Hmm. Ray, it's like the RNIB membership scheme, where you get a nice little bi-monthly magazine that kids you into believing you find out more about what's going on if you become a member.
I wonder what the Charity Commission would have to say about this radio? I've heard loads of cliches in the last week. Here's another one: "There's only one way to find out."
Jackie----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 2:05 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio update
Thanks Jackie for the promised report-back on the accessible internet radio. Well, almost accessible? Not sure folks what to make of this subject, but would I be far of the mark to think this is a backdoor way of launching a product to an unsuspecting and maybe too trusting market? Simply don't understand particularly why stations have to be added for you. The final question has to bee, What other solutions were being tried to make this the one to go with? I've heard nothing on this score myself that I can recall. I Must express my concern and anger at what I think is now becoming a more and more obvious tendency of abuse in the charity sector due to a blurring of lines and thinking, or lack of it, as to 'charitable purpose' and what is business. I don't like this tendency that's growing now for our beloved charities to seek to 'monitories' services by stealth and slight of hand. Just a few days ago a cheeky bugger from RNIB on the Arena list told us that the RNIB streaming service is entirely separate from the Talking Book Service. That to my mind is a weasel way of saying "different service, you pay again, in spite of the fact you are already paying for something we're just tapping into, i.e. the long established TB service." Sorry to say this, but I feel increasingly that our services are falling into the hands of money makers who are less than up-front about their agendas. For profit incentive entrepreneur, read, "mercenary" and like mercenaries they'll soon get their arses out of it if it doesn't pay. What angers me so much is its being done seemingly under the auspices of well established and trusted charities. Take care where you place your trust. (Interesting to see Mr. Honest on here, aka Dave Anchors.) From Ray I can be contacted off-list at: mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- Ankers, Dave (UK) Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio update Terry,/Jackie Perhaps you could ask for a response from the MD of Solutions Radio, in order to resolve this solutions opportunity! I always like to get the facts from the horses mouth, just so they cannot say they have been mis-represented, and if the facts are e indeed fact, I know one internet radio I won't be buying. Dave Jackie when I met with the lady from Solutions Radio I did say that it was crucial that people could independently add stations. I tell you the mainstream market wouldn't get away with this. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jackie Cairns <mailto:cairnsplace@xxxxxxx> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 12:07 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio update Terry, I asked Luke to repeat exactly what he meant to ensure I was hearing it correctly while I processed the information. But that's what he said. Relaying the infomation to Ian after my call, he made a very valid point. He said he would want to know what would happen if you bought a radio off them, and didn't subscribe to their newspapers service, as we currently don't. Ian wondered if they would then decline to put stations into the radio if you wanted them to, or whether they would continue to support its existence. The other thing we don't like about this is the fact you have to keep getting TNAUK to put the stations in you come across. We would feel a lack of control of the whole thing personally. To me, this whole thing has the makings of a good story somewhere, but then maybe it's my journalistic gut working overtime (smile). Incidentally Terry, sorry I didn't get to tell you what the Eurosport number was for the tennis last week. By the time I read your Email, the match was over. For future reference though, it is 410. Jackie ----- Original Message ----- From: Terry Clasper <mailto:terry.clasper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 11:54 AM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio update This sounds crazy,. They are either having a trial or they are not. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jackie Cairns <mailto:cairnsplace@xxxxxxx> To: Access UK Mailing List <mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 11:38 AM Subject: [access-uk] Internet radio update Hi All Pin your ears back as I have an update that might be of interest to some. My last post to this list on the thread of Internet radios intimated I would let you know how I got on with a web radio that TNAUK are trialing. A couple of weeks ago, they agreed to send me a web radio when a customer who had finished with their set returned it to them. At the end of last week, however, I got an Email from Ted Davis to say that he had a web radio in stock if I wanted to purchase it for £275.00. So I thought to myself, in typical Jackie fashion: "Why would I want to buy a web radio if the trial is still going on, and nobody has forked out any money for these sets to my knowledge?" So I contacted TNAUK today, and spoke to Ted's colleague, Luke. The full story appears to be this. TNAUK are lending 15 web radios to people at the moment to trial. Anyone over and above those 15 who express an interest in the box must pay £275.00 for the privilege of owning one. The trial ends at the end of February, but, he tells me, things look "promising." According to TNAUK, RNIB have come to the same conclusion as TNAUK that this way forward is the best solution. I asked Luke how I would be supported with a web radio if I bought one, and he said that if I wanted an Internet radio station added to it, I could contact them with the details, and they would have it put in for me without the radio being returned to TNAUK. I used the scenario of wanting Sky Radio in it, and he said this would be possible. I then asked about future upgrades and support, and he said that it depended on what was to happen after the trial. So my conclusion is that they appear to want to sell you a web box, but can't guarantee you its lifespan after the trial ends next month with the 15 recipients who are doing that for nothing. Since I am under no disclosure, I don't see why you shouldn't be aware of this information. But I'm trying to suppress my own thoughts because I can't decide whether it's me who is going mad, or whether this whole thing has a very nasty taste about it. Sorry for the long post, but that's the latest. 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