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WSRE Cuts SightLine Reading Service For The Visually Impaired
July 26, 2011
Funding cuts have forced WSRE TV 23 to eliminate the SightLine Reading Service as of July 31.
SightLine served the vision-impaired population of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Baldwin and Okaloosa counties and aired on WSRE’s Second Audio Program channel (SAP), in addition to being archived on the station’s website.
SightLine transmitted its first program on Oct. 25, 1992, as a joint effort of WSRE and the Northwest Florida Radio Reading Service, Inc. Volunteers have read local newspapers, magazines, short stories and interesting articles every day, 365 days a year on the SightLine service.
The state funds are no longer available to budget in the cost of SightLine’s broadcast production. Sandy Cesaretti Ray, general manager of WSRE, feels firsthand the effects of the state cuts.
“I am acutely aware of the impact the state cuts have on our viewers,” Ray said. “It is with deepest regret that I must discontinue valuable services to the community. However, it’s necessary to responsibly ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization and put WSRE on a realistic financial path for the future.”
WSRE recently enacted staff reductions as well as the removal of some programming from its TV lineup to cut costs.
“SightLine’s value lies in the fact that its service provided a tremendous improvement in the quality of life for the vision-impaired. This is an incredible loss for our community,” Ray added.
Comments
3 Responses to “WSRE Cuts SightLine Reading Service For The Visually Impaired”
Thanks Scott. We can always count on you to balance the budget on the heads of the weakest among us. I guess when you are so rich you can’t put yourself in others shoes.
It should be supported by donnors not the tax payer. They would be in better shape if PBS did not drift into onsided politics.
It is a great shame our public TV and Radio stations are not supported more by the community. I do my part every year to donate something even if it is a small amount.
Public radio offers great news coverage, music, short story readings, etc. Our public TV offers a lot of the same, and throws in great educational programming.
It would be a great loss to our community and its people (some who depend on it), to see these outlets degrade into nothingness.
If you watch or listen to even 30 minutes of public TV/radio, I would encourage everyone to donate something, 5 dollars per household x thousands of households in our community could go a long way.