Broadcasting Policy Broadcasting Policy I. Broadcasting Policies for the Multimedia Age 1. Approaches for the promotion In the report, it is recommended of digital terrestrial broadcast- that digital terrestrial TV broadcast- ing ing be introduced based on policies aiming for a total shift from existing It is crucial to shift terrestrial analog broadcasting to digital broad- broadcasting, the most popular me- casting at the earliest stage. In the dia for the Japanese people, to digi- three major metropolitan areas of tal broadcasting at the earliest stage. Kanto, Kinki and Chukyo (except in- In order to achieve the provision of dependent UHF stations), the full- diversified broadcasting services uti- scale digital terrestrial TV broadcast- lizing digital technology and en- ing is to be commenced until 2003, hancing the benefits of broadcasting, in other locations (including inde- and the effective utilization of fre- pendent UHF stations in the three quency resources, MPT is trying to metropolitan areas), the full-scale create an environment for commenc- digital terrestrial TV broadcasting is ing the digital terrestrial broadcast- expected to be commenced until the ing. end of 2006. The “Advisory Committee on In order that the digital terrestrial Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting” has broadcasting will be commenced as been held since June 1997, and the early as possible in line with this Committee compiled its findings as schedule, MPT established the “Joint a report in October 1998. Study Committee Concerning Digi- Fig. II-1 Schedule for digitalization of broadcasting Japan commenced satellite digital multichannel broadcasting services in June 1996. With respect to digital terrestrial broadcasting, preparation of the necessary infrastructure will go forward with the aim of launching digital broadcasting in the 3 major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya by the end of 2003, and by the end of 2006 for other areas. Year ~ 1998 1999 20002001 2002 ~ Communications Digital broadcasting services are launched in June 1996. satellite (CS) Broadcasting satellite (BS) Launch of digital broadcasting services via BS-4 (scheduled in December 2000) Cable TV Launch of digital broadcasting services in July 1998 By the end of By the end of 2006: Main stations Relay stations 2003: Launch of Launch of full-scale Terrestrial full-scale digital digital broadcasting broadcasting in in areas other than broadcasting Study for establishment of the 3 metropolitan the 3 metropolitan the Channel Allotment Plan areas areas G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Sydney 2000 Notes Summit Meeting 2000 Olympic Games 37 2000 Annual Report tal Terrestrial Broadcasting” in Sep- broadcasting is not well recognized content broadcasting system tember 1999, aiming to promote joint by the public so far. development promotion initia- study by MPT, Japan Broadcasting Therefore, in collaboration with tives Corp. (NHK) and commercial broad- the BS program-supplying broad- As one of “Innovative develop- casters for frequency allocation to casters and other related industries, ment of communications and broad- the digital broadcasting. In April MPT set forth the diffusion target at casting systems,” MPT entrusted the 2000, the Joint Study Committee is- 1,000 days after the start of the Telecommunications Advancement sued a study report on the broad- broadcasting as 10 million house- Organization of Japan (TAO) to con- casting frequencies of main stations holds, and made the following mea- duct R&D activities on the content all over Japan, the number of house- sures to promote diffusion: production and broadcasting system holds affected by the analog fre- i) Conducting demonstrations of that contribute to achieving ad- quency changes before digital broad- BS digital broadcasting; ii) pro- vanced broadcast content using digi- casting starts and costs to deal with moting demonstration of BS tal technologies such as interactivity such effects. The Joint Study Com- digital broadcasting at public and virtual reality, and to creating an mittee will issue a report on frequen- facilities; and, iii) other activi- information barrier-free environ- cies for relay stations throughout Ja- ties for diffusion and aware- ment. pan at the end of FY 2001. ness campaign. ii) Wide area community info- MPT will further improve the en- 3) East longitude 110 degree CS communications network vironment for the digital terrestrial digital broadcasting model area initiatives (data broadcasting. In October 2000, a CS will be broadcasting utilization sys- launched at east longitude 110 de- tem) 2. Approaches for the diffusion gree, the same orbit location as the Among the joint projects of several of digital satellite broadcast- BS. Related businesses are demand- local