Valley Voice
Valley Voice is a radio reading service for the visually impaired.
The Valley Voice focuses on local news and information with trained volunteers presenting readings of local newspapers for broadcast.
Local Papers Weekday Schedule:
(may be preempted on cable access channels by occasional municipal or school meetings)
At 10am and 1pm: Portions of Staunton News Leader, and Waynesboro News Virginian.
At 11am and 2pm: Portions of Harrisonburg Daily News-Record.
At 12pm and 3pm: Portions of Charlottesville Daily Progress.
In partnership with Virginia Voice, based in Richmond, we are also able to provide their service as a supplement to our local readings. The Virginia Voice is broadcast from 4pm to 10am each weekday, and we carry this service in it's entirety over the weekend. The Virginia Voice reads the Richmond Times Dispatch at 8am and 4pm each weekday and provides many other programs such as readings of the New York Times and Washington Post.
Full Schedule of Virginia Voice: https://www.virginiavoice.org/broadcast-schedule/
The Valley Voice primarily serves the northern area of the Shenandoah Valley, from Staunton to Woodstock, including the cities of Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, and the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Page, and Shenandoah.
Listeners primarily access this service through our online stream - https://media.wmra.org:8001/voice.mp3
Some listeners hear Valley Voice through Cable TV as the audio background of certain PEG (public / educational / governmental) channels. Valley Voice audio is present for all or part of the day on: Staunton CitySpan, and also some in-house stations at retirement homes and adult care facilities. Valley Voice is not responsible for visible text, Valley Voice only does audio.
Medically-qualified people without access to Cable TV or internet services may be able to hear the service through specialized single-channel subcarrier radio receivers (known in the broadcast-world as as SCA's). Unfortunately, the airborne SCA signal is weak and is subject to interference from hilly terrain, buildings, and from some broadcast signals. SCA's only service portions of the Shenandoah Valley from Woodstock to Staunton and are loaned out by Valley Voice.
As an alternative to our SCA receivers, qualified listeners in the region, including Charlottesville and Albemarle County, may request an ECHO Dot. This device requires a wi-fi signal, but does not require an Amazon Prime Account. Valley Voice has an amazon skill that allows users to request the service by simply saying, "Play Valley Voice".
To request an SCA receiver or Echo Dot, call (540) 568-6221 and ask for the Valley Voice, or send an email to WMRA@JMU.EDU with Valley Voice in the subject line.
When scheduling or weather-issues prevent local volunteers from appearing, a recording of the show's most recent edition may play in place of that day's reading.
More Info
Valley Voice
JMU WMRA Radio Bldg
983 Reservoir St
Harrisonburg VA 22801
You can contact us by phone at (540) 568-6221 and ask for the Valley Voice, or send an email to WMRA@JMU.EDU with Valley Voice in the subject line.
The Valley Voice main contact is Matt Bingay, Executive Director & General Manager - bingaymc@jmu.edu
Valley Voice is a department of listener-supported public radio station WMRA, with a broadcast facility on the James Madison University grounds within the WMRA building. The FCC first authorized Valley Voice for broadcast on October 8, 1981, which is considered the Valley Voice's birthday (FCC File BMSCA-81094BA re WMRA). Founders are Jane Fuller and Ron Carrier. The service was only available via SCA units until 1999 when Cable TV distribution began.
Valley Voice and WMRA are both non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations through JMU.
More Resources for those with print impairments
Non-textbook books:
Staunton Talking Book Center
1-800-995-6215
1-540-885-6215
Staunton Talking Book Center serves residents of counties Augusta, Bath, Highland, and Rockbridge --and the cities of Buena Vista, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro.
https://www.ci.staunton.va.us/departments/library/talking-book-center
Textbooks:
Virginia's other reading services:
Roanoke - Reading Service
Richmond - Virginia Voice
Norfolk - WHRO Voice
Alexandria - Washington Ear