Radio Talking Book Service (RTBS) is celebrating 50 Years of Service in 2024! 50 Years of serving listeners with a mission to connect individuals who are blind, low vision, or print impaired to news, information, arts, and culture through the human voice and technology.
RTBS Executive Director Bekah Jerde chatted with Mike Hogan on “Live & Local” about how the organization was founded in 1974 by Dr. Craig Fullerton. Back then it was called Radio Talking Book Network (RTBN) and was Nebraska’s Audio Companion and only radio reading service.
Over 80 volunteers read newspapers and magazines, and their diverse voices are broadcast across Nebraska and southwest Iowa over the radio and internet to the 11,967 listeners. As the years have rolled on, RTBS has added Listening Link, an educational reading service, providing audio versions of textbooks and course material necessary for academic success as well as their newest service, Audio Description (AD). AD is a partnership with community venues to provide equal access to programming and events through audio description services. From Broadway to ballet, trained describers provide live AD for theater performances, exhibits, parades, and more.
And right now, through the end of September, your donation will be doubled as RTBS has launched their $50,000 for 50 years campaign and is now halfway to their goal. https://rtbs.org/
You can join the celebration, raise a glass at the “RTBS: 50 Years of Service Celebration” at Benson Theatre on September 18th. It will be a night filled with stories about RTBS, past and present, programming highlights, and volunteer honors. For more information regarding our 50th Anniversary For Radio Talking Book Service, visit https://rtbs.org/rtbs50/ or call 402.572.3003.
And come for a tour of the RTBS studios during the Fall Open House on October 17.
