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Confederation of Transcribed Information Services
To promote the provision of information in alternative formats to print
| Talking Newspaper Winners and Shortlist | Talking Newspaper Magazine Winners and Shortlist | Criteria to be satisfied in each COTIS Category |
Winner: Sound News Milton Keynes.
Highly Commended: Wymondham & Attleborough.
Shortlist
Darlington
Lothiansound
Morpeth & District
Oldham
Sound News Milton Keynes
South Lakes
Turra Talk
Wymondham & Attleborough
COTIS Identification Category:
Joint Winners: Portsmouth TN & Sound News Milton Keynes
Highly Commended: Bromley & District, Darlington, & West
Shropshire.
COTIS Navigation Category:
Winner: Sound News Milton Keynes
Highly Commended: Morpeth & District, North Norfolk (Mardler),
Spelthorne TN & The Talking Banffie.
COTIS Readers Category:
Joint Winners: Jewish Care, Oldham TN, Wymondham & Attleborough
Highly Commended: Darlington, Lothiansound, Morpeth & District,
South Lakes, & Turra Talk.
COTIS Audio Category:
Joint Winners: Jewish Care & Sound News Milton Keynes
Highly Commended: Darlington, Lothiansound, Morpeth & District,
Turra Talk, Wymondham & Attleborough.
Winner: North Norfolk TN (The Mardler).
Very Close Highly Commended: Kenilworth TN
Shortlist
Chichester Area
Fareport TN
Kenilworth TN (KTN)
Lea Valley TN
Mansfield & Ashfield Echo
Mersea Island Lions
North Norfolk (Mardler)
Southampton Talking Echo
Stowmarket & District TN
West Shropshire TN
Wymondham & Attleborough TN
COTIS Identification Category:
Joint Winners:Kenilworth, Mersea Island & Wymondham &
Attleborough TNs.
Highly Commended: Link-Line TM, West Shropshire TN.
COTIS Navigation Category:
Winner: Mersea Island Lions.
Highly Commended: Bexhill, Kenilworth, Link-Line, Stowmarket,
Soundaround.
COTIS Readers Category:
Joint Winners: Lea Valley & West Shropshire TNs.
Highly Commended:Chichester Area, Kenilworth, North Norfolk, Stowmarket
& District, Southampton Talking Echo.
COTIS Audio Category:
Joint Winners: Chichester Area & Norfolk TNs.
Highly Commended: Fareport, Kenilworth, Lea Valley, Mansfield &
Ashfield, West Shropshire.
Section 1. Identification and Playability - ie can you tell fairly easily who the recording is from, what its about and can you play it. 7 points
Essential.
Q1. Did it work in your player?
a) Yes
b) No
IF NO, No further questions!
Important.
Q2.Is the general appearance and presentation of the tape of a quality you
feel to be appropriate for a weekly talking newspaper? 1 point
a) Yes, it's very good. 1 point
b) It's OK. 0.75 points
c) I would like to see one or two improvements. 0.5 points
d) Its definitely not good enough and would not be acceptable to a sighted
person as a print substitute. 0 points
Q3. If you were a regular reader, would you be likely to know what the tape
was without playing it (ie has it any identifying marks)? 1 point
a) Yes, easily. 1 point
b) Yes, with difficulty. 0.5 points
c) No. 0 points
Q4. Can you tell which side to insert first? ( 2 points)
a) Yes . 2 points
b) No. 0 points
Q5. In the first minute of listening, do you know what the recording is -
were you told the name of the TN? ( 2 points)
a) Yes. 2 points
b) No. 0 points
Important.
Q6. In the first minute of listening, do you know the issue date of the
newspaper or magazine? ( 1 point)
a) Yes. 1 point
b) No. 0 points
Section 2. Navigation - and structure. This is all about being able to understand the layout of the information itself, and then being able to "flip" to the desired section as easily as possible. 6 points
Essential.
Q7. The layout of the material recorded is understandable. (eg it is clear
which telephone number goes with which name, what are headings, what are bullet
points.) Did the readers convey this well and understandably? ( 2.5 points)
a) Yes, always. 2.5 points
b) I was confused on one or two occasions. 1 point
c) I found one whole section, or three or more instances confusing. 0 points
Important.
Q8. The contents (to an appropriate level of detail) are listed in a way
which enables you to locate specific items. (1 point)
a) Yes. 1 point
b) No. 0 points
Q9. Appropriate sections are marked so that they can be reached as easily as
possible (eg tone indexed, music, change of voice). (1 point)
a) Yes. 1 point
b) No. 0 points
Q10 TN team introduce themselves (1 point)
a) Yes. 1 point
b) No. 0 points
Q11. The actual running time of the recording is given. ( 0.5 point)
a) Yes. 0.5 point
b) No. 0 points
Section 3. Reading Quality ie can you understand and bear to listen to the reader; is the reader either giving you the information accurately and understandably, or giving you an enjoyable listening experience? 40 points
Essential
Q12. It is easy to understand readers' speech - ie, their words are clear.
