Thursday 12 June 2008

Read-along radio

My pa emailed me other day about a fantastic new thing that’s been invented in America…

Subtitled radio!

Hurrah, I can finally ‘listen’ to the Archers!

*Gasp, did I just say that out loud?

(Mental note to self… must stop acting so prematurely middle aged)

Apparently National Public Radio in America is piloting the use of subtitles on digital radios and it was reported on Radio 4’s You and Yours programme. With enthusiasm I went on to their website to find out more, except you can only listen to the programme online, there is no transcript! GAH!

Seriously though, subtitled radio could potentially be amazing, although I think it would have its drawbacks, too.

Just imagine, there I am, zooming up the M1 in my beautiful Peugeot, Boo, when a traffic report comes on. As the M1 is often a perpetual car park I read along with interest, forgetting somehow that I am in charge of a fast-moving vehicle. Then…

SMASH!

Ooops, there’s the traffic jam I just read about!

Okay, so maybe driving and subtitled radio are not the best combination, and I also wonder how much I would actually use it. I mean, the whole point of radio is that you switch it on and potter about, getting on with making coffee, or breakfast, or weeding the garden. How many people, not counting those in the pre-WW2 era, actually sit around the radio to listen to it?

Would it just be like TV but without the pictures?
I am going to remain optimistic and open-minded about the idea, and hope that when it does come out, they create a pink subtitled radio to go with my pink bionic ears… perhaps I should get pink glasses, too.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

BMW have a 'heads up' display on their top line models do you can effectively read things on the windscreen - perhaps an email to the Boo's parents might solicit an after market varient for subtitled radio - it could even cure you of being lyrically challenged!!!!

Me said...

Haha great idea! Perhaps I should enter Boo for Pimp My Ride and get it that way! On second thoughts, she might end up pink... and even I draw the line at a pink car!

DeafGirly: How I feel about being deaf at work

It's been a whole year since I posted a blog on here. Life's been happening. And I guess I am no longer 'deaf in the city and ha...