Sun Sounds of Arizona

Who We Are

Sun Sounds of Arizona provides audio access to information to people in the Southwest who cannot read print because they have a disability and helps them bridge the information gap between current print media.

Sun Sounds provides this access to print via a reading service on radio and Internet. The radio service is an audio presentation that is carried on an FM station in a hidden portion of the signal called a subcarrier or as an audio only service on cable. By providing the programming of a reading service it is possible for eligible listeners to hear daily newspapers, grocery ads, job opportunities and other printed news used in day-to-day living.

Anyone who cannot read print because of a medical disability can sign-up for service. There is no fee to users. A program schedule (available in large print, on tape or in Braille) is provided to help listeners tune in at the right time for the daily newspaper such as the Wall Street Journal, Arizona local papers, or USA Today. Other print information read aloud is from local grocery or department stores and even best-seller books are provided in serialized form.

Another interesting fact about Sun Sounds is that the on-air voices are all those of volunteers. There are hundreds of volunteers who provide this help throughout Arizona, including those in Sun Sounds' offices in Tempe, Flagstaff and Yuma.

The Tucson Station is located at 7290 E. Broadway, Ste 166, and has 5 employees and 190 volunteers. Mitzi Tharin is our station manager – and is an advocate of our service as she went blind a few years ago. Daniel Redondo is her assistant, Claire Weeks is the marketing coordinator, Doug Martz the engineer and Bill Doerr runs our data entry/program and is the production assistant. Debbie Schaab is a volunteer herself and yet has taken on the monumental task of hiring, training and organizing the remaining 189 volunteers so that the on air time is covered.

Volunteers do everything from operating the console, reading, taping programs, administrative office duties as well as organizing and running our other fundraiser held in the autumn – The Sun Sounds Great Tucson Beer Festival.