( 8 points)
a) Very easy, all of the time. 8 points
b) Mostly very easy, I had trouble with one or two sentences only. 6 points
c) I struggled with a whole section, or on three or more occasions. 2 points
d) I struggled throughout most of the tape. 0 points
Q13. The reading is accurate and meaning is understandable - eg the
emphasis was in the right place to make sense of the text .( 8 points)
a) Yes, as far as I could tell. 8 points
b) I felt on one or two occasions that mistakes might have been made, or
stumbles prevented me from understanding properly. 6 points
c) I felt on three or four occasions that mistakes might have been made, or
stumbles prevented me from understanding properly. 4 points
d) For much of the recording, I do not feel I could say accurately what the
print said. 0 points
Important.
Q14. The sound of the reader's voice is pleasant to listen to (leaving aside if possible known personal prejudices such as not liking certain accents) ( 8 points)
a) All very pleasant, making listening enjoyable 8 points
b) Most very good, one not enjoyable. 6 points
c) Most OK, or some very good, some very poor. 4 points
d) Most not very enjoyable. 2 point
e) Not enjoyable at all. 0 points
Q15. The reader's attitude and tone is appropriate. (4 points)
a) Yes, all of them, all of the time. 4 points
b) There was one occasion which I thought inappropriate. 3 points
c) There were several occasions (or a complete section) which I did not
like/think correct. 0 points
Q16. The reader apparently understands the subject matter, and comperes are
in control. ( 4 points)
a) Yes, all of them, all of the time. 4 points
b) Yes, except for one or two occasions. 2 points
c) I felt they were struggling on more than three occasions. 0 points
Q17. All readers and speakers sound as if they were happy and confident to
be recording, making it a relaxed listening experience. (8 points)
a) Yes, all of them, all of the time. 8 points
b) Most of the time. 6 points
c) There were signs of strain or nervousness on more than three occasions or
throughout one whole section. 4 points
d) The team's lack of confidence made me feel "on edge" throughout
the majority of the tape. 0 points
Section 4. Audio Quality, 40 points
Essential.
Q18. The recorded signal is clear, not muffled or distorted, eg by faulty
or badly used microphone. (10 points)
a) Yes, the recording was very clear throughout. 10 points
b) Most of the recording was clear, one or two improvements could be made. 8
points
c) It was OK. 6 points
d) No, the sound could have been a little clearer. 4 points
e) No, the sound was fairly bad for most of the tape. 0 points
Important.
Q19. There is no unintentional recorded background noise. ( 8 points)
a) None that I noticed. 8 points
b) Only occasionally. 6 points
c) It was quite annoying throughout the tape. 0 points
Q20. The sound level is consistent ( 8 points )
a) Yes, all the time. 8 points
b) Most of the time. 6 points
c) No, it varied considerably throughout the recording. 0 points
Q21. Was the sound level generally good? 8 points
a) Yes, it was about right. 8 points
b) It was slightly too loud or too soft. 6 points
c) It was either so loud it was distorted, or so quiet that I had to have the
volume at maximum, making it impossible to listen comfortably. 0 points
Not so Important
Q22. Any identifying sounds (eg music) used at the beginning of the tape or
between items as appropriate. ( 2 points)
a) Yes. 2 points
b) No. 0 points
Q23. Any such sounds/music fade well and its volume matched the surrounding
speech (4 points)
a) It was done very well. 4 points
b) It was OK. 3 points
c) It wasn't done very well. 1point
d) It was badly done. 0 points
e) There wasn't any. 0 points
Section 5 Content 7 points
Essential
Q24A. For Magazines. There was a well-ordered and interesting mix of items.
(7 points)
a) Yes, an excellent mixture with much of local and vi interest. 7 points
b) It was an interesting selection but nothing seemed particularly relevant to
TN audience. 5 points
c) I have one or two reservations about the overall selection or about the
ordering of the items. 3 points
d) I have three or more reservations. 0 points
Q24B.For TNs: Did you feel there was a well-ordered mix of items which
probably reflected the content of the print newspaper? (7 points)
a) Yes, it seemed well balanced, covering all likely topics in a good order,
and included points of particular relevance to TN audience. 7 points
b) It was OK, but nothing seemed particularly relevant to TN audience. 5 points
c) I have one or two reservations about the overall selection or about the
ordering of the items. 3 points
d) I have three or more reservations. 0 points.
Section 6 Overall Check (Points not added to final 100, but are taken into consideration in judging)
Q25. You would willingly listen to more recordings from the same source.
a) Yes. 5 points
b) Yes, with a few reservations. 3 points
c) Only if there is no alternative source of the information. 1 point
d) Absolutely not. 0 points
COTIS, Project Office, 67 High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP, United Kingdom.
Telephone: +44 (0)1829 733351
Email: administrator@cotis.org.uk
COTIS President: Sir John A. Wall - Charity Number 299024
COTIS Web Site last updated 24th June 2005