2017-10

Talking News
Sheffield Talking News is
a charity which provides
a service for blind and
visually-impaired people. A
weekly news recording is
just one of its services. I am one of
a number of editors who compile a
collection of news items to record
on a Monday evening in a studio in
Mappin Street. There, four readers
and a technician make a recording
for despatch the next day.
So what do we include? We
have an agreement with the Star,
Sheffield Telegraph and Yorkshire
Post, so, we are allowed to draw
on these publications for our news.
Occasionally, we use items gleaned
from other sources.
When collecting news items I
always hold a mental image of
our 400 listeners. They are blind
or visually impaired, mostly older
people. They want to be informed
and entertained but do not enjoy
too many crime stories or lots about
planning proposals or statistics. The
local papers are also full of fundraising
efforts so we need to limit
these. The Retro section of the Star
always provides something nostalgic
to include.
We always include news that
is relevant to people with visual
impairments, including any transport
news and information regarding
audio description at the theatres. I
try and include quirky stories and,
if I can find them, humorous items.
Ian McMillan, who writes regularly
in the Yorkshire Post, is aways
worth including. His wry take on life
always goes down well. Sometimes
a story will appear from a different
source such as this magazine, other
local journals or the BBC website.
Once or twice I have added my
own experiences. Louise Haigh MP
is featured often in the Star, so I
once mentioned the time I shared a
railway carriage with her! My cousin
is severely disabled and has a
support dog so I once featured that.
When compiling this talking
newspaper I try to ensure that it will
be lively, not dull. Our listeners like
to hear different voices (we have
two male and two female readers
every week.) and they like to feel the
readers are enjoying themselves, so
I will try to ensure that a few giggles
will happen. On the studio wall is
a picture from one of the founders
of Sheffield Talking News, Norman
Bradbury. Underneath is a quote
from him: “If you enjoy reading, the
listeners will enjoy hearing you.”
Preparation includes one essential
activity: listening to the previous
week’s recording so that duplication
is avoided and reference can be
made when including follow-up
news. I try to strike a balance when
editing. During the week, I collect
items online or cut out and paste
pieces from the Star and Telegraph.
By Monday I will have then acquired
more than enough material which
can be edited down to about 90
minutes for recording. It is then a
question of putting items in the right
order, giving variety and mixing light
and heavy pieces.
When we used cassettes and CDs
we had to limit the number of items,
and everything had to be timed.
We now use memory sticks so, in
theory, we could record for as long
as we wish. However, customer
feedback suggests that around
90 minutes is just right. Finally
I lay everything out for the four
readers, including an introduction
for the first reader to deliver, then
I bundle everything up and deliver
it to Mappin Street in good time for
recording to begin at 6.30pm.
David Manning
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 26
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org