Vision Australia Radio

Vision Australia Radio - VAR
City of license Melbourne, Victoria
Slogan "Sound Information"
Frequency 1179 KHz[1] (1990-)
1629 kHz (1982-1990)
First air date 12 December 1982[2][3]
Format Radio reading service
Power 3,000 watts[1]
Class Community[1]
Callsign meaning Vision Australia Radio
Affiliations Radio Print Handicapped Network
Owner Vision Australia
Webcast MP3 Stream
Website Official Website

Vision Australia Radio is a network of eight radio stations in Victoria and southern New South Wales owned by Vision Australia. The stations broadcast a range of programs, generally consisting of readings of newspapers and magazines for people unable to read print media. All the stations are operated by a volunteer staff and a small group of dedicated employees.

The Vision Australia Radio Network is headquartered at Kooyong and is licensed as a Community (RPH) Broadcaster to the print handicapped community. This can include people with vision impairment, a physical illness or disability which makes it difficult for them to hold a paper (such as MS or Parkinson’s), people with dyslexia or those who understand spoken but not written English.

A recent McNair Ingenuity Research study showed that Vision Australia Radio has a statewide audience of more than 250,000 every week – with the majority of listeners aged between 25-54. An estimated 38% of listeners are professionals or self-employed with a further 36% skilled workers.

The station originally broadcast as 3RPH in 1982 from Melbourne, however the station is now formally known as Vision Australia Radio.

Vision Australia Radio is a member of the Radio Print Handicapped Network and a BBC World Service partner station.

Melbourne station - VAR 1179AM

The chief station is:

Regional stations

The other stations are affiliates and opt out of the 3RPH feed for local programmes:

The Melbourne station is also heard in Australia and New Zealand on Optus Aurora satellite radio channel 12.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New radio services for Melbourne, Geelong and Colac". Australian Communications and Media Authority. 27 June 2000. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  2. "blindness and low vision services". Vision Australia. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  3. Farah Farouque (12 December 2002). "Why Leach is getting serious all over". The Age. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
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