- The Okayama Methods and Expanding Activities came from 30 Years of Sign Language Broadcasting by Okayama Broadcasting

Yoshio Shinoda
General Manager in Charge of Content Promotion Department <Announcement Office> /
Information Accessibility Promotion Office, Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd.

Lighting Up the City Blue

The Momotaro statue which is in front of Okayama Station seems to be gazing at the blue lights that shine on the walls of the buildings. Beyond that, about 50 blue lights illuminated the trees at the commercial facility "Mori no Machi Grace," turning through the center of Okayama City making the city itself totally blue (Photos 1 and 2).

Photo 1 Using the walls of the building to light up in blue

Photo 2 At the commercial facility "Mori no Machi Grace,“ trees are illuminated with blue lights

The illumination was held on September 23rd, the "International Day of Sign Languages" as designated by the United Nations. This was the first time it was held after being officially enacted five years prior. But in fact, last year, the All-Japan Federation of the Deaf and the Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd. came up with the idea of creating a new way to celebrate this International Day. Our idea was adopted by the World Federation of the Deaf this year and implemented as a global awareness event. The Blue lights representing "peace" and "freedom," the symbolic color of the United Nations and the World Federation of the Deaf, illuminated landmarks and facilities to emphasize that sign language is indeed an actual language.  Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd., which was the catalyst for this project, called on the cooperation of its affiliate Fuji Television Network, which lit up the company building in Daiba, Tokyo, in blue, in an effort to send a message in an unprecedented way to the world. Furthermore, in cooperation with Okayama City, which has enacted an ordinance on sign language, we took on the challenge of uniquely lighting up the city parking lot with multiple drones flying in the sky emitting blue light. We also worked together with other concerned bodies to raise awareness in various ways, such as distributing blue masks and glowing blue bracelets to people on the street.

Broadcasting’s Efforts to Create an Information Barrier-Free Environment - Construction of the Okayama methods

So why is Okayama Broadcasting working so hard to promote the understanding of sign language? This is nothing but an expression of our responsibility and determination as a TV station that has been working to provide barrier-free information by continuing to broadcast sign language for approximately 30 years.

Okayama Broadcasting started to broadcast in sign language from 1993. This year marks the start of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, which aims to improve measures for individuals with disabilities. Since then, we have been broadcasting a monthly news feature with sign language, "Sign Language Speaks Welfare," with the anchor also learning sign language, with a focus on its linguistic nature of it. The goal is to realize a society where no one is left behind from gaining information. It is also characteristic that we have built three Okayama methods not only as a reporter but also as a practitioner with approximately 30 years of effort.

The first method of the three is the OHK Sign Language Broadcasting Committee, which was established with individuals with hearing impairments and sign language interpreters, to examine sign language expressions for television, which must deliver information moment by moment, and to work together in a program production (Photo 3). A member with a hearing impairment commented, "Displaying sign language on the screen not only conveys information, but also acknowledges the presence of individuals with hearing-impairments watching TV, while also highlighting sign language as a real language, and this also leads to respect for their human rights of these people. This space where the hearing impaired and people without disabilities together to create programs is a symbol of inclusiveness and diversity.” The All-Japan Federation of the Deaf has evaluated this initiative as a model case for TV stations nationwide in considering the spread of sign language broadcasting.

Photo 3 OHK Sign Language Broadcasting Committee

The second method is to display the company names and other information as "sign language cooperation" for companies and organizations that cooperate in sign language broadcasting (Photo 4). By securing sponsors and covering the production costs in addition to the program supply quota, this will lead to the continuous implementation and spread of sign language broadcasting. The Okayama Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has cooperated with us in the past, expresses their understanding of this system by saying that it is not a special position for welfare, but rather a” new public” that is positioned as a normal economic activity.

Photo 4 Displaying the as “Sign language cooperation” on companies and organizations cooperating in sign language broadcasting

The third is an information assurance initiative that provides remote sign language interpretation for press conferences. A monitor is placed next to the mayor at an interview at a city hall, etc., and a sign language interpreter in a remote location interprets. The system was designed to reduce the risk of infection during the Corona disaster. Also, in June of last year, we started joint research with Keio University SFC Research Institute on "Information Accessibility in Television Broadcasting," and are working to create information barrier-free from the perspective of the integration of broadcasting and communications.

