Sony Introduces Television For The Blind

Sony has launched an international campaign to provide television products and services for blind and partially sighted people, with Sony BRAVIA leading the way. The entire BRAVIA television range now provides access to Audio Description (AD) as standard which, in combination with a commitment to raise awareness of AD, aims to increase the number of programmes, broadcasters and television manufacturers that offer the service.

“We are all used to seeing and using subtitles on TV, but what many people don’t know is that the technology exists to make a similarly useful service available for the 30 million* or so visually impaired people we have in Europe,” says Andreas Ditter, VP, Sony Europe.

Audio Description Built-In

While the majority of consumers have embraced and benefited from the increase in services, channels and programmes today’s digital broadcasters provide, many visually impaired people are unable to take advantage of these benefits – and yet the technology exists for them to enjoy TV programming as much as those that can see.

Audio Description (AD) is an additional narrative soundtrack for blind or partially sighted people. During gaps in programme dialogue, an additional voice explains visual plot points, enabling visually impaired people to follow the storyline more fully.

Audio description is available on a variety of television programmes throughout Europe but, until now, has only been accessible through the purchase of a separate set-top box or satellite receiver. Now, all Sony BRAVIA televisions will include Integrated Digital Television (IDTV) as standard, and provide access to AD without the need for an additional decoder.

Most television manufacturers now have products that offer IDTV, a built-in digital tuner that does away with need for a separate set-top box for converting digital channels. However, few - if any - have the ability to offer AD access. Sony engineers and designers constantly assess and refine every aspect of BRAVIA TVs to ensure that they are as good as they can possibly be. One result of this scrutiny is a new, more powerful audiovisual processor, capable of decoding multiple audio channels and thereby providing access to AD in addition to other aesthetic benefits.

Spreading the Word

To date, the UK is the only country in Europe which makes the provision of Audio Description a legal requirement for key broadcasters. In 2005, the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom stipulated that 76 channels must carry AD. Current regulations state that all BBC channels, for example, must audio describe at least 8% of their programmes per week.

With the limited availability of programmes offering AD throughout Europe, it is hardly surprising that awareness and take up of the service is low. In 2006 a UK survey** found that, although only 22% of visually impaired respondents who had heard of AD claimed to use it on ‘some programmes’ when it is available, nearly two thirds (63%) of those with at least moderate visual impairment who had not previously heard of it claimed they would be interested in using it.

One argument put forward by both broadcasters and legislators, is that there is a limited need for channels to feature AD due to a lack of products that are available with the technology required to play it. Sony BRAVIA now changes this, and Sony is now also undertaking a Europe-wide PR campaign to raise awareness of the issues amongst consumers, media, legislators and manufacturers, working with organizations for the visually impaired throughout Europe, such as Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB).

Stephen King, RNIB Group Director, Access and Innovation comments: "I am delighted that all of the new Sony BRAVIA televisions will give people with a serious sight problem access to Audio Description via Freeview in the UK. Audio Description is a fantastic service that many blind and partially sighted people value. RNIB welcomes the commitment from Sony to this service and congratulates them on their work in this area."

Fujio Nishida, President of Sony Europe comments: “For nearly 40 years Sony has been one of the world’s leading television manufacturers. With the recent advances in digital technology, television is now something that can, and should, be enjoyed by everyone, including the visually impaired and hard of hearing. As a market leader, Sony is leading by example by making Audio Description accessible as standard in our entire BRAVIA range. We hope that other manufacturers follow our example, thereby leaving no excuse for broadcasters not to offer this service.”

*A Vision For Inclusion: A guide to the European Blind Union

** Ofcom: ‘Provision of Access Services’ Research Study, March 2006