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AZ Newsline

AZ Newsline logo 

NFB-NEWSLINE® provides telephone access to newspapers for individuals who are unable to read the print version.

  • Access local and national newspapers and magazines.
  • Available by touch-tone telephone, email and website twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Delivers today’s, yesterday’s, and the previous Sunday’s issues of selected newspapers.
  • Access is free through toll-free numbers.

Who is eligible?

Anyone who cannot read printed newspapers due to blindness, visual impairment or a physical disability is eligible. You are already eligible for Newsline® if you are:

  • Registered with a state or private vocational rehabilitation agency for the blind.
  • Enrolled in a public school special education program for the blind, or you reside at a state school for the blind.
  • Registered with the Arizona Braille & Talking Book Library or any regional library of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

How Do I Subscribe?

Register by completing the application or by calling the Arizona State Braille and Talking Book Library at 602-255-5578 (Phoenix metro area) or 1-800-255-5578 (toll free). After your registration is processed, you will receive a letter containing your activation codes and instructions for using Newsline®.

How Does it Work?

The National Federation of the Blind designed an electronic system to receive digital transmissions from publishers on the morning of publication. Data are reformatted for conversion to synthetic speech and uploaded to the NFB-NEWSLINE® servers. Users dial a toll-free number to access the service. They can choose which newspaper, section, and article to “read” by keying in selections on their touch-tone phone. The voice menu allows the user to change the speed and voice quality, and even spell out selected words.

Newsline® User’s Guide

  1. Dial the telephone number for Newsline®: 602-357-4408 (Phoenix metro area) or 1-888-882-1629 (toll free).
  2. Enter your 6 digit Identification Number.
  3. Enter your 4 digit Security Code.
  4. From the main menu press:
    • 1 on your phone to listen to NFB News
    • 3 for Arizona Newspapers
    • 5 for a list of all NFB Newspapers
    • 7 for a list of magazines
    • 8 for TV listings
    • 0 for instructions to use Newsline®.
  5. Enter the corresponding number for the paper you would like to read.
  6. Choose a publication day: today’s, yesterday’s, or the previous Sunday’s.
  7. Press the number for the section of the paper you want to hear.
  8. After stating the number of articles in the section, Newsline® will begin reading. You may skip to the next article by pressing the 3 on your phone until you hear an article you’d like to listen to.
  9. Press 7 to slow down the speed or 9 to speed it up.
  10. Press * (star) to go back one level in the menu.
  11. To end the session press # 3 (pound sign 3) and hang up.
  12. A help button is available throughout your time logged in: Press #.