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BLIND: Local announcer takes to the air(Continued from page 1) system—and lower maintenance costs.Snider was surprised, but pleased by Benson's decision.“I was just joking with him, Snider said.The joke turned serious and now KUWL has a DAT system and a blind radio announcer.Nafpliotis, who used to be a full-time piano tuner and now does it part time, works at the station more than 30 hours a week.“I take my job seriously. It's fun and I enjoy it, but I take it seriously, he said.Born in Greece, Nafpliotis grew up in Washington, D.C., and knew two things he wanted—to work in radio and to come to Fairbanks.“I’ve been wanting to come to Fairbanks since I was in the second grade, he said, explain ing that he did a report on the city. “After that it was in my blood, I guess.He came to Fairbanks about four years ago. Getting a job in radio took longer. He said he tried to get a job in Washington, D C., but the stations wouldn't even consider him without a college degree.In Fairbanks, he met Snider at Lighthouse Christian Center just after KUWL had just been started. Nafpliotis eventually began doing volunteer work for the station, which has its offices and studios at the centerHe also started volunteering at KUAC, the public radio sta tion, and was later paid for production work and coverage of Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly meetings. He quit working at KUAC last summer.about the time he was hired at KUWL.Hiring Nafpliotis as an announcer meant KUWL had to get some specialized equipment. The station received help from the state vocational rehabilitation program, which purchased most of the equipment, and the Fairbanks Private Industry Council, which underwrote half of Nafpliotis’ salary for the first six months.The equipment includes a keyboard for the blind that is compatible with the IBM computer. When “talking to the computer, the user types in words and numbers using a system of 10 blank keys. Nafpliotis also uses the regular keyboard.Nafpliotis reads what’s on the screen by using a long, thin mechanical Braille strip that runs horizontally above the keys. He slides his fingers across tiny, rounded metal dowels that jut up through holes in the strip. As each word is high lighted on the computer screen the dowels change height to match the word's Braille equivalent. ^ ^ *The studio also has a box that makes a different buzzing noises if the recording levels are too loud or too quiet.The Braille keyboard can now be used only in the production studio. So far, computer mem ory limitations have barred it from being used in the on air booth, but Snider is searching for a way to solve that problem.(Continued from page I) spite the existing pro-choice laws inWhen on the air, Natpiiotis now reads his schedule from a paper sheet of Braille that must be pre printed on a Braille printer. The schedule has only the songs before and after the scheduled mike breaks—times when he can talk on the air. Cathy Muller, the station's receptionist, sets the proper tapes on top of the players for Nafpliotis to put into the players when the alarms go off.With a Braille keyboard in the on air studio, Nafpliotis would be able to read the computer screen to find out when his mike breaks are, what songs are on the playlist and what tapes are scheduled. The tapes, which can hold up to two hours of music, already have Braille labels on them, so he could find them by himself.For Nafpliotis, a Braille keyboard in the on-air booth would allow him to be independent in his work, something he would like to have happen.“I ll be able to do anything on the computer that needs to be done,’ he said.The 37-year-old father of four hopes other stations will follow KUWL’s lead More blind radio announcers could be working if other stations had similar equipment. r r • / 'Nafpliotis has found a niche that he is comfortable with. He likes the music and he likes what he does.“I want to make a career out of it he said.life. We want to outlaw abortion on demand.”ABORTION: Upfront
Newspaper Details
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska, US
Mon, Jan 22, 1990
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 30 May 2020
Other Publications Near Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
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Fairbanks Daily Times
