The Act for Partial Revision of the Broadcast Act

<p>The Bill for Partial Revision of the Broadcast Act was established at the 198th Ordinary Diet Session with the aim of making the following matters possible: 1) An expansion of targets for NHK’s internet-utilizing service, 2) Enhancement of systems to ensure the appropriate management of the NHK Group, and 3) Additional certification requirements for basic satellite broadcasting.</p><p>As for 1), a change in the viewing environment in recent years has revealed that there has been an expectation, and need, from the public to watch broadcast programs on a variety of devices, in various places, and at diversified time zones, through the Internet. Therefore, by implementing the simultaneous distribution of broadcasting programs at all times in response to this expectation, NHK is expected to play a leading role in the simultaneous internet distribution of programs by other broadcasters. In addition, an expansion of viewing opportunities for NHK’s broadcast programs is expected to contribute to the achievement of NHK’s objectives.</p><p>Institutional development will enable NHK to distribute all broadcast programs simultaneously through domestic basic broadcasting is fine. At the same time, as necessary measures to ensure that NHK’s operations will be carried out appropriately to meet its purpose as well as the purpose of the fees for receiving the broadcast system, it has become obligatory to provide broadcast programs for each region and to cooperate with other broadcasters. In addition to a review of NHK’s implementation standards, and the institutionalization of its obligation to notify and publicize implementation plans, the revision is also aimed at NHK’s ex-post discipline.</p><p>As for 2), in expanding NHK’s operations based on the financial source of fees for receiving broadcasts, it is necessary to implement governance reforms at NHK from the viewpoint of securing the trust of the public. Accordingly, the revision seeks to maintain compliance through institutional enhancement, including reinforcement of internal controls in the NHK Group and the check function of the Audit Committee, as well as clarification over the obligations of NHK executives to be faithful to NHK. Also, the revision enables the establishment of a information disclosure system to ensure transparency, and the development of a system for the formulation and publication of medium-term management plans.</p><p>As for 3), to make effective use of frequencies related to basic satellite broadcasting, the requirements have been added to enable basic satellite broadcasting to meet the standards for the use of frequencies as specified by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.</p>