Fontworks' LETS fonts include fonts offered as "solution fonts." A "solution font" is a font that has been redesigned or tuned up to be specific to a particular use or medium. Currently, there are three types of solution fonts: for printing, for comics, and for broadcasting. For more information about solution fonts, click here.
This time, we will introduce the broadcast solution font "TelopMin-D/B/E/H", explaining the background to its creation and the features of the typeface.
"TelopMin" is a bold horizontal Mincho font that was created in 2008 as a font exclusively for the broadcasting industry(※).
Based on "TsukuMin," a typeface well-known for its readability as a typeface for Text text, this typeface has been tuned up to be optimal for on-screen display by adjusting Weight of horizontal strokes and the density of curves.
As the font is specialized for on-screen display, it is available in bold weights (D/B/E/H) that are easy to use in the broadcasting industry.
*Currently, it can be used with the regular LETS program.
"TelopMin" solved the problem of flickering horizontal lines when using Mincho font in TV subtitles, etc.
The Ming font is characterized by its thinner horizontal lines compared to its vertical lines. It was generally used in long Text such as novels, where readability was important.
Many of the Mincho fonts released by font manufacturers are designed with horizontal lines that are thinner than vertical lines, which can cause flickering when displayed on a screen for television subtitles, etc. For this reason, the broadcasting industry has tended to use fonts such as Gothic fonts, which are designed with vertical and horizontal lines of uniform Weight for subtitles and the like.
However, with the improvement in resolution of PCs and TV monitors, and the rapid development of digital content such as television, the role of subtitles, which previously was simply to accurately convey textual information, has become an important element in expressing emotion, a sense of realism, the atmosphere, and the personality of the talent, and as a result, fonts of a variety of designs have begun to be used.
As a result, we received a request from the broadcasting industry to develop a Mincho font that would not flicker.
The distinctive feature of the "TelopMin" typeface is that its horizontal lines and curves are much thicker than those of regular Mincho typefaces, and the height and width of the numbers are wider.
It is designed with horizontal lines roughly twice Weight as the base "TsukuMin", which makes the ratio of horizontal and vertical line Weight closer, improving visibility.
In addition, the height and width of the numbers have been increased to improve visibility.
In addition to "TelopMin", Fontworks' LETS fonts also offer special fonts with expanded vertical and horizontal widths.
The reason for basing Text font on "TsukuMin"
"TsukuMin" was not originally created as a typeface for digital content, but was intended to be used in print media, primarily for Text of long pieces of text such as novels.
When used in long Text, thin weights such as <L/R> are generally used, so thicker weights were not available at the time of release. However, with the rapid development of digital content, the use of fonts has become more diverse, and the trend of using the same font for media accompanying one piece of content has become mainstream. As a result, we received requests from members to use "TsukuMin", which was developed as a font for Text, in digital content as well, so in 2007 we released the thicker weights of "TsukuMin" <B/E/H>.
This "TsukuMin B/E/H" has been widely used in digital content since its release.
It was also a new discovery for Fontworks that the Mincho font we developed for Text was used in digital content.
Following this trend, "TelopMin" was created, which is based on "TsukuMin-B/E/H", which is also widely used in digital content, and is specialized for captions with thicker horizontal lines and curves.
"TelopMin" can be used as a solution to visibility issues such as difficulty seeing horizontal lines and curves when displaying Mincho font on a television screen or monitor.
Topic !! Other fonts often used in telops
In the TV program telop, various design fonts are used as direction elements to express feelings and realism.
In recent years, telops for TV programs have been diversified in their usage as means for more easily communicating the feeling of presence, atmosphere, and emotions, not just for transmitting textual information.
The typefaces used in telops are not only design typefaces rich in variety, but also Mincho typeface and Gothic typeface are strictly selected from the manufacturer, Styles, and weight, and the typeface type that suits the situation is often used. ..
Below are the typefaces that are often used in TV tickers.
