2RPH to exclusively broadcast audio description of 9pm Sydney NYE fireworks

Fri, 20 December 2019

Local community radio station 2RPH has been announced as the exclusive audio description broadcaster of the 9pm Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) fireworks.

The live audio description of one of the most internationally-recognised fireworks’ events will give those who are blind or vision-impaired, or who cannot access the fireworks on television, the opportunity to experience the wonder of Sydney’s biggest New Year’s Eve event. Listeners will get to hear the live audio description of the 9pm family fireworks, the Harbour of Light Parade, Calling Country and the midnight fireworks.

The 9pm fireworks allow families, and the littlest spectators, a chance to experience the colourful display of fireworks released from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and barges that dot the famous harbour. This display also includes the winning entry from the ABC’s Design Your Own Firework competition.

The ABC will provide audio describers and feed to 2RPH to broadcast the 9pm and midnight fireworks.

The pyrotechnics display is watched by over one million people along the harbor and more than one billion worldwide, say organisers. The exposure for 2RPH, Sydney’s only radio station serving those who are ‘audio reliant’ i.e have a disability or condition which inhibits their access to visual published material, to be a part of such an important event in the state’s calendar cannot be underestimated.

Of course the Midnight fireworks will also be broadcast, so be listening at 8:45 pm and 11:45 pm this New Years\'s Eve.

2RPH broadcasts 168 hours of radio per week from its Glebe-based station and has over 100,000 weekly listeners.

Sancha Donald, General Manager of 2RPH says, “Supporting the ABC and the City of Sydney in their coverage of this event is another way that the station can help make our listeners feel part of the community. As many of our listeners want to experience the family fireworks, we didn’t want them to miss out.”