Radio Eye
Radio Eye is a Lexington, Kentucky-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that broadcasts human-voice readings of news and information to approximately 10,000 visually impaired and print-disabled listeners across Kentucky through radio, apps, Alexa, telephone, and NFB-Newsline, funded by donations and program sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersLexington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Radio Eye does
Radio Eye is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation registered in Kentucky, operating since approximately 1990 as the state's only radio reading and information service for visually impaired and print-disabled residents. The organization broadcasts readings of current news, newspapers, magazines, and public interest programming through human voice delivery, without editorializing. Its core product is the radio reading service, which produces approximately 4,000 hours of original programming annually, supported by 200 volunteers who serve as readers, outreach coordinators, and fundraising event participants. Programming includes Kentucky regional newspapers (Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal, and other local papers), national publications (New York Times, Washington Post), and specialized content in health, disability, science, and technology categories.
The organization distributes content through seven channels: a website stream, podcast platforms (Spreaker), special radio devices provided to qualifying individuals, smartphone apps for iOS and Android, Amazon Alexa Skills, a toll-free telephone line (800-238-5193), and NFB-Newsline integration. Institutional placement extends reach into retirement homes, veterans centers, and hospitals across Kentucky. The service is offered free to all listeners regardless of ability to pay, with listener eligibility verified through physician, nurse, or librarian confirmation of disability.
Radio Eye's revenue model is a hybrid of individual donations (one-time, legacy/bequest, stock, retirement account, vehicle, and Kroger Community Rewards) and tax-deductible program sponsorships priced at $50/week, $180/month, or $2,000/year for one-hour slots. Past sponsors include Morning Pointe, Retina Associates of Kentucky, Bank of the Bluegrass, and JRA Architects. The organization maintains a 1-10 person paid staff led by Executive Director Lucy Stone, holds an endowment at the Blue Grass Community Foundation, and operates from a single studio location at 162 Old Todds Rd Ste 280 in Lexington, Kentucky. There is no parent company, no venture capital backing, no funding rounds, and no indication of geographic expansion beyond Kentucky.
Radio Eye firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Radio Eye
- Legal name
- Radio Eye, Inc.
- Website
- https://radioeye.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Radio Eye is a Lexington, Kentucky-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that broadcasts human-voice readings of news and information to approximately 10,000 visually impaired and print-disabled listeners across Kentucky through radio, apps, Alexa, telephone, and NFB-Newsline, funded by donations and program sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Radio Eye industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Accessibility Radio Reading Services
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)
Keywords
Where Radio Eye is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lexington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Radio Eye business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Radio Eye is a registered 501(c)(3) charity that relies on donations from individuals, including one-time gifts, legacy/bequest gifts, stock donations, retirement account inclusions, vehicle donations, and Kroger Community Rewards contributions.
- Program Sponsorships: Tax-deductible program sponsorships at $50/week for one-hour programs or $25 for 30 minutes; $180/month or $2,000/year for one-hour programs. Sponsors receive on-air announcements about 30 seconds in length subject to FCC restrictions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free service for qualifying visually impaired and print-disabled individuals |
| Subscription | Weekly | Program Sponsorship - Weekly |
| Subscription | Monthly | Program Sponsorship - Monthly |
| Subscription | Annual | Program Sponsorship - Annual |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels5 records
Radio Eye product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Radio Eye is a Kentucky-based nonprofit that broadcasts the human-voice reading of current news, public service, and general interest programming to people who are blind and print-disabled. The organization produces approximately 4,000 hours of original programming annually, supported by 200 volunteers, and delivers content across multiple accessibility channels including specialized radios, smartphone apps, Alexa Skills, toll-free telephone, podcast platforms, and institutional venues such as retirement homes, veterans centers, and hospitals.
Product overview
Radio Eye is a nonprofit radio reading service that operates as a single unified product—the broadcast reading of news and information—to serve people who are blind and print-disabled. The core service delivers approximately 4,000 hours of original programming annually through multiple access channels: the main broadcast service, smartphone apps, Amazon Echo/Alexa Skills, toll-free telephone, special radios, and on-demand podcasts. Programming includes newspaper readings (Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal, New York Times, Washington Post), regional local newspapers, health and disability programs (AARP, Diabetes and You, Get Fit), and science/technology programs (National Geographic, Smithsonian, Technology Talk). The service is free to listeners and reaches approximately 10,000 people across Kentucky.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Radio Eye Radio Reading Service A radio reading service that broadcasts the human-voice reading of current news, public service, and general interest programming to people who are blind and print-disabled in Kentucky. Provided free of charge regardless of ability to pay.
- Radio Eye Podcasts On-demand podcast access to Radio Eye programming including readings of Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal, Sports News, and regional newspapers from Lexington, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, and Western Kentucky. Distributed via Spreaker.
- Special Radios Distribution Program Distribution of special radio devices to eligible blind and print-disabled individuals, providing dedicated hardware access to Radio Eye programming. Applicants provide physician, nurse, or librarian verification of disability.
- Smartphone Apps Mobile applications for iOS and Android devices enabling listeners to access Radio Eye programming on their smartphones.
- Amazon Echo/Alexa Skills Voice-activated access to Radio Eye through Amazon Echo devices using Alexa Skills, enabling hands-free listening for eligible users.
- Toll-Free Telephone Service Telephone access to Radio Eye programming via a toll-free number (800-238-5193), providing an accessible option for listeners without internet or smart devices.
