Although most digital radio stations and TV channels seem to have their own websites, they vary enormously in the accessibility and quality of information they offer.
Information from the internet
The Guardian's TV listings are popular with some blind and partially sighted people because you get everything on one screen without having to actually click on a programme to get more info. The listings also tell you if a programme has audio description or not, and you can search for AD programmes only if you like by using the "select accessible option" drop-down menu at the top left-hand side.
If you just want to know about audio-described TV programmes, TV Help has online AD-only listings for Freeview, Sky and Virgin customers.
Again, please email productreviews@rnib.org.uk if you would like to recommend an internet listings page based on its accessibility.
Information from RNIB
Our weekly
Radio Guide gives listings for Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 4, Radio 4 Extra, Radio Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra. It also includes Absolute Radio and TalkSPORT. There is a free optional supplement giving details of the BBC's regional services in Scotland, Wales and Ulster. The
Radio Guide is available in braille or email and costs 42p per issue.
For programme information on Radio 3 and Classic FM, you can get
3FM. This weekly listings magazine is available in braille or email. It costs 34p per issue.
We also produce the most comprehensive UK radio guide available in an accessible format.
DAISY Radio Listings is a seven-day audio guide for the 20 most popular UK radio stations, including BBC Radio 7, Radio 3, Classic FM, BBC World Service, Asian Network and 6 Music. Produced weekly on DAISY CD, the listings can be played on a DAISY Talking Book player or with DAISY player software on a PC. It costs 93p per issue and has been created using a high quality synthetic voice.
We also produce
Broadcast Times each week. This combines our
Radio Guide,
3FM and
Television Guide, and is available on computer disk or email for £1.04 per issue. The weekly
Television Guide is also available separately in braille or email for 69p per issue. It contains detailed programme information for BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 London, Channel 4 and Five. Also available are ITV regional supplements giving details of programmes, which differ from those being shown on ITV1 London. These supplements are delivered free of charge with the main magazine.
An alternative is the
DAISY TV Listings, which is ideal for anyone wanting listings information for Freeview or satellite channels, or who prefers an audio format magazine. This guide provides information for the main terrestrial, and 20 popular satellite and Freeview channels. Produced weekly on DAISY CD, the listings can be played on a DAISY Talking Book player or with DAISY player software on a PC. It costs £1.04 per issue and has been created using a high quality synthetic voice.
You can also get weekly radio and TV listings (not to mention national and international news, crosswords and horoscopes) in large print from
Big Print. Listings cover the five terrestrial TV channels plus Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Five Live, BBC Radio 7 and Classic FM. Big Print costs £1.25 per issue.
To subscribe to any of these publications, or to request a free
Big Print sample, please call us on 0303 123 9999, email
shop@rnib.org.uk or visit our
Online Shop. (Overseas customers please contact our Export department, for export prices and to place orders. Call +44 (0) 1733 37 54 00 or email
exports@rnib.org.uk).
Information from National Talking Newspapers and Magazines
National Talking Newspapers and Magazines (NTN&M) produces a selection of weekly radio and TV listings guides on tape, CD, DAISY audio and in e-text format.
A year's subscription to a weekly publication on CD starts at £21. For information about subscribing to NTNM publications, call its customer services team on 01435 86 61 02, email
info@tnauk.org.uk or visit the
NTNM website.