Starting Mar 1, 2012, a news program entitled "The First Media" will be accompanied by sign language on the Dandong comprehensive program channel for Dandong's television station.

Dandong now has over 30 thousand people with hearing disabilities. With the aging population, the number of elderly people with hearing disabilities has increased. TV programs with sign language are an important way for them to know what is happening in society.

At the beginning of 2012, the Dandong Party committee and the municipal government had listed launching TV programs with sign language as one of the 15 tasks to benefit the citizens. The government allocated 600 thousand yuan to purchase the appropriate equipment and to train sign language editorial staff.