the hearing or visually impaired have not been significant. In 2018, 199.25 hours of programming with audio description was broadcast, whereas in 2019, such programming totaled 213.15 hours. 48 Programming with sign language was broadcast for 988.5 hours in 2018 and 865 hours in 2019.49 All of these programs were created and broadcast by the Taiwan Broadcasting System. D. Financial services 54. The NHRC is aware of the Guidelines for Inclusive Financial Services for Persons with Disabilities in the Banking Industry and the Operational Q&A for Inclusive Financial Services Offered by the Banking Industry for Persons with Disabilities that are currently in place. Although the guidelines and Q&A require financial institutions to provide appropriate forms of communication assistance for persons with hearing impairments such as written communication and sign language interpreting, the actual experience of persons with hearing impairments reveals that many communication barriers still exist in their dealings with banks. For example, some banks are reluctant to provide sign language interpreting and only offer communication through writing while others ask persons with hearing impairments to be accompanied by family or friends. These results confirm that sign language interpreting as currently provided by financial institutions is inadequate. In response to the aforementioned problems, the Financial Supervisory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the FSC) indicated that it is difficult for most banks to offer sign language interpreting. At present, only a few banks (e.g., the Sungshan Branch of the Bank of Taiwan) include the Chinese Deaf Association, R.O.C. in their Skype and/or Line contact lists. The association provides remote sign language interpreting for persons with hearing impairments when needed. To ensure that sign language interpreting be made immediately and universally available among banks that do not yet offer this service, the FSC will 48 49 hearing impaired” in the past 3 years. In the “Attached Form of the Examination Regulations on the Establishment Application of Satellite Broadcasting Businesses and Foreign Satellite Broadcasting Businesses,” the operating plan includes detailed bonus point items including media accessibility plans for persons with disabilities, with contents encompassing Taiwan’s services both for the hearing and speech impaired and for the visually impaired. The planning of accessible news programs for persons with disabilities is a bonus item with priority. Service for persons with visual impairments should include audio descriptions of what is shown on the primary or sub-audio channels of the program. Service for persons with hearing and speech impairments should include a sign language screen provided throughout the program, and take at least 1/6 of the entire screen. 41