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JAPAN: Japan Naked TV news for the hearing-impared stripped of subsidy because of government guidelines over pornography

Record ID: 465580

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Title: JAPAN: Japan Naked TV news for the hearing-impared stripped of subsidy because of government guidelines over pornography
Date: 2nd September 2007
Summary: L!2) TOKYO, JAPAN (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF "PARADISE TV" STATION CLOSE UP PARADISE TV SIGN
Embargoed: 17th September 2007 13:00
Keywords:
Location: Japan
Country: Japan
Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
Reuters ID: LVA6Y40UVL69WG2D5U1AU9CH0XUE
Story Text: A naked sign language news show is stripped of its government subsidy after it sparks controversy.
Lights, camera, action! It may look like all fun and play at the Paradise TV studio in downtown Tokyo, but this news programme, of sorts, is at the centre of a controversy with the Japanese government.
The "Naked News" programme on the adult Paradise TV channel seen only on pay-per-view Japanese cable and satellite tv has been stripped of its subsidies for a segment of its show aimed at the deaf.
Over the last two years, the Japanese government had made grants of over 400,000 yen (3,500 USD) to help cover the production of part of this news bulletin - specifically a five minute regular insert which features a newsreader who removes her clothes between news items that she delivers in sign language.
The funding dried up suddenly when the government, under fire for supporting the "Naked Sign Language News", changed funding guidelines for programming aimed at the disabled to exclude pornography.
"The programme is X-rated and is targeted for only a certain number of people. That's why we've lowered this show's priority in our subsidy program as there are other programs that everybody can watch," said Seiji Tokunaga, an executive director at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, a national government-backed institute that distributes subsidies to TV stations.
Paradise TV is outraged and say they provide a valuable service to people with disabilities.
Many people who had contacted the station about the programme were supportive, saying deaf people had the right to enjoy the same programmes as other people, according to the show's producer.
"We believe this program also provides a unique way for ordinary people to become familiar with basic sign language expressions, such as "thank you" and "sorry," so people both with and without disabilities can communicate with each other better," Hajime Shimagiri, Paradise TV producer Hajime Shimagiri told Reuters.
Nevertheless, Paradise TV inisists they will continue making their "Naked Sign Language News" programme despite the loss of subsidies .
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Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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