Evaluation of initiatives

In February of this year, we became the first Japanese TV station to receive the Zero Project Award 2022. This is an international award that recognizes outstanding efforts to promote a barrier-free society (*). We participated in the award ceremony held at the United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria, and introduced the three Okayama methods to the world (Photo 5). In addition, in 2019, we received the Welfare Culture Award from the All-Japan Federation of the Deaf, and in 2020, we received the Minister of State for Special Missions Award for Excellence in the Cabinet Office's Commendation for Promotion of Barrier-free Universal Design. Therefore, the Okayama methods are attracting attention.

Photo 5 Award ceremony for "Zero Project Award 2022"

Great Awareness Gained by Working with Individuals with Disabilities

Taking the opportunity of winning an international award, I visited Austria and deepened exchanges with various organizations around the world, learning about the latest barrier-free initiatives and ideas. The common thread was not only the spirit of charity and volunteerism but also the viewpoint of taking responsibility for monetizing the activities to make them financially independent and sustainable. In addition, rather than the idea of supporting individuals with disabilities, by working together, we can gain a great deal of awareness. I also greatly sympathized with the difference in the method of thinking overseas that individuals without disabilities are helped by the presence of individuals with disabilities. Okayama Broadcasting has been producing programs together with individuals with disabilities for about 30 years, and we realize that our efforts to provide information to those, who have difficulty receiving information, will enhance the mindset and skills of TV stations that are in the business of providing information. We believe that it will lead to more careful broadcast to viewers during times of disaster and other situations.

New Okayama Method "Shuwa Q"

After returning to Japan, the Act on Promotion of Measures Related to Acquisition and Use of Information and Communication for Persons with Disabilities (commonly known as the Act on Promotion of Information Accessibility and Communication Measures for Persons with Disabilities) was enacted and enforced in May in Japan, and there is a greater need for a society without information gaps between individuals with and without disabilities. Okayama Broadcasting has devised a new Okayama Method to make use and capitalize on the barrier-free spirit of the world.

That is "Shuwa Q" (Photo 6). Okayama Broadcasting planned and produced this system, which aims to provide information to all people, by reading a QR code and displaying sign language, subtitles, and audio guidance in a video. It has already been introduced in commercial facilities, and 9 types of guidance videos such as facility introductions and evacuation routes are posted in the facility. Denso Wave Co., Ltd., which developed the QR code, responded to this utilization idea, saying, "We are pleased that our technology is being used, and at the same time, we hope that this system will spread and contribute to the fulfillment of many people's lives. We, Okayama Broadcasting is developing “Shuwa Q,” thinking that it can be useful not only for information security in highly public fields such as medical care and welfare but also for information security in daily life. I believe that society will become more enjoyable by obtaining information such as "why it tastes so good,” and “what kind of specialties they have?"

Photo 6 Screen of Shuwa Q

Broadcasting Special Sign Language Programs Based on Experience

The awareness of the need for barrier-free information is increasing year by year in TV broadcasting, which is the company’s main business. On this year's International Day of Sign Languages, we broadcasted two in-house-produced programs; one was an informational program and the other was the evening news. These were both broadcast with sign language interpretation throughout. It was Okayama Broadcasting's first attempt to provide a sign language interpreter for a total of 100 minutes for a live broadcast on a single day. “Nanshon? (What are you doing?),” in which studio talk was the main focus. The program provided detailed information on the commercial facility that had opened that day, a CG character explained the weather forecast in sign language, and a comedy act by a comedian duo performed with sign language interpretation (Photo 7).

Photo 7 "Nanshon? (What are you doing?)" broadcasted on September 23 was a full-length sign language broadcast

Sign language interpreting in the comic dialogue, the comedians and the sign language interpreter who work using words showed their commitment to each other, and in order to accurately convey the punchline, they used different words for voice and sign language expressions. In addition, in order to convey the special gourmet food, the sign language interpreter himself tasted the food and participated in the program, which enriched his sign language expressions and facial expressions.

The individuals with hearing impairments who watched the program commented, “In the usual live broadcasts, there are few telos and my main focus is on watching the images, but for the first time, the long sign language support made me want to go there and try the food. I was really happy to be able to laugh at the same time as people without disabilities, such as during a comic dialogue.”

About 30 years ago, Okayama Broadcasting began its information barrier-free efforts by adding sign language to its newscast so that the person with the hearing impairment we interviewed would be able to watch the news by himself. It started as a small step, but we have connected with the people involved, the local economy, and connected with ICT. The circle of those connections is now expanding greatly. And, just like the glow of the blue lights that illuminated the center of Okayama City this year, we hope that we ensure that no one is left out of the Okayama Broadcasting’s information will continue to reach as many people as possible.

*Editor's note: See "Topics" in the April 2022 issue of this magazine.