Baltimore, MD (October 15, 2015): Due to lack of funding, NFB-NEWSLINE®, a free service from the National Federation of the Blind that provides independent access for blind and print-disabled people to hundreds of local and national publications, emergency weather alerts, job listings, and TV listings, may be terminated in Maine, effective November 13, 2015. Termination of this service will drastically limit the ability of print-disabled Maine residents to easily and independently obtain in-depth information about breaking news, weather emergencies, international affairs, job listings, and community events.

NFB-NEWSLINE^® allows those who cannot read conventional newsprint to listen to newspapers and magazines over the telephone, on the web, by on-demand emails, by portable players, or via a free mobile app for iPhone, iPad, or iPod. NFB-NEWSLINE^® offers two Maine newspapers, Bangor Daily News and Portland Press Herald, as well as Associated Press Maine. In addition to state newspapers from Maine and across the nation, subscribers have access to many national publications, including the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, and the Christian Science Monitor. NFB-NEWSLINE^® also provides a free local channel through which print-disabled Maine residents can gain access to information from state agencies and legislative bodies that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.

Through the service, print-disabled people can access over four hundred newspapers and magazines independently, determining how, when, and where they wish to read their favorite publications. The service also provides access to over 100,000 job listings.

NFB-NEWSLINE® also provides weekly weather forecasts and emergency weather alerts. Blind people can hear the emergency tones on a television but cannot read the print scrolling on the screen. After hearing these tones, NFB-NEWSLINE® subscribers can call the service and hear the emergency weather alert as soon as they log in. From there they have access to a full weather report if they choose. These weather reports are especially crucial during winter months.

For the past several years, Maine’s NFB-NEWSLINE^® service has been sponsored by private funding sources. The service requires approximately $30,000 annually to maintain in Maine. If funding is not found on or before November 13, 2015, blind and print-disabled Maine residents will no longer have access to NFB-NEWSLINE^®.

Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said, “The incredible resource of NFB-NEWSLINE® should be available to every blind and print-disabled person. Having access to current news and information is essential for people to live the lives they want.”

Leon Proctor, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Maine, said, “This service is vital to blind and print-disabled Maine residents. Nowhere else can they find such comprehensive, up- to-the-minute access to news and information. I personally am going to miss reading the national newspapers and breaking news.”

Scott White, director of NFB-NEWSLINE®, said: “We are sorry to see the service terminated in this state. For many blind people, NFB-NEWSLINE® is their only accessible and timely source of news and information. We hope we can obtain the necessary funding to continue to provide the newspapers, weather alerts, job listings, retail ads and TV listings to our subscribers in Maine.”

To learn how you can help keep NFB-NEWSLINE^® available in Maine, please call Scott White, Director of Sponsored Technology at the National Federation of the Blind, at (410) 659-9314, extension 2231 or send an email to [email protected].

To learn more about NFB-NEWSLINE®, please visit http://www.nfbnewsline.org.