CoeFont’s AI Voices are making TV Channels in Japan More Accessible
Chukyo Television Broadcasting (Chukyo TV) has recruited CoeFont’s realistic AI Voices to provide audio description for their programs.
CoeFont Co., Ltd. has announced that Chukyo Television Broadcasting in Japan has implemented its AI voice platform, CoeFont, for its audio description accessibility feature. March 24th, 2023, 12:00 JST
Chukyo TV are the first Japanese broadcaster to use AI voice technology as audio description. Audio description is a form of narration that describes important visual elements in a video, making it possible for individuals who are blind or have low vision to access and understand the content. Chukyo TV and their production company CTV MID ENJIN started testing AI voices for the project in August (2022) and chose the CoeFont platform for its range of richly toned, natural-sounding AI voices that complement the voices of their presenters.
The first program to provide the new AI-voiced audio description will be the documentary “brother presents 潜入！絶滅動物研究所” (Brother presents Extinct Animal Research Institute, Deep Dive!), broadcast on Sunday, March 26th, 2023. The TV station are working on updating their systems to incorporate the easy-to-listen-to AI voices into regular programming and improve “viewer” accessibility and experience.
Up and Coming Programs with AI Voiced Audio Description (AD)
Program: brother presents 潜入！絶滅動物研究所 (Brother presents Extinct Animal Research Institute, Deep Dive!)
- Broadcast Time / Date: March 26th, 2023 (Sun) 14:59–15:59
- Description Page (Japanese): https://www.ctv.co.jp/zetsumetsu2023/
Program: ＰＳ純金 (PS Gold)
- Broadcast Time / Date: April 8th, 2023 (Fri) 7:00~ * (PS Gold is broadcast every Friday)
- Description Page (Japanese): https://www.ctv.co.jp/psgold/
Program: ゴリ夢中 (Gori’s Dream)
- Broadcast Time / Date: March 9th, 2023 11:45 ~ * (Gori’s Dream is broadcast every Saturday)
- Description Page (Japanese): https://www.ctv.co.jp/gori/
*Dates and times are for the first show with AI-voiced audio description. Shows aired before those dates do not include the new AD feature.
About the CoeFont Platform
AI voice platform CoeFont ( https://CoeFont.cloud ) is an AI voice service that allows you to “get the voice you want in just 1 second.” Our affordable service uses the latest AI technology to convert voices into expressive, easy-to-use AI voices.
The CoeFont platform provides immediate access to more than 5,000 AI voices to use as and when you need them. Whether for training sessions, internal announcements, audiobooks, or promotional content, these voices are always ready to bring your ideas to life. For just ¥500, you can quickly create a “CoeFont” (AI voice) that perfectly imitates your voice within 15 minutes. This is a significant improvement from the pre-AI era, where voice recording sessions could last up to 10 hours and cost up to ¥500,000.
About CoeFont., Ltd
Established in 2020, CoeFont Co., Ltd. is a Tech Startup registered at the Tokyo Institute of Technology that develops and provides AI-based services. The company is currently focused on AI-based speech synthesis and has developed a low-cost AI voice platform, CoeFont (https://CoeFont.cloud), where users can get “the voice they want in just 1 second.”
Related Links
- Website: https://coefont.cloud/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/coefont
- Introductory Video: https://youtu.be/kv8SxJ7ElkQ
