Volunteer rises to read The Evangelist

By PAUL QUIRINI- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

When Paul Doyle reads The Evangelist each week, radio listeners hear him loud and clear.

That's because Mr. Doyle volunteers for RISE, WMHT's 24-hour radio information service for blind and print-disabled people. He reads stories, columns and editorials from each week's issue.

A lector at St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Guilderland, he is happy to use his eyes and voice to bring The Evangelist home to people who rely on their ears.

"I enjoy reading aloud, so I thought it would be both beneficial and enjoyable," he said. "It's satisfying when you step back and think about what you're doing. When you're recording your voice, you hope there's a listener on the other end."

Voice of paper

While surfing the internet, Mr. Doyle -- a retired administrator from the State University of New York -- checked out WMHT's web site (www.wmht.org) and read about RISE. It transmits on a subcarrier of the main WMHT-FM signal; listeners have access to readings of local and national newspapers through a specially tuned radio receiver.

All RISE programs are read and produced by volunteers, and Mr. Doyle e-mailed WMHT to join them. He filled out an application, was interviewed and was given a vocabulary list to test his reading ability. He soon started reading for RISE.

Mr. Doyle receives The Evangelist on Thursdays and reads it between then and Monday morning to determine which stories he will recite during his 45-minute taping.

"I try to identify those articles that seem to be of broad general interest," he said. He reads between eight and 10 stories on the air, such as the front page stories and editorial. He also looks for features that would interest senior citizens or those with visual impairments.

Special content

There are 100 RISE volunteers and 1,300 listeners, according to Mary Hunt, RISE manager. The Evangelist can be heard at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays; new digital technology could enable RISE to repeat airings.

Unlike other major daily newspapers, she said, The Evangelist contains stories that listeners wouldn't necessarily get somewhere else, which makes it an interesting addition to RISE's schedule.

"It's specialized information that's important to listeners," Mrs. Hunt said. "We feel that this is the only place people [with visual problems] are going to find access to their community newspapers."

Taking care

On Monday, Mr. Doyle tapes his reading at WMHT's studio in Rotterdam; only 30 of the 45 minutes are broadcast, which gives him opportunities to pause while reading or repeat words he has mispronounced, especially in stories about the Pope and international Church leaders.

"I know there have been times when I've found myself really tongue-tied on a particular word," he said.

For someone who enjoys reading The Evangelist on his own, being able to read for those who can't is rewarding to Mr. Doyle. "Hopefully, folks who otherwise would not have the opportunity, because they're visually impaired or have difficulty holding the paper, will have that opportunity now," he said.

(RISE receivers are loaned free to eligible applicants, including individuals currently registered with the New York State Commission for the Visually Handicapped or the Library of Congress Talking Books Program. Applicants not registered with either must have a visual or physical condition impeding access to printed material, a condition certified by a professional. For more information about RISE, call 357-1700.)

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