public bodies that create local ing ing the broadcasting utilizing the CS. info-communications infrastructure If realized, it enables the reception of utilizing data broadcasting in a wide MPT, with the aim at the diffusion CS broadcasting by the same receiv- area, MPT invites bodies whose data of digital satellite broadcasting ers and antennas with the BS digital broadcasting utilization systems can (Broadcasting Satellite [BS] broad- broadcasting, resulting in the pen- be the models for other local public casting, Communications Satellite bodies, and entrusted such joint [CS] broadcasting), is making the fol- etration of satellite digital broadcast- projects to the construction business lowing measures: ing. 1) Approved BS digital data pro- In January through February 2000, of the models concerned. gram-supplying broadcasters MPT invited public opinions, on en- iii) Support for the digitalization tering the broadcasting business uti- of broadcast programming As regards BS digital broadcasting, lizing the CS at East longitude 110 production facilities, etc. program-supplying broadcasters degree. MPT will establish stan- Considering the further promotion concerning high-definition TV, stan- dardized technical requirements for of digital terrestrial TV broadcasting, dard-definition TV and audio broad- CS and BS broadcasting, and pre- MPT is granting tax incentives to casters were approved in October pare regulatory frameworks for broadcast programming production 1998. Regarding data broadcasting, broadcasting with the CS. facilities concerned, zero or low in- the regulatory framework was cre- terest loans through the Develop- ated and the applications were ac- 3. Promoting broadcast pro- ment Bank of Japan, etc. and the cepted in October 1999, and the pro- gramming corresponding with guaranteed obligation through TAO gram-supplying broadcasters were the advancement of broad- based on the “Advanced Television approved in December 1999. Upon casting Broadcasting Facility Development this, all kinds for program-supplying Promotion Temporary Measures broadcasters of BS digital broadcast- In order that viewers enjoy the Law ” which came into force in No- ing were approved. merit of multichannel broadcasting vember 1999. 2) Promoting diffusion of BS digi- with digitalization at its best, it is 2) Measures on distribution of tal broadcasting necessary that diversified program- broadcast programming BS digital broadcasting, starting ming be provided abundantly. MPT i) Study group on providing dis- from December 2000, is expected to is creating the environment for such tribution information of broad- create demands for TV receivers and diversification at each level of pro- cast programming to make short-term effects with the duction, distribution and archiving The report released in July 1999 initiation of new broadcasting ser- of broadcast programming. points out the importance of the vices, as well as to play an important 1) Measures on the production of study on the provision of informa- role in promoting digitalization of broadcast programming tion concerning copyright owners, broadcasting. Meanwhile, the BS i) Next-generation intelligent 38 Broadcasting Policy etc., of broadcast programming. The tent for studying the policies for cre- number of diversified programming report also proposed, as a measure ating an environment to provide a that meet user demands. for providing broadcast program- ming distribution information, veri- fication experiments concerning sys- II. Technological Developments in Digitalization tems enabling information provision on broadcast programming distribu- tion through intensive information 1. Establishment of Digital nience by enabling the use of the provision channels. Terrestrial Broadcasting same receiver with other broadcast- ii) Developing database manage- System and Legislation of ing media, to diversifying broadcast- ment systems for the promo- Technical Standards ing services and to expanding the tion of secondary use of broad- broadcasting market by advanced cast programming 1) Outline broadcasting services. Currently, databases of broadcast In May 1999, the Telecommunica- 2) Advantages of digital terrestrial programming are created indepen- tions Technology Council released a broadcasting system dently by broadcasters. In the two- report on the technical requirements i) Enabling one channel of high- year plan form FY 1999, MPT is pro- of the digital terrestrial broadcasting definition TV (HDTV) or mul- moting the development for provid- system. Based on this report, MPT tichannel broadcasting ing distribution information by cre- inquired of the Radio Regulatory (around three channels with ating shared database using such Council in September 1999 on the the quality of standard-defini- databases. draft amendments