Talking Tech on Russian Internet Radio
It’s always a pleasure to be asked to appear on radio shows and podcasts. Most of the time, these shows relate to blindness in some way. Less frequently, I get to explain the way technology has a positive impact on the lives of blind people on mainstream podcasts and radio shows.
One thing I’ve not done until today was appear on a radio show where English is not the first language, requiring me to use an interpreter. But this morning at 2 AM my time, I was in my studio talking with the team who produce the Tiflochas show for Radio Vos in Russia. This is an Internet radio station run by a blindness organisation. Based on what I experienced this morning, what they’re doing at Radio Vos has taken the model I started with ACB Radio in 1999, and given it the resources to thrive. They have dedicated studio facilities, a team of paid staff including people behind the scenes handling scheduling and production, top quality equipment, and the production values are outstanding. I can’t tell you how impressive it was to observe just how well this station is run. It reminded me somewhat of Insight Radio in the UK, whose production values and output I also admire.
The questions I was asked were always polite, but probing and challenging, reminiscent of the days of Blind Line when we had hard hitting current affairs media in the blind community.
For English speakers, the show may be hard to follow given that we of course are not the intended audience, and my own responses are in the background while my answers are translated into Russian, but I know I have a number of Russian speakers who visit this blog who are good English readers. So, here’s the link for the show.
Well done Radio Vos, you’re doing it exactly as it should be done.
Jonathan, I recently downloaded your IOS 7 book, (really impressive!) and today discovered your blog. I downloaded the Russian tech talk show and you’re right, it’s of stellar quality! Not only the production, but the calibre of the presenters, articulate, serious, knowledgeable … first-rate! The fact that the show is for a Russian-speaking audience segways nicely into another blog post I read today in my browse through the content, about the need for catering to diversity in apple’s products. Not every blind person using a Braille display and an iPhone for example is going to be speaking or writing English. It cannot be assumed that one set of criteria will be sufficient for everyone, but the capability of writing Braille … if it’s going to be there at all, … must be done to a standard.
Jonathan, I found your website through the IOS 7 book, which was a thoroughly good read; and today I discovered your blog. I was intrigued by the presentation on Russian radio vos and am about halfway through listening to it. You’re right, it’s of stellar quality! Very impressive indeed. It segways nicely with another of your blog posts I read, about the need for apple to correct the bugs with Braille in IOS 7. Not everyone who uses an iDevice and braille is English-speaking; and just like all the other accessibility solutions, Braille can’t be expected to adhere to a “one-size-fits-all” model either. The diversity of comments about that post bears this out.