Free Daily & Weekly Herald Scotland, Glasgow Times, The National Kirkintilloch Herald Online Today
Start Listening Now
To start listening:
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Say: “Alexa, enable Talking Newspapers” (first time only)
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Say: “Alexa, open Talking Newspapers”
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Say: “Play Cue and Review The National”
You can also listen online via our webplayer using these links.
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Kirkintilloch Herald
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Cue and Review Glasgow Times
Listen now (weekday articles)
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Cue and Review The Herald
Listen now (weekday articles):
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Cue and Review The National
Listen now (weekday articles):
Listen to Talking Newspapers from Across the Country
Cue and Review, in partnership with the Talking News Federation (TNF) and supported by the British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF), provides access to Talking Newspapers from across the UK.
BWBF played a key role in developing and supporting access to these services. The platform, including Alexa and online streaming, is now delivered by the Talking News Federation.
Our service is free and designed for people who find it difficult to read printed text, including those who are blind, partially sighted, or have dyslexia.
Daily Listening Options
There are several ways to listen to our service.
You can choose the option that works best for you.
Listen using:
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Online players – listen directly on our website
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Alexa app or smart speaker – use voice commands
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USB stick service – recordings delivered to your home
New recordings are usually available on the same day they are produced by our volunteer readers.
Important
The BWBF Talking Newspaper mobile app closed on 1 August 2025 and is no longer available.
If you previously used the app, you can continue listening on your mobile phone using the Alexa app.
Background
The British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF), in partnership with the Talking News Federation (TNF), helped bring together over 250 Talking Newspaper titles, including those produced by Cue and Review.
The service is now delivered by the Talking News Federation.
Low-Income Broadband Options
If you are concerned about the cost of accessing our service online, you may be eligible for reduced-rate broadband, often called a social tariff.Find out more here: Uswitch
You can also contact your broadband provider directly to ask about low-cost options.
Weekly Compilations
If you prefer a weekly summary, Cue and Review offers a 90-minute compilation of news and features. You can access this in several ways:
Apple
YouTube
Sign up to have a USB stick mailed to your home
Sign up to download our weekly podcasts from Dropbox
Online Players
You can listen to the latest recordings of each title using our online players.
Each link below will take you directly to the most recent edition.
When the page opens, press the play button to start listening.
You can also use the forward and rewind controls to move through the recording.
Available Titles
Each link opens in your web browser.
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Kirkintilloch Herald
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Cue and Review Glasgow Times
Listen now (weekday articles)
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Cue and Review The Herald
Listen now (weekday articles):
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Cue and Review The National
Listen now (weekday articles):
Accessibility
Each player includes:
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A play button to start and pause audio
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Forward and rewind controls
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Links that work with screen readers such as VoiceOver and TalkBack
A Step-by-Step Guide
New recordings are usually available on the same day they are produced.
The BWBF Talking Newspaper app closed on 1 August 2025. You can continue to listen to Talking Newspapers using the Alexa app on your mobile phone or an Alexa smart speaker.
This guide takes you through everything you need to get started.
What You’ll Need
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A smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android), or an Alexa smart speaker
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The Alexa app (for mobile users)
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An Amazon account
You can download the Alexa app from:
Step 1: Set Up Alexa
On a Mobile Phone or Tablet
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Check if the Alexa app is already installed
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If not, download it from your app store
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Open the app and sign in with your Amazon account
On a Smart Speaker
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Make sure your device (e.g. Echo Dot, Echo Show) is:
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Plugged in
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Connected to the internet
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Fully set up
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Step 2: Enable the Talking Newspapers Skill
You only need to do this once.
Using the Alexa App
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Open the Alexa app
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Select:
More → Skills & Games → Search -
Type: Talking Newspapers
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Select Enable
Using a Smart Speaker
Say:
“Alexa, enable Talking Newspapers”
Alexa will confirm when the skill is ready to use.
Step 3: Open the Service
To start listening, say:
“Alexa, open Talking Newspapers”
You will hear a short welcome message.
Step 4: Choose What to Listen To
Alexa will ask for the name of a newspaper or location.
Say the title you want, for example:
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers for Cue and Review The National”
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers for Cue and Review The Herald”
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers for Cue and Review Evening Times”
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers for Kirkintilloch Herald”
Alexa will begin playing the selected edition.
Step 5: Listening Again
If you return within 24 hours, Alexa may ask:
“Do you want to continue listening?”
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Say “Yes” to carry on
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Say “No” to choose another newspaper
If you listen regularly, Alexa may recognise your preferred title and offer it automatically.
Step 6: Control Playback
You can control what you hear using simple voice commands:
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“Next” or “Next track”
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“Previous” or “Previous track”
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“Pause”
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“Resume” or “Play”
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“Stop”
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“Loop”
To move within a recording, say:
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers to forward 30 seconds”
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“Alexa, ask Talking Newspapers to rewind 30 seconds”
Step 7: Stop Listening
To exit the service, say:
“Alexa, cancel”
Accessibility Support
Alexa works with the built-in accessibility features on your device:
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VoiceOver (iPhone and iPad) – reads screen content aloud
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TalkBack (Android) – provides spoken feedback
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Siri or Google Assistant – can be used to open the Alexa app hands-free
These tools allow you to use the service independently.
Need Help?
If you need help setting up Alexa or switching from the old mobile app, support is available.
Contact:
If you prefer, you can also listen using online players or receive recordings by post.
Listener Membership Form
We invite you to join our mailing list.
Signing up to our mailing list is optional. However, it helps us understand:
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Who is using our service
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How people are listening
This information supports our funding applications and helps us keep the service free for listeners.
You can complete the form using the button above. The same form is also available at the bottom of this page.
Join our mailing list
Supporting People with Sight Loss – Let’s Do This Better, Together
Across Scotland, many people living with sight loss are still missing out on local information.
Not because they are not interested.
But because it is not always accessible.
At Cue and Review Recording Service, we change that.
For over 40 years, we have provided:
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local news in audio
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accessible information
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connection and confidence
We know what works.
Listening grows when people are:
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personally introduced
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supported to get started
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given simple, accessible tools
That is why we work with:
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sensory impairment teams
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charities and community organisations
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health and social care staff
We are looking to build partnerships across Scotland
Together we can:
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improve access to information
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reduce social isolation
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help people stay connected
✅ No cost
✅ No data sharing
✅ No added workload
Audio removes barriers.
Partnership makes it reach people.
Start a conversation
Phone 0141 724 1793
Email managingeditor@cueandreview.com