For most TNs, this is possible using the Talking Newspapers skill.
Here’s our quick step guide to getting started with Talking Newspapers on Alexa, using your smartphone or a smart speaker.
1. If you’re using a phone, get the Alexa app
If you’re using a phone, first, check whether you already have the Alexa App. If you’re unsure just search your phone for ‘Alexa’.
If you don’t have Alexa installed, search and download it from the App Store (iOS users) or Play Store for (Android users).
You can also listen via an Alexa device such as an Echo Dot, Echo Pop or Echo Show Smart Speaker. To start, just ensure that the device fully set up, connected to the internet and ready to go.
2. Add the Talking Newspaper Skill to Alexa
Now you have Alexa ready to go on your phone or Echo device, you can enable Talking Newspapers.
If you’re using a phone, open the Alexa app and select:
More > Skills and Games > Search > Talking Newspapers > Enable
If you’re using a smart speaker, such as an Amazon Echo device, simply say:
‘Alexa enable Talking Newspapers’
Then, follow the prompts given by Alexa, until confirmation is provided that the skill has been enabled.
3. Start using the Talking Newspaper Skill
Alexa is designed to respond to voice commands you give it. This will also work alongside Siri or Hey Google, as well as with VoiceOver or TalkBack on or off.
On your phone or tablet follow these instructions:
Say ‘Hey Siri’ or ‘Hey Google open the Alexa App’.
If you’re using VoiceOver or TalkBack, the app will announce ‘Alexa Home’ when it opens.
Then you just need to say ‘Alexa, open Talking Newspapers’.
For smart speaker users, just make sure your speaker is on and ready and say ‘Alexa, open Talking Newspapers’ to get started.
4. Listening for the first time
If it’s the first time you’ve listened to Talking Newspapers with Alexa, or if you haven’t done so for a long time, you will hear a standard welcome message. This will vary as the skill gets more used to you.
The user will then be asked for a Talking Newspaper name or the name of a town or city in the UK. Just say:
‘Alexa, ask Talking Newspaper for Liverpool Talking Newspaper’ or any publication name.
This will immediately play the talking newspaper selected.
If, having listened to a newspaper, you return in any 24-hour period, Alexa will ask if you want to carry on listening, just say ‘yes’ to carry on, or ‘no’ to browse others.
5. Regular listening
If you listen to a newspaper regularly, the skill will start to recognise this. Alexa will say ‘Welcome back to Talking Newspapers I can see that you have been enjoying listening to [newspaper name]. Do you want to listen to this newspaper?’
You can simply say ‘yes’ to play or ‘no’ to browse others.
6. Navigating through audio in the Talking Newspaper Skill
Once you’re listening to Talking Newspapers with Alexa, it’s easy to skip through content as you please.
If the publication you’re listening to has more than one track, say ‘Alexa, next track’ or ‘Alexa, previous track’ to move between tracks.
To fast forward or rewind, say ‘Alexa, ask Talking Newspaper to forward/rewind [number] seconds.’
Pause, stop or play whilst listening to any publication, by saying ‘Alexa, pause’, ‘Alexa, stop’ or ‘Alexa, play’.
7. Closing the app
To stop listening to Talking Newspapers via Alexa, just say ‘Alexa, cancel.’
Need help?
We’re here to ensure that everyone using the Speech Talking Newspaper service can continue to access this support. If you’re need help moving from the Speech Talking Newspaper app to listening with Alexa, please contact alexa@tnf.org.uk who will be able to support you to make the switch.
A fuller, printable guide is available below: