuable
tool in order to meet and get to know a number of listeners. For smaller services it can be useful to find
local support groups and attend their meetings. Going to their meetings can be an easy way to gather
information without asking for those with transportation issues to attend a meeting.
If you decide to establish a group:
Decide if the group will meet at a designated location or by a conference call method.
Decide to establish a meeting calendar and how members will be notified of the meeting.
Consider a one-hour time frame for the meeting and assume that the attendees have a busy schedule.
Keep the meeting place centrally located for easy access for listeners who attend.
Book the meeting place in advance.
Confirm the meeting date and time with listeners near the meeting date.
Consider offering transportation to the meeting site.
Have a designated facilitator to lead the meeting and keep everyone on track.
Provide a time for introductions.
Plan your questions in advance and be careful not to duplicate your survey
questions.
Ask the listeners what they need from the reading service (i.e. is the service providing all the available
services to the listeners such as headphones, adaptors, program guides in accessible format, etc.).
Consider refreshments.
Remember to thank the participants.
In summary, remember that your station’s programming is your product and it is what defines and
shapes the service’s value to your listeners.
37
DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
By: Kim Walsh
Rev. 2015 Marjorie Williams
A. DEVELOPMENT
Development is the art of building the necessary resources to operate an effective nonprofit service.
Development efforts include cash funding such as grants, contracts, donations and underwriting; in-kind
support such as goods and services, and community resources such as advisory boards, professional
organizations, think tanks, and collaborative projects. For a station to ultimately be successful, it is
critical to develop and implement a development plan that includes multiple funding sources and shortrange and long-range goals. The following are key areas to consider in a development plan:
Budget
A budget represents a financial “road map” to keep expenditures within means.
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A successful budget should not exceed available resources.
Use the budget to target your service’s fund-raising goals.
Special initiatives may have their own separate budgets.
Most donors prefer to give to non-profits that can show low administration and fundraising
costs and a high percent of actual program expenditures. Work with your accountant and
financial team to ensure that you are reporting your expenses properly
Case Statement
Draft a solid “case” statement that tells your story: who you are and what you do. A simple piece that
can be used in numerous presentation packages, grants, etc.
Funding Sources
Public Funding. Local, state and/or federal funding may be available for short-term projects or general
operating support. Meeting with representatives from various agencies should help determine
availability and application deadlines. Funding may come in the form of an annual allocation or project
contract. Public funding, especially at the community level, should be pursued. Good relations should
be developed with your community authorities.
Foundation Grants. Numerous foundations offer funding for nonprofit services from small family
foundations with grant ranges of $500-$5,000 to major foundations with grant ranges from $5,000$100,000 and more. Online foundation directories and along with looking at foundation 990s on
Guidestar and at Foundation Center. They may be of help in determining which support your cause.
Foundations often have very specific guidelines and requirements. Be sure to make contact with the
foundation prior to making your request to ensure you don’t waste the foundations or your time by
submitting a request too far outside of their scope.
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Collaborative Projects. Collaboration generally means the partnering of two or more
organizations to develop, implement and fund a project. Grant makers like collaborations,
especially if they see that pooled resources allow a project to operate more effectively.
Business and Corporate Support. Annual corporate campaigns chaired by a prominent corporate
executive, and targeted pitches may be used to build support from the business community and make
new corporate “friends.”
Corporate funding is most often given with a specific agenda. Keeping business needs in mind yields the
highest rate of success. Company goals may include: a) visibility for the company’s product within a
desired market; b) to accomplish a specific goal that meets the company’s need; c) visibility for company
executives within their peer group; d) partnership opportunities with like-minded groups; e)
acknowledgment and support of employee community participation; f) historic CEO or CEO spouse
involvement; g) good old-fashioned good citizenship.
Matching Funds. Don’t forget matching funds! Many businesses will match (sometimes 2:1 or
even 3:1) the gifts made by their employees to charitable causes. Remind your individual
donors often about this opportunity to increase their support.
Program Underwriting. Some donors, particularly corporations, prefer on-air recognition for their
contributions. A good example is if the daily newspaper sponsors the time used for reading their paper.
