Radio Talking Book Service Inc

Radio Talking Book Service (RTBS) is celebrating 50 Years of Service in 2024!  We are excited to continue serving our 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.  Through human connection, Radio Talking Book Service enables all people to remain active and engaged in their community with three programs: Radio Talking Book Network, a statewide radio reading service; Listening Link, an educational reading program; and Audio Description, a live connection to arts and culture.

Founded in 1974, Radio Talking Book Network (RTBN) is Nebraska’s Audio Companion and only radio reading service.  RTBN volunteers read newspapers and magazines aloud and their diverse voices are broadcast to blind, low vision, or print impaired listeners statewide via radio signal and the internet.  Eligible listeners are provided radios at no cost to access our programming or are able to access it on home computers, tablets, smartphones, or smart speakers.  Our volunteers read the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star daily, weekly grocery and department store ads, 21 regional newspapers, and we use over 70 magazines to provide additional programming.  The voices of RTBN inform, entertain, and alleviate isolation, providing listeners with companionship.

RTBS is thrilled to announce the addition of our newest service, Audio Description (AD)! From Broadway to ballet, RTBS partners with community venues to provide equal access to programming and events through audio description services.  This service empowers attendees with a visual disability to join family and friends for an exhibit, performance, or event. Then, using a headset provided by RTBS, they listen to a trained audio describer relate the visual information in real time.  This can include costumes and sets, artwork, the antics of a team’s mascot, animals in a zoo habitat, the spectacle of a parade, and so much more! RTBS has an amazing team of describers ready to make arts and culture available for everyone.