The role of broadcasting needs to be maintained and developed even in the digital age.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' expert meeting, which considers the future image of broadcasting, said that it is necessary to maintain and develop the role of broadcasting even in the digital age. We have put together a proposal that includes specific measures to expand the management options of.

In the proposal, the role of highly reliable information transmission and sharing of "basic social information" such as disaster and local information, which has been played by broadcasting, is expected to increase in the digital age, and will be maintained and developed in the future. As necessary, we are summarizing measