A plan being considered by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to review the broadcasting business is receiving a mixed response from government ministries.
The Cabinet Office, which is in charge of regulatory reforms, has shown a positive attitude toward the plan, but the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry -- which is responsible for the broadcasting business -- has taken a cautious approach.
Discussions on the plan are under way at a working group of the government's Regulatory Reform Promotion Council, headed by Prof. Hiroko Ota of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
Regulatory reform minister Hiroshi Kajiyama said at a press conference Tuesday: "We have been conducting hearings with a wide range of people concerned. A plan for reform will be considered at the council in light of further discussions there."
The direction of the review is expected to be solidified at a council meeting slated for as early as at the end of this month.
Abe intends to eliminate barriers between telecommunications operations such as the internet, and broadcast operations such as TV and radio stations, by abolishing regulations in Article 4 of the Broadcast Law, which among other things, requires political fairness in broadcasts.
The Cabinet Office has also waited for a chance to reexamine the broadcasting business. To help Japan's broadcasting industry enter the global content market, it is necessary to make appealing programs produced more economically by both broadcasting and telecommunication businesses.
The Cabinet Office's stance has also been supported by the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, as part of its focus on the economic growth strategy.
In contrast, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry is skeptical about the review plan, as it prioritizes the reliability and public benefits of broadcasting.
"Broadcasters have played socially vital roles within the relevant framework, including Article 4 of the Broadcast Law," Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda emphatically said Tuesday at the House of Councillors General Affairs Committee.
The communications ministry is not considering amending the Broadcast Law. The review plan has ignited strong opposition from the ministry regarding the idea of discussing the culture of broadcasting from an economic point of view.
"The way forward should be strengthening regulations on the uncontrolled internet, rather than lifting regulations on broadcasting," a source related to the broadcasting industry said.
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