Of course if a publication declines the opportunity for recognition, other underwriters should be sought.
The best underwriting programs use a rate chart that helps in determining the cost of sponsorship. The
rates may be developed similar to commercial media, or alternately by using the real cost of production
as a basis. Some companies will wish to use charitable giving dollars, while others use marketing or
advertising funds. Either way, the expenditures to your service may be tax-deductible for them. An onair message might be read at the onset of a program, such as, “Today’s reading of XYZ, your
neighborhood, your news for over 50 year, is made possible by a generous donation from XYZ. We thank
them for their sponsorship,” or “This episode of Consumer Corner is made possible by a generous gift
from the 1234 Company with 14 offices throughout metro-Detroit. For locations call 1-800-000-0000.”
Be sure to have an understanding of the FCC’s Guidelines for Enhanced Underwriting prior to writing
and running such announcements.
United Way. The United Way or other combined giving programs (Combined Federal Campaign) can
provide a substantial base of support, but can also entail limitations on other fund-raising activities and
administrative trade-offs. You must determine if the funding provided outweighs any burdens. Several
United Ways provide annual grants for projects that non-member agencies are eligible for.
Service Clubs/Civic Groups. Lions Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Rotary Clubs, Optimist Clubs, Fraternities,
Sororities, and so forth should be cultivated. Presentations, display tables at events and volunteer
activities can be effective. Group visibility is often important. Clubs may be interested in buying and or
distributing radio receivers or tackling other finite projects.
Lions Clubs have a particular affinity to organizations dealing with vision loss.
Be sure to look for clubs outside of the city you are located in but still in your listening area. Most service
clubs have online lookups to help you find the clubs near you.
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Individual Donors. Individuals make up to 75% of all charitable giving. This type of giving may include
annual campaigns, direct mail, planned gifts and bequests, and various other solicitations. Women now
accumulate more wealth than men and represent a fast-growing area for charitable giving. Be prepared
to provide annual reports or audited financial statements. Don’t forget to include your listeners and
volunteers in campaigns.
TIP: Positive cultivation generally takes at least six contacts a year, including newsletters, surveys,
solicitations and personal visits. On-air PSAs can help bolster other efforts aimed at listeners.
Direct Mail- Many organizations send several mail pieces and/or email requests to their donor
groups each year. Do at least one! Most good donor database software will segment listeners
from volunteers from general donors, etc. Be sure you include a return envelope, a reply sheet
with a suggested giving amount and a chance to designate the gift as a memorial or tribute to a
loved one. Send a thank you note right away, that week is good, that day is best.
Tom Ahern is nationally known direct mail guru. aherncomm.com
Monthly Giving- One way to ensure a consistent revenue stream is to ask people to make a
monthly gift either by providing you with a credit card to run monthly or by setting up monthly
withdrawals from their checking account to be sent to you. Paypal and other donation payment
services have options for donors to give monthly.
Major Gifts- Once you’ve identified a donor with a higher than average interest in your
organization, it’s time to start visiting with them and making greater contact. This could mean
phone conversations, inviting them for tours of the station, meeting for lunch (be prepared to
pay) or visiting them in their home. This is when you take the time to get to know them and let
them know about the parts of your mission they can make a difference in. Follow up with these
donors frequently and they will likely continue to give greater and greater amounts.
Planned Gifts & Bequests- Occasionally, someone will designate your organization in their will.
Most planned gifts come from people with a long history with your organization, and it’s often
the donor that has given $25 a year for 20 years who will make such a designation, so don’t
ignore them completely in favor of the major donors! Be sure to mention the possibility on air,
through your newsletters, and in person so people think about your when they’re making their
arrangements.
Giving Days- More and more communities are starting days of giving where communities will
rally around their causes and get people to give. You can also participate in Giving Tuesday, the
Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Your job is to mobilize your base and get lots of $10-$50 gifts. To do
this, you’ll need to get your volunteers and board members to share your posts and emails with
their friends, you’ll need to put up interesting posts that move people to donate and you’ll need
to say THANK YOU! One really effective thing to do is to get someone to match the donations
that day so people feel like their donations are being doubled.
