Jun 6, 2009 - The International Association of Audio Information Service (IAAIS) recently presented its annual awards to member-stations for excellence in audio programming for the blind, senior citizens, and print disabled in 2008 tonight on the closing of their annual conference.

Program production categories include live to air/pre-recorded live (I), pre-recorded/edited (II), post-produced (III), and public awareness. The winners were:

Entertainment I- Armchair Traveler: Salem, MA from Audio Journal in Worcester, MA
Entertainment III- Sun Sounds Theatre - Love Letters from Sun Sounds of Arizona in Tempe, AZ
Information I- Enabled: Phantom Vision and Charles Bonnet Syndrome from WXXI Reachout Radio in Rochester, NY
Information II- Community Calendar from Sun Sounds of Arizona in Tempe, AZ
Interview/Call In I- Enabled: Communicating Computers for the Blind from WXXI Reachout Radio in Rochester, NY
Interview/Call In III- Cousin Brucie Interview from In Touch Networks in New York, NY
Magazines I- Audiofile Magazine: The Year in Audio Books from WXXI Reachout Radio in Rochester, NY
Magazines II- In Depth Program- The Walrus from Voice Print in Toronto, ON
Narrative Reading I- Reflections: Living to Tell the Tale from Kansas Audio-Reader Network in Lawrence, KS
Narrative Reading II- Stone Soup Anthology from Voice Print in Toronto, ON
Narrative Reading III- Poetry Readings Blended With Music from Sun Sounds of Arizona in Tucson, AZ
News Digest I- Sound Body: The Devil's in the Diagnosis from WXXI Reachout Radio in Rochester, NY
News Digest II- Beyond Our Borders from Voice Print in Toronto, ON
Newspapers I- New York Times from In Touch Networks in New York, NY
Newspapers II- GTA Report from Voice Print in Toronto, ON
On Location- It's a Wonderful Life, a Live Radio Drama from Radio Reading Services of Greater Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH
Thematic Production- Stump the Listener from Audio Journal in Worcester, MA

There were two honorable mentions, both in Narrative Reading III: The Adventurous Palate from Georgia Radio Reading Service in Atlanta, GA and The Reading Room from In Touch Networks in New York, NY.

Audio clips of these programs can be found on IAAIS.

Founded in 1977, the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) is a non-profit association of independently operated broadcast entities that provide reading services and specialized programming for people who cannot see, hold or comprehend standard printed matter in more than 100 radio markets throughout the US, Canada and abroad. IAAIS encourages and facilitates the establishment and maintenance of such programs.