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Good Practice for Talking Newspapers

Introduction
1. Management
2. Infrastructure
3. Editorial
4. Presentation
5. Reading
6. Recording
7. Copying
8. Packing and Posting
9. Returns
10. Reactions
11. Repairs
12. Health, Safety and Electricity
13. Public Relations
14. Finance
15. Development

2. Infrastructure

Totally dedicated accommodation is recommended for even the smallest TN, but requirements are modest - one room, where recorders, copiers and associated equipment can be kept ready to use at the flick of a switch, and a second room where postal sorting tables, racks, files, lists and spare supplies are all at hand. Appendix 5 shows a three room arrangement and Appendix 6 shows a two room equivalent. Photograph 2 shows the the alternative location for the recordist.

Location
The location of a talking newspaper HQ needs careful consideration in relation to:
a. quietness of building and surroundings.
b. building access - for visually impaired and disabled volunteers.
c. general access - bus, train, and car users.
d. proximity to the sorting office, or availability of collection service.
e. building qualities and rental/purchase options.

Ground floor
Ground floor rooms give easiest access for all and will certainly avoid the effort of carrying heavy equipment and mailbags upstairs, but they are vulnerable to noise from occupants above and are more accessible to burglars.

Neighbours
A peaceful backstreet location with quiet neighbours will help to avoid too many unwanted extraneous noises creeping into the recordings. If the neighbours occupy at different times to the TN recording sessions then there is the added benefit of a 'neighbourhood watch' when the TN rooms are unoccupied.

Studio
The recording room has the most critical list of requirements. Ideally it should have:
a. space for (say) five people to sit at a long work surface or table.
b. acoustic qualities which are neither too 'live' nor too 'dead' (although a very live acoustic can be changed by application of special tiles).
c. exclusion of outside sounds.
d. adequate lighting, heating and ventilation.
e. comfortable non-squeak furniture.
f. ante-room to form a sound lobby

Construction
A traditional brick-built room with solid floor and plastered concrete ceiling is likely to give good results but will be most vulnerable to unwanted incoming sounds at its door and window. It should be noted that there is a difference between sound proofing and sound treatment. The former keeps external sound out of the studio while the latter changes the acoustic qualities of the studio.

Windows and doors
Double-glazing with the widest possible air space between the panes will be needed. Alternatively, secondary glazing, i.e. two panes of different thickness glass with a good gap between them could be used. If there is no silent ante-room, the door must be of solid-cored construction with seals around all edges including the threshold at the floor. 'Half-hour' fire doors would be suitable with the right seals.

Ventilation
Ventilation will now be lacking from the 'sealed box' and an air inlet and quiet fan-assisted outlet should be arranged with adjustable controls. Both inlet and outlet require acoustic baffles.

Sound proofing
If the basic construction of the room is of a lightweight nature e.g. plasterboard partitions, timber floors and ceilings, then an inner lining construction will be needed. Mineral acoustic quilting (Rockwool for example) can be supported within a secondary stud wall alongside, but not fixed to, the existing walls, and covered with plasterboard facing. The gap between the secondary wall and the original wall is very important as it ensures that no exterior sound can travel mechanically between the two units. It may also be necessary to decouple the secondary wall from the floor by using strips of resilient felt.

Ceiling and floor
The ceiling can be treated similarly but the floor is more complicated - thick carpet and underlay may suffice if the walls and ceiling have been dealt with adequately.

Sound treatment
If the room is too echoey, curtains, carpet, pinboard or slotted hardboard can be added as required. The 'studio', as we shall call it now, needs to have more of the acoustic quality of a domestic living room rather than a bathroom or kitchen!

Lighting
Good artificial lighting can be achieved with fluorescent fittings which are cooler running than tungsten - a welcome advantage in summer. The 'low-energy' tungsten replacement lamps are very suitable for studio use. However, fluorescent lights can buzz badly, and, when the tubes or starters get to the end of their life, flickering can occur. If this happens, then the offending unit must be looked at immediately, as the flickering could bring on migraines or worse.

Heating
Heating for intermittent occupancy is easiest taken care of by using electric convector heaters, which are silent in use. A low continuous background heat can be arranged with a thermostatically-controlled oil-filled radiator or storage heater.

Natural ventilation
If the room has multi-purpose use e.g. copying, it is worth organising a type of double glazing which is openable and allows easy use of the existing window for natural ventilation.

Furniture
Furniture requirements are simple.
a. table - for the scripts.
b. table(s) - for the equipment.
c. chairs - for users, preferably with height adjustments and without squeaks!
d. stackable chairs - for visitors.
e. storage - in the form of shelves, drawers or cupboard for consumables, i.e. master cassettes, copying cassettes, cleaning aids, and small equipment.
f. noticeboard and clock.
g. large scale map of the area served by the TN (if considered necessary).

Anteroom/office
The second room is best described as an office and has similar but less stringent requirements as the one just described. It can double as the ante-room to the studio and thus provide a 'sound lobby'. Both rooms should be decorated to provide a pleasant environment and a regular cleaning routine should be established.

Other considerations
There are other important considerations:
a. security.
b. fire precautions.
c. communications.
d. flexibility.

Security
Security should be incorporated on the advice of the local police crime prevention officer and to the satisfaction of the TN's insurers. (It should be noted, though, that the policy via TNAUK does not give any discount for dial-up burglar alarms e.g. BTs telephone based alarm system, or local Helpline systems). Consideration should be given to the wording on any public identity sign, e.g. TN RECORDING STUDIO, which suggests that lots of valuable equipment is waiting to be stolen!

Street access
The street door should be kept locked and a simple door bell should be satisfactory but if nuisance rings disturb the recording, then a signalling light could be substituted for the bell. A key-holder's register must be kept up to date.

Fire escape
Fire exit route signs and fire extinguishers should be installed on the advice of the local Fire Service. The building must have battery operated emergency lighting along the exit route, and smoke detectors where advised. An emergency evacuation notice in print, large print and braille,should be fixed inside the entrance and all users should be made aware of the fire drill procedure. See Appendix 12 for a supplier of such signs.

Mail deliveries
Any letterbox will be inadequate for receiving the sacks of cassettes mail, but will be useful for individual hand delivered items and normal letters. Arrangements MUST be made to open the premises for weekly/daily sack deliveries. If the premises are shared with other users and there is a common entrance area, then arrangements could be made for cassette sacks to be taken in and stored as necessary.

Telephone
A telephone is essential together with an answering machine to receive listeners' reports of faulty machines, tapes and other messages including fund raising offers. If your TN does not have its own telephone then the telephone number of a volunteer could be given instead.

Future growth
If the chosen premises have an option for extension, this could save the additional work, expense and sheer heartache of a future change of address. Choose carefully!

TNAUK Registered charity number: 293656