Special Events. Community fund-raising events also build friends and public relations. They can range
from small bake sales and car washes, to fashion shows and gala balls. Successful events require a
dedicated committee and thorough planning. Recurring annual events may become easier to produce
40
once established. Be sure to conduct an analysis after each event each year to determine if you have a
positive return on investment. Be sure to count staff time as an expense.
In-Kind Support
Donations of goods and services, facilities and other materials, help to defray cash expenses and may be
easier to acquire than cash. When planning your budget, consider making a list of items that could be
donated in-kind. Be creative. Items typical include:
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Printing
Broadcast or office equipment
Office or studio space
Supplies
Accounting services
Legal services
Coffee Office and supplies
Volunteer time
Reading Material
Auction items, prizes, gifts, raffle items
Graphic design
TIP: Always track the value of in-kind support and thank those donors as promptly as cash donors. It
helps demonstrate to donors and evaluators the real cost of doing business and will often be accepted
by funding sources in lieu of matching cash funds. Tracking volunteer hours at its fair market value can
really help!
Community Resources
People are a critical resource. Building relationships with community-based organizations, community
leaders and disability groups is key to expanding your resources, and your service. Many of these
connections are already in your circle, such as listeners, volunteers and their friends, family, employers
and other support systems. Among the connections found to be helpful, include:
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Service clubs, civic groups and religious-based groups
Support groups for specific disabilities (e.g. blindness, MS, diabetes, etc.)
Rehabilitation, orientation and mobility programs
Low vision clinics
Nursing home associations
Local professional associations
Corporate volunteerism groups
City councils and community committees
Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Churches
Actively using your Board of Directors or Community Advisory Board as fund-raising ambassadors is
imperative to overall success. These special individuals have the ability to ask for support for your
program without appearing self-serving. They also lend their credibility to your cause. Use these
41
individuals to help you directly and to introduce you to others in the community that may be
sympathetic to your needs.
Stewardship
Say thank you!
Prompt tax receipting and thank you letters are essential for building recurring support and renewed
giving.
Other ways to acknowledge donor’s support are:
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Include donors in affairs you plan
Host recognition activities
Send newsletters and other informational pieces
Send Christmas or birthday cards or wish listeners well on the air on these days
Follow up. Stay in touch with your most important friends all year!
B. Public Relations
For the purposes of this guide “public relations” refers to all areas related to communications with
internal and external publics including, image building, media relations, community relations, customer
service and marketing.
Image Building
Building a positive image of your service is important. This can be done most easily by sending simple
and consistent messages about your program and its activities. Design a logo, slogan and mission
statement that present a clear and precise message. Use these in neatly designed collateral materials
such as:
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brochures
web page
letterhead
flyers
solicitations
newsletters
program guides
social media pages
give-a-way items (T-shirts, buttons)
Remember, these pieces don’t have to be expensive glossy pieces. They can come directly off a
standard office printer or copy machine. But they do have to be neat, well organized and easy to
understand. Every printed piece that leaves your office should carry your message and help build your
community image.
You may choose to engage a design company to create these materials for you or have a volunteer put it
together for you. Be engaged in this process since all materials you put out in the public send a
message. Be sure it’s the right one.
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Media Relations
A positive presence in the media can be a valuable asset. Getting to know your local media is an
important step in building a solid media relations program. Sending out consistent information and
establishing yourself as a knowledgeable expert in your field can help. Many people fear the media and
worry about saying the right thing. Here are some pointers:
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Never say “no comment.” This leaves the public assuming the worst.
Always return reporter’s calls promptly; they are always on deadline and have editors hounding
them. Understanding their “business needs” will put you a step ahead.
Find out what the deadlines are for various kinds of publicity. Many publications and broadcast
media have deadlines well ahead of the publication date; months for some magazines.
When talking to a reporter, pretend you are talking to your mother. If your mother would have
trouble understanding your point, chances are the reporter is getting lost, too. Use simple
phrases, avoid jargon, and explain thoroughly.
Don’t repeat a negative statement that could end up as a soundbite on the evening news!
