Media Advisory - Accessible Media Inc. rebrands world-leading broadcast reading service for Canadians with disabilities: VoicePrint now known as AMI-audio
TORONTO, March 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) today announced that VoicePrint would be rebranded as AMI-audio.
"This is the last stage in AMI's ongoing brand evolution. We've already instituted our rebranding of TACtv to AMI-tv, which took place effective January 30. Now it's time to rename our broadcast reading service, which we launched over 20 years ago. That happens effective March 5," stated David Errington, President and CEO of Accessible Media Inc.-AMI.
AMI-audio (formerly VoicePrint) is the world's largest broadcast reading service, making local, national and international news and information accessible. Daily, AMI volunteers read and record current articles from leading newspapers and magazines, which are broadcast on TV and online into more than 10 million Canadians' homes. Together, staff and volunteers produce and broadcast more than 125 hours of new programming every week.
"Both of these name changes are designed to better reflect the fact that AMI's media portfolio has expanded over the years to include the world's only digital TV service in which all programs carry open described video and closed captions, as well as our accessible website, AMI.ca. It's all part of our plan to link all our services under the AMI banner to aid our marketing efforts and to make it easier for our present and potential new audiences to access us and recognize all our services," continued Errington.
In 2010 the non-profit AMI changed its name from the National Broadcast Reading Service to Accessible Media Inc., reflecting the addition of The Accessible Channel broadcast license to the VoicePrint reading service. Since then AMI has consolidated its corporate, TV and VoicePrint websites into one, AMI.ca.
"Though the VoicePrint-to-AMI-audio name change is just the latest stage, our overall rebranding initiative will definitely enable us to more efficiently and effectively build awareness and cross promote our services amongst the growing population of Canadians with disabilities, including our audiences of blind and partially sighted Canadians who benefit from having the media of everyday life made accessible through described video," explained Peter Burke, AMI VP, Marketing & Communications.
"As well, a unified AMI brand and website allows AMI to reinforce the leadership position the Canadian broadcasting system has taken with respect to media accessibility," added Errington.
About Accessible Media Inc.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization operating two broadcast services, AMI-tv (formerly TACtv) and AMI-audio (formerly VoicePrint), and a companion website, AMI.ca. AMI serves more than five million Canadians who are blind or with low vision, deaf or hard of hearing, learning disabled, mobility or print restricted, or learning English as a second language by making print, broadcast and online media accessible.
Andrea Ramos, Public Relations Coordinator
800-567-6755 ext. 0977, [email protected]
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