Kennet Cassette goes digital

Better sound quality

After forty years, Kennet cassette, Newbury’s talking newspaper for the blind and partially sighted, has undergone a major change in the way the weekly journal is produced. The cassettes and cassette players which have been in use since 1976 were becoming increasingly difficult to source, so Chairman Peter Dann decided to make the move to digital production, recording the week’s news onto a USB memory stick.

A new laptop and software were purchased, alongside new USB players for the 70 listeners throughout West Berkshire, and a few further afield. Volunteer readers and editors visited each listener to demonstrate the new equipment and ensure the listeners were comfortable using it.

Trial recordings began in early October, and the first digital edition of Kennet Cassette was recorded on 12 October, duplicated and posted on the 13, and arrived with the listeners on Saturday 14.

Many listeners have commented on the improved sound quality of the recordings. Kennet Cassette is available free of charge to anyone who is registered blind or partially sighted and would like to receive it. The charitable service is run by a team of volunteers; and donations are always welcome. For more information please see www.kennetcassette.co.uk