- Newspaper Reading Programs Daily readings of regional newspapers including Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous local newspapers from Lexington, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, and Western Kentucky areas.
- Health and Disability Programs Specialized programming covering health news and disability information including AARP, Diabetes and You, Disability News, Get Fit, Health Corner, Men's Health, Women's Health, VIP Yoga, and Sound Prints.
- Science and Technology Programs Programming focused on science, nature, and technology including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Diary of Science and Nature, Eyes on Success, and Technology Talk.
- Program Sponsorship Program Tax-deductible program sponsorships available at $50/week for one-hour programs or $25/week for 30-minute programs; $180/month or $2,000/year for one-hour programs. Sponsors receive on-air announcements about 30 seconds in length subject to FCC restrictions.
Companies that use Radio Eye
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Radio Eye technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Radio Eye partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Morning PointeminorPast program sponsor. Morning Pointe is a senior living/assisted living provider that sponsored Radio Eye programming to reach Kentucky's blind and disabled senior population.
- Retina Associates of KentuckyminorPast program sponsor. Retina Associates of Kentucky sponsored programming to build awareness among Kentucky's blind and disabled citizens.
- Bank of the BluegrassminorPast program sponsor. Community bank that sponsored programming as part of their commitment to supporting older citizens and people with disabilities in Kentucky.
- JRA ArchitectsminorPast program sponsor. Architectural firm that sponsored Radio Eye programming.
- Blue Grass Community FoundationminorRadio Eye has an endowment at the Blue Grass Community Foundation for long-term financial sustainability. Contact: Lucy Stone or Halee Cunningham.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Radio Eye competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- NPR (National Public Radio): NPR is a national nonprofit public radio network with mission-driven programming and underwriting-driven revenue. While not specializing in radio reading for the blind, NPR serves as the archetypal nonprofit radio network model that Radio Eye mirrors at the state scale.
- American Printing House for the Blind (APH): APH is a major nonprofit providing accessible educational and informational materials for the blind; Radio Eye's mission and audience overlap directly with APH's accessibility mandate, even though APH is more focused on educational materials than live radio broadcasting.
- Lighthouse Guild: Lighthouse Guild provides services and programs for people who are blind or visually impaired, including accessible content programs. Comparable as a large nonprofit operating in the same end-user audience space, though with a broader healthcare-services orientation.
Direct peers
- KNXT / Sun Sounds of Arizona: Sun Sounds of Arizona is a radio reading service providing audio access to print materials for individuals who cannot read due to disability, operating a near-identical volunteer-driven reading service model in a single state.
- American Council of the Blind (ACB) Mainstream / ACB Radio: ACB operates national radio programming and audio services for blind and visually impaired audiences, directly comparable to Radio Eye's mission of delivering accessible audio content to the print-disabled community through broadcast channels.
- NFB-NEWSLINE (National Federation of the Blind): NFB-NEWSLINE provides audio access to newspapers and printed materials for blind subscribers via telephone and digital channels; Radio Eye actually integrates with NFB-Newsline, highlighting the operational overlap and shared audience in accessible audio news.
- KPBS Radio Reading Service: KPBS operates a radio reading service in San Diego for blind, low-vision, and print-disabled audiences; comparable in delivering volunteer-read newspaper and magazine content over dedicated audio channels.
- VoicePrint: VoicePrint is a Canadian national radio reading service that broadcasts news and information for blind and print-disabled audiences, closely mirroring Radio Eye's mission, delivery format, and volunteer-driven model.
Regional players
- Accessible Broadcasting for the Blind (various state-level services): ACB maintains a directory of state-level radio reading services across the U.S. (e.g., in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida), each providing localized volunteer-read content. These regional services are direct comparables to Radio Eye's Kentucky-only model in other geographies.
Emerging players
- Hadley (Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired): Hadley provides accessible education and discussion programming for blind adults via audio and online formats; it overlaps with Radio Eye's audience and informational programming mission, though delivered through distance-learning rather than live radio broadcast.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Radio Eye social profiles
Digital presenceRadio Eye financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Radio Eye leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Radio Eye funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Radio Eye M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Radio Eye
What does Radio Eye do?
Radio Eye is a Kentucky-based nonprofit that broadcasts the human-voice reading of current news, public service, and general interest programming to people who are blind and print-disabled. The organization produces approximately 4,000 hours of original programming annually, supported by 200 volunteers, and delivers content across multiple accessibility channels including specialized radios, smartphone apps, Alexa Skills, toll-free telephone, podcast platforms, and institutional venues such as retirement homes, veterans centers, and hospitals.
Is Radio Eye a public or private company?
Radio Eye is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Radio Eye founded?
Radio Eye was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Radio Eye based?
Radio Eye is headquartered in Lexington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Radio Eye make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are program Sponsorships.
Who are Radio Eye's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are NPR (National Public Radio), American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and Lighthouse Guild. Direct peers are KNXT / Sun Sounds of Arizona, American Council of the Blind (ACB) Mainstream / ACB Radio, NFB-NEWSLINE (National Federation of the Blind), KPBS Radio Reading Service and VoicePrint. Accessible Broadcasting for the Blind (various state-level services) is listed as a regional player. Hadley (Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Radio Eye have an API?
No public API is recorded for Radio Eye.
What industry is Radio Eye in?
Radio Eye's product category is Accessibility Radio Reading Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABABAB, Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style), with a secondary code of MPAIACAB, Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming). Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.