Remember the ABCs of effective communication: Acknowledge a negative, Bridge away from a
negative to your Commercial message.
Always control you emotions during an interview
After giving a complete answer, remain silent. Reporters often remain silent to egg you into
saying more than you really want to. If you say anything, ask, “Do you have another question?”
Never forget, that everything you say is for the record! If you don’t want it in the news, then
don’t say it.
Prepare a fact sheet with basic information about your organization to leave with the reporter
so they don’t have to go searching for basic information like how many listeners you have.
Be proactive. Send media releases about volunteer achievements, program accomplishments,
staff changes, new programming, and grants. Write and distribute public service
announcements to the broadcast media.
Always send items to the media in the format they need by the deadline they establish, and to an
actual person. Find out what kind of stories they’re looking for. Do your homework to ensure
results.
Community Relations
Get to know your community and explore every avenue for increasing community relations and
awareness of your station and its mission. Be a friend. Some of the ways include:
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Participating in community committees, special events and task forces.
Joining several Chambers of Commerce in your area.
Inviting community representatives to participate on your advisory board or as volunteers.
Tapping the resources your volunteers or colleagues have to offer.
Hosting community events.
Providing speakers for service club meetings, community groups.
Providing air time or public service announcements to other area organizations.
Inviting local leaders or business owners on your airwaves for non-promotional interviews.
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Marketing/Outreach
Design some active approaches to get the word out! Do not take this area for granted. Word of mouth
is wonderful, but targeted efforts pay off. You will need different methods depending on your target
group, such as clients, volunteers, or donors. Some helpful ideas:
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Ask other agencies that serve similar clients to distribute your brochures or demonstrate your
receiver to clients. Do the same for them.
Distribute appropriate literature to community groups in your area. Follow up regularly.
Ask volunteers to be ambassadors in their communities. They know their community and can
readily pitch your service to nursing homes, service clubs, cable TV, etc. and like Advisory Board
members, their requests sound less self-serving than if the same message comes from paid staff.
Use outreach workers (paid or volunteer) to spread your message to specific client groups.
Recruit volunteers from the staffs of the publications you read, area hospitals, colleges, senior
centers, church groups, etc. TIP: Afternoon or evening shift workers may be available and
willing to read for hard to fill shifts.
Promote volunteer opportunities in you sponsoring company’s internal newsletters.
Social Media
One of the best ways to build an audience is to engage people on social media. For up-to-date tips, the
Kivi’s Nonprofit Communication Blog is great: http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/ While most
social media is free, that doesn’t mean there’s no cost. Telling a good story every day, sometimes
multiple times a day, takes time and talent. Be sure not to post the exact same thing on all platforms,
but find ways to upcycle content for reuse.
Facebook- Facebook is great for gathering the masses, telling your story and sharing interesting content.
Post news about your station and your listeners, post pictures, post video, even share snippets of audio.
Plug into what’s going on that day, is it an obscure holiday, is there a big story in the news you can tie
into? Look for ways to be part of the conversation and let others in.
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Pay attention to the Insights tab and the number of likes, comments, and shares on each posts.
See what gets your community going!
Be sure to like the IAAIS’s page. We’ll like you back and share your posts from time to time.
Posts with more interactions tend to get more views.
Post regularly, at least a few times a week. Pages with more interactions are seen more often.
Keep it varied. Don’t just post about your fundraiser. Make sure people know about all that
you’re achieving each and everyday. Let them celebrate with you and cheer you on!
Get to know your followers. If someone that isn’t your mother likes every post you put up, find
out who they are. Get to know them, could they move from passive liker to donor?
Twitter- Twitter can be an effective way to stretch into the world. You can connect with businesses, hear
about news quickly, find interesting interview guests and more. On Twitter, you really have to jump into
the conversation to be heard. The average tweet is likely to be seen for only three hours after it’s
posted.
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Follow likeminded people and organizations. There’s lots of bots out on Twitter. The best way
to make sure you have followers that care is to follow things you care about.
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Tweet at businesses and people you’re interested in connecting with, use hashtags to keep track
of conversations and encourage others to join in.
