Подкаст для слабовидящих Йорка отметил 50-летие выпуском 600-й новости

An audio news magazine in York for the visually impaired has marked its 50th anniversary. York Talking News recently celebrated its golden anniversary with the release of its 600th edition on September 1, 2026. The magazine was created after the City Council advertised in the autumn of 1975, seeking individuals interested in creating an audio news magazine for blind and partially sighted people. The initiative quickly gained momentum, with funding secured through public donations, the Rotary and Lions clubs, and a significant £1,000 contribution from the council. A charity was established to oversee the project, and the Post Office agreed to provide free mailing services, provided the publication used only commissioned music and public domain material. Following the production of two dummy audio cassette tapes in March and April of 1976, the organisation began life as York and District News for the Blind, with the first edition going out at the beginning of October 1976. The first chairman was Don Peacock from the Blind and Partially Sighted Society, with Harry Holmes appointed as editor, Peter Jackson as producer and technician, and Joanna Browne, Nigel Emery, and Graeme Robertson as the original readers. The inaugural recording took place in an outbuilding in one of the team members' gardens, affectionately dubbed "The Shack." The news stories were sourced from The Press, which was known as the Evening Press back then, the Yorkshire Post, and later the Dalesman. York Talking News's unique jingles, composed specifically for the publication, have served as its audio signature since the very first edition. Listeners began to tune in, mostly through the Blind and Partially Sighted Society and word of mouth. By the 12th edition, the publication was sending out 80 copies regularly, and by the 375th edition, the listener base had grown to a steady 250. The readers of York Talking News have become familiar voices to the listeners over the years, with Graeme Robertson standing out the most. Having read on the first edition and almost every edition since, his contribution spans an impressive 50 years and approximately 575 editions. However, Graeme will be retiring from the York Talking News on the 600th edition. The magazine's content was originally split evenly between news items and magazine articles with local or humorous themes. The move from cassette tapes to USB sticks significantly sped up the duplication process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the publication continued to reach its audience on time by having readers record their articles over the telephone and the technician recording from home. The publication has utilised various recording studios over the years, from "The Shack" to an office in Clifford Street, the original Wilberforce Trust buildings, Westminster Business Park, Huntington, and currently the community room at Tesco, Askham Bar.