“The Watchtower” on Cassette
1 As announced at the 1987 district convention, beginning with the issue of January 1, 1988, The Watchtower in English will be available on cassette on a yearly subscription basis. It is hoped that this provision will prove especially helpful to those handicapped by physical impairment that prevents them from reading The Watchtower in print. The recordings will also aid children and others who are endeavoring to improve their reading skills.
2 The subscription rates for The Watchtower on cassette will be as follows:
Congregation and public: $36.00
Pioneer: $30.00
Those certified as blind or physically unable to read normal reading material: $12.00
3 Cassettes will be provided with Braille labels if specified. All subscriptions are for one year only; there will be no six-month subscription rate.
4 Most of the articles in each issue of The Watchtower will be included on a single cassette that will be mailed directly to the subscriber semimonthly. The cassette should be received about the same time as the printed edition. In order to receive the first issue beginning in January, subscriptions should be sent in during the month of October. Special cassette subscription forms have been supplied to each congregation, which may be obtained from the brother handling subscriptions. The completed form should be returned to him for forwarding to the Society, following the same procedure as for regular subscriptions.
5 For the benefit of the blind and those physically unable to use or read conventionally printed matter, the Society is making The Watchtower on cassette available at a reduced rate that is less than production cost. Those qualified for this reduced rate will receive their cassettes postage free as “Free Matter for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.” In order to qualify, it will be necessary to provide certification of impairment with each reduced-rate subscription. This may be in the form of a certificate, such as provided by organizations for the blind, doctors, rehabilitation professionals, and so forth. Or the congregation secretary, on the basis of his personal acquaintance with the subscriber, may sign the certification statement on the reverse side of the special subscription slip. Please note that illiteracy alone does not qualify one for the reduced rate.
6 While The Watchtower on cassette will be most appreciated by those with visual impairment, the Society is pleased to make these cassette recordings available to any who may desire to benefit from The Watchtower on tape in addition to the printed magazine.