Audio-Reader is generally broadcast on the subcarrier of an FM radio station. This means a special radio is required in the home. The radio is provided by Audio-Reader, on loan, for as long as it is wanted. In some locations Audio-Reader may only be available through the local cable company. In those cases, Audio-Reader will provide a special radio if one is required, but the listener will have to subscribe and pay for basic cable service.
Listeners receive a program guide in large print, Braille, or cassette.
The analog signal is compressed 3 to 1, with no preemphasis. Established in 1971, Audio-Reader was one of the first radio reading services in the world. The describer sits in a booth and watches the stage, describing the visual action of the performance. Blind or visually impaired theater patrons obtain a pair of lightweight headphones in the lobby, and can listen to this closed-circuit channel during the perfomrance. Kansas City Theater patrons can be seated anywhere in the audience, and during pauses in the stage dialog the listener will hear descriptions of actions, body language, lights, costume, scenery, and other aspects of the production not conveyed by voices from the stage.