Media Advisory - AMI-audio Honoured With 8 Prestigious Program Awards

TORONTO, May 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is delighted to announce today that its AMI-audio service has had one of its best showings ever - a record-breaking 8 awards - at the annual competition of the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS), which this year was held in Houston, Texas on May 19.

"This marks the fifth year in a row AMI-audio has taken home at least one IAAIS award, for a total of 20 since 2006. It's just one more indication of why we've gained a reputation over 20+ years for being a world leader for quality programming and making media accessible to people who are blind, partially sighted or print-restricted," says John Melville, AMI VP of Programming and Production. "More importantly, this is a testament to our amazing production team that continuously turns out award-winning programming for AMI-audio as well as our group of volunteer readers who give selflessly of their time and do such a phenomenal job."

This year's AMI-audio winners are:

Program of the Year in the Magazines (half-hour or less) category: "This Week in Maclean's," a special on the Japanese tsunami and earthquake, read by Gwen Thomas Wild and produced by Tony King.

Program of the Year in Magazines (half-hour or more): "The Walrus," with a profile of activist Tarek Fatah and a look at Toronto's Spadina neighbourhood, produced by Bill Shackleton and read by Fenella Lattey, Lorie Scarfarotti and Gwen Thomas Wild.

Program of the Year in Magazine Digest: "Beyond Our Borders" 9/11 special, read by Judy Maddren and produced by Bill Shackleton.

Program of the Year in Newspapers (up to an hour): "Mosaic City," slices of urban life, read and produced by Matt Speirs.

Program of the Year in Dramas and Dramatic Reading: "The Stephen Leacock Sampler," produced by Elaina Falcone, hosted by Matt Speirs and read by George Thompson, Marjorie Nicolaou and Peter Cronsberry.

Program of the Year in On Location: the audio documentary, "Behind the Laughs at Comic Vision," produced by Krista Castagna, Jeff Samsonow and Paula Dineen.

Honourable Mention in Consumer Information: "Grocery Specials, Western Canada, Save-On Foods," read by Molly Ortlieb and produced by Jeff Samsonow.

Honourable Mention in Thematic Production: series of "Beyond Our Borders Promos," produced by Joe Lamanna and read by Matt Speirs, Jeff Orchard and Bill Hunt.

The IAAIS is a volunteer-driven membership organization of services that turn text into speech for people who cannot see, hold or comprehend the printed word and who may be unable to access information due to a disability or health condition. Since its formation in 1977, IAAIS has assisted, represented and set standards of good practice for audio information services worldwide. It currently represents 140-some services and developing services.

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About Accessible Media Inc. 
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization operating two broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio and a companion website, www.AMI.ca. AMI serves more than five million Canadians who are blind or partially sighted, 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.

Janis Davidson Pressick, Communications Manager
800- 567-6755 Ext. 0971, [email protected] 

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Andrea Ramos, Public Relations Coordinator                                
800-567-6755 ext. 0977, [email protected]​