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Sony Introduces Television For The Blind & Hard of Sight |
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Written by CB Team
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Monday, 02 July 2007 |
 Sony is calling on the television industry – manufacturers and broadcasters – to join its campaign to provide products and services for blind and partially sighted people.
“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, Vice President TV Operations Europe. “The entire Sony 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.”
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.
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."
SONY
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Last Updated ( Monday, 02 July 2007 )
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