WRBH (88.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a non-

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

. It primarily provides a

radio reading service A radio reading service or reading service for the blind is a public service of many universities, community groups and public radio stations, where a narrator reads books, newspapers and magazines aloud for the benefit of the blind and vision-imp ...

for the blind and print-handicapped, without the usual use of a private

subcarrier A subcarrier is a sideband of a radio frequency carrier wave, which is modulated to send additional information. Examples include the provision of colour in a black and white television system or the provision of stereo in a monophonic radio bro ...

decoder. It is one of three such stations in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Services include readings of books, original programming, and readings of periodicals, including ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'' and ''

The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate ''The Times-Picayune , The New Orleans Advocate'' (commonly called ''The Times-Picayune'' or the ''T-P'') is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ancestral publications of other names date back to January 25, 1837. The cu ...

''. WYPL in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, provides similar services. The station also carries

Tulane Green Wave The Tulane Green Wave are the athletic teams that represent Tulane University, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). There are 14 Green Wave interc ...

sports, including

Tulane The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it be ...

women's basketball Women's basketball is the team sport of basketball played by women. It was first played in 1892, one year after men's basketball, at Smith College in Massachusetts. It spread across the United States, in large parts via women's college compet ...

and

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

. The station's licensee is Radio For The Blind & Print Handicapped. The station has an

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ha ...

(ERP) of 51,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...

s. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is located on Tournefort Street in

Chalmette, Louisiana Chalmette ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in, and the parish seat of, St. Bernard Parish in southeastern Louisiana, United States. The 2010 census reported that Chalmette had 16,751 people; 2011 population was listed as 17,119; however, th ...

.Radio-Locator.com/WRBH
/ref>

Founding

WRBH was founded by a local mathematician, Dr. Robert McClean, who was blind. He envisioned an FM reading radio station, with programming content for the blind and visually impaired. In 1975, McClean began leasing airtime from WWNO and renting studio space from New Orleans’ Lighthouse for the Blind. By 1982, his efforts expanded after purchasing the 88.3 FM wavelength, making WRBH the United States’ first 24-hour FM reading radio station for the blind. In 1994, WRBH purchased a 4,000-square-foot, 19th-century Victorian building on New Orleans’

Magazine Street Magazine Street is a major thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like Tchoupitoulas Street, St. Charles Avenue, and Claiborne Avenue, it follows the curving course of the Mississippi River. The street took its name from an ammunition mag ...

. This location serves as WRBH's recording studio and administrative space. In 2000, WRBH added its programming to the internet via live audio streaming and podcasts. In 2014, WRBH partnered with a New Orleans–based marketing and public relations firm to redesign its logo and website while also making the site fully compatible with screen reading software. The station is used by visually impaired persons in the New Orleans region and others worldwide through its online streaming capabilities.

Background

Most information in print and on the internet is not easily accessible to those who cannot read. For the blind and print handicapped community, this lack of access to information can increase their sense of isolation, lower their standard of living, and become a serious obstacle in everyday life. WRBH seeks to keep everyone equally informed by providing access to news and information, promoting cultural enrichment, and encouraging mental and emotional independence for those who cannot read. WRBH offers a wide variety of programming including local and national news, best-selling fiction and non-fiction books, magazine articles, children's books, event calendars, interview segments, health programs, cooking shows, and grocery store ads, as well as shows geared toward Spanish, Haitian, and Vietnamese communities. This programming is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year because of the work of over 150 volunteers who donate nearly 5,000 hours of their time annually. WRBH produces several in-house shows including ''Charlie's Music Show'' where host Charles Smith interviews musicians of all genres, ''Writers Forum'', which provides an opportunity for local authors to discuss their work, and ''New Orleans by Mouth'', moderated by Amy Sins.

Audience

WRBH's target audience is those with difficulty reading. It also uses real human voices.

Reach

WRBH's terrestrial broadcasting power is 25,000 watts, and the station’s range is 90-mile radius stretching over Hancock County,

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, and the following Louisiana parishes: Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John, Terrebonne, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines.

Awards

WRBH has garnered several accolades over the years, such as the City of New Orleans' Proclamation of Recognition for 30 Years of Service in 2012, the Governor's Media Award in 1999, the Mayor's Medal of Honor in 1998, and the designation as the 257th Point of Light by President George Bush, Sr. in 1990.

Collaborations

* Lighthouse for the Blind * Blinded Veterans Association * New Orleans Filipino-American Lions Club * Entergy * Ben Franklin High School * Young Leadership Council * The Big Read

References

External links

WRBH's website
* * {{coord, 29.950, N, 89.958, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title Radio stations in New Orleans Radio reading services of the United States Radio stations established in 1982 1982 establishments in Louisiana Disability in Louisiana