Other Platforms- You might find other platforms to be good for what you’re doing. Use Instagram for
pictures, LinkedIn to gather professionals around you, SoundCloud for sharing your audio and YouTube
for video sharing. New platforms are coming online daily, keep up by watching what others are doing
and dabble some yourself. Not every platform is good for everyone.
SUMMARY
Maintain a consistently positive message about your program. Keep it simple and keep in the eyes, ears
and minds of your community. Good PR will support fund development efforts and quality fund
development efforts can stimulate good PR. Both can stimulate increased community awareness and
listener applications. Good luck!
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Copyright
Members of the Association of Radio Reading Services (ARRS – former name for IAAIS) worked with
Congressional delegates, ensuring we had the right to provide access to the information offered by the
services. As you read the following pages, keep in mind that the key point for understanding copyright is
to realize that copyright protection is not based on the medium of delivery, but on the intent of the
information provider, i.e. your service is not selling for profit, material that would otherwise be
purchased and profit the copyright holder.
The copyright law uses specific language as to who the information is intended to reach and that the
information provider is a non-profit organization. To begin to understand copyright is to be familiar with
the language of the copyright law. But, if you have a specific question you feel cannot be answered, a
competent legal professional such as a “Copyright Attorney” should be contacted.
The following pages include: 1) a definition of Copyright; and, 2) an outline of the Copyright Law of the
United States of America (title 17, U.S. Code) Chapter 1, Sections 110, 112, and 121. These sections are
of particular interest to IAAIS Members.
The entire Copyright Law can be found at www.copyright.gov/title17/. You will find the law divided by
chapters and within the chapters are sections.
WHAT IS COPYRIGHT? (www.copyright.gov/) Feb. 2005
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the
authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other
intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of
the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize
others to do the following:

To reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords;

To prepare derivative works based upon the work;

To distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of
ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;

To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic
works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;

To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and
choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the
individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and

In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio
transmission.
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In addition, certain authors of works of visual art have the rights of attribution and integrity as described
in section 106A of the 1976 Copyright Act. For further information, request Circular 40, “Copyright
Registration for Works of the Visual Arts.”
It is illegal for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the copyright law to the owner of
copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in scope. Sections 107 through 121 of the 1976
Copyright Act establish limitations on these rights. In some cases, these limitations are specified
exemptions from copyright liability. One major limitation is the doctrine of "fair use," which is given a
statutory basis in section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act. In other instances, the limitation takes the form
of a "compulsory license" under which certain limited uses of copyrighted works are permitted upon
payment of specified royalties and compliance with statutory conditions. For further information about
the limitations of any of these rights, consult the copyright law or write to the Copyright Office.
The following Chapter 1, Sections (110, 112, and 121) from the Copyright Law of the United States of
America have particular interest to members of IAAIS:
Copyright Law of the United States of America
and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code
Circular 92 (www.copyright.gov/title17/) February 2005
Chapter 1 (Copyright Law)
* § 110. Limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays41
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, the following are not infringements of copyright:
(8) performance of a nondramatic literary work, by or in the course of a transmission specifically
designed for and primarily directed to blind or other handicapped persons who are unable to read
normal printed material as a result of their handicap, or deaf or other handicapped persons who are
unable to hear the aural signals accompanying a transmission of visual signals, if the performance is
made without any purpose of direct or indirect commercial advantage and its transmission is made
through the facilities of: (i) a governmental body; or (ii) a noncommercial educational broadcast
station (as defined in section 397 of title 47); or (iii) a radio subcarrier authorization (as defined in 47
CFR 73.293–73.295 and 73.593–73.595); or (iv) a cable system (as defined in section 111 (f));
§ 112. Limitations on exclusive rights: Ephemeral recordings44
(a)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, and except in the case of a motion picture or other
audiovisual work, it is not an infringement of copyright for a transmitting organization entitled to
transmit to the public a performance or display of a work, under a license, including a statutory license
under section 114(f), or transfer of the copyright or under the limitations on exclusive rights in sound
recordings specified by section 114 (a) or for a transmitting organization that is a broadcast radio or
television station licensed as such by the Federal Communications Commission and that makes a
broadcast transmission of a performance of a sound recording in a digital format on a nonsubscription
basis, to make no more than one copy or phonorecord of a particular transmission program embodying
the performance or display, if —
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(A) the copy or phonorecord is retained and used solely by the transmitting organization that made it,
and no further copies or phonorecords are reproduced from it; and
(B) the copy or phonorecord is used solely for the transmitting organization's own transmissions within
its local service area, or for purposes of archival preservation or security; and
(C) unless preserved exclusively for archival purposes, the copy or phonorecord is destroyed within six
months from the date the transmission program was first transmitted to the public.
** § 121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or other people with disabilities 67
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright for an
authorized entity to reproduce or to distribute copies or phonorecords of a previously published,
nondramatic literary work if such copies or phonorecords are reproduced or distributed in specialized
formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.
(b)(1) Copies or phonorecords to which this section applies shall —
(A) not be reproduced or distributed in a format other than a specialized format exclusively for use by
blind or other persons with disabilities;
(B) bear a notice that any further reproduction or distribution in a format other than a specialized
format is an infringement; and
(C) include a copyright notice identifying the copyright owner and the date of the original publication.
(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to standardized, secure, or norm-referenced tests
and related testing material, or to computer programs, except the portions thereof that are in
conventional human language (including descriptions of pictorial works) and displayed to users in the
ordinary course of using the computer programs.
(c) For purposes of this section, the term —
(1) “authorized entity” means a nonprofit organization or a governmental agency that has a primary
mission to provide specialized services relating to training, education, or adaptive reading or
information access needs of blind or other persons with disabilities;
(2) “blind or other persons with disabilities” means individuals who are eligible or who may qualify in
accordance with the Act entitled “An Act to provide books for the adult blind”, approved March 3,
1931 (2 U.S.C. 135a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive books and other publications produced in specialized
formats; and
(3) “specialized formats” means braille, audio, or digital text which is exclusively for use by blind or
other persons with disabilities.
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Chaffee Amendment
Copyright Law Amendment, 1996:
PL 104-197
December 1996
Public Law 104-197
Under the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3754, Congress approved a measure, introduced
by Senator John H. Chafee (R-R.I.) on July 29, 1996, that provides for an exemption affecting the NLS
program. On September 16, 1996, the bill was signed into law by President Clinton.
The Chafee amendment to chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, adds section 121, establishing a
limitation on the exclusive rights in copyrighted works. The amendment allows authorized entities to
reproduce or distribute copies or phonorecords of previously published nondramatic literary works in
specialized formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.
The act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997,
sets forth the Chafee amendment as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, that . . . and for other purposes, namely:
(a) IN GENERAL--Chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 120 the
following new section:
"SEC.121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or other people with disabilities (see
above, Chapter 1, 121)
Law and Policy – Copyright Law Questions regarding Copyright Laws may be answered by calling the
Copyright Office at 202-707-3000. You will hear the general menu and will be directed to press #0 to
speak with an Information Specialist.
http://www.copyright.gov/
The direct number for an Information Specialist is 202-707-5959.
National Library Service ** NLS Factsheets (located at
www.loc.gov/nls/reference/factsheets/copyright.html)
NOTE for IAAIS Members: It is recommended that all specific matters be discussed with a competent
legal professional such as a Copyright Attorney
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
International Copyright Information
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, usually known as the Berne
Convention, is an international agreement governing copyright, which was first accepted in Berne,
Switzerland, in 1886.
This convention set the original standard for copyrights. It has been amended multiple times and
adopted at various times by different countries.
The Berne Convention authorizes countries to allow "fair" uses of copyrighted works in other
publications or broadcasts. Implementations of this part of the treaty fall into the broad categories of
fair use and fair dealing.
The Berne Convention for protection of literary and artistic works (Paris Text 1971) Article 9 of the Berne
Convention says, “Authors of literary and artistic works protected by this Convention shall have the
exclusive right of authorizing the reproduction of these works, in any manner or form. It shall be a
matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to permit the reproduction of such works in certain
special cases, provided that such reproduction does not conflict with a normal exploitation of the work
and does not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the author. Any sound or visual
recording shall be considered as a reproduction for the purposes of this Convention.”
The World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty was adopted in 1996 to address the
issues raised by information technology and the Internet, which were not addressed by the Berne
Convention.
WIPO is the World Intellectual Property Organization. It is the global forum for intellectual property
services, policy, information and cooperation. A self-funded agency of the United Nations, with 188
member states.
“Our mission is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international intellectual property
(IP) system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all. Our mandate, governing bodies
and procedures are set out in the WIPO Convention, which established WIPO in 1967.”
Most recently, in 2013 the WIPO has provided guidelines for international copyright issues. These are of
interest to audio information services that operate internationally as well as in the United States even
though the US has yet to ratify the treaty.
The Marrakesh Treaty: The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who
Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled (MVT) is the latest addition to the body of
international copyright treaties administered by WIPO. It has a clear humanitarian and social
development dimension and its main goal is to create a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for
the benefit of the blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled (VIPs).
For more information
http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/summary_marrakesh.html
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About the Authors
William S. Pasco
Bill Pasco graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Radio and Television communications. He has been involved in the operations and
management of radio reading services since 1975. Bill
served as a long time member of the board of directors of the
International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) including serving as President.
Bill is a past Chairman of the Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness and Visual Impairment.
He is a recipient of the C. Stanley Potter lifetime achievement award and the prestigious
Pennsylvania
Developmental Disability Council fellowship for his work in the fields
of communications and information access for disabled people. Bill
currently is the Director of Sun Sounds of Arizona, which operates four radio reading services
and a dial-up/Internet service.
Art Hadley
Art Hadley's 25 years of commercial radio experience in Kansas City covered most of the bases, from DJ
to News Director to Chief Engineer. Many of those years ran concurrently with the 27 years he has
spent at the Kansas Audio-Reader Network. Art still occasionally appears on main-channel radio and TV
stations worldwide, doing commercial voice work from his home studio, but his broadcasting time is
now limited to subcarriers (reading services) and the internet (where he has two full-time Hawaiian
music stations). Art has represented Audio-Reader and IAAIS for several years at annual workshops held
in Latin America, to aid and encourage local groups wanting to create reading services.
Kim Walsh
Kim Walsh, Director, Detroit Radio Information Service/WDET-FM
Walsh's professional experience spans public relations, development, media sales, and
management. She has worked in public radio since 1985 and has been director of the Detroit Radio
Information Service (DRIS) since 1993. From 1988-2003, Walsh served as DRIS' Director of Promotion
and Development. Her work at DRIS*southeastern Michigan's radio reading service for people with
disabilities*has largely focused on building greater self-sufficiency and improving service. In 1993, she
received Women in Communication of Detroit's Vanguard Award for improving the lives of others
through a communications medium and exemplary advancement efforts.
Walsh serves as an Executive Officer on the board of the International Association of Audio Information
Services (IAAIS) and on its Public Affairs Committee. She also serves on a number of local and national
committees. Walsh is a past president of the Detroit New Center Lions Club, past-president of Women
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in Communications of Detroit and has served in executive-level capacities on several other nonprofit
boards, including Michigan Literacy, Inc., a statewide umbrella group and the Wayne State University
President's Commission on the Status of Women. Walsh earned a BA in Communications in 1977 from
Oakland University and has done post-graduate work at Wayne State University.
Carol Dennhart
Carol Ann Dennhart has worked in the field of audio information since 1991 when she began her career
as Coordinator for the Personal Reader Service, the sister-service of the Radio Information Service of
WIUM/WIUW, Macomb, Illinois. After her promotion to Director of the RIS in 1993, she has been active
in the eleven station Illinois state association of audio information services serving as president, vicepresident and treasurer.
Carol filled an unexpired board term for the National Association of RadioReading Services (NAARS) from
1997-99. She served as Treasurer of the International Association of Audio Information Services 20012002. She has assisted with various committees such as Fund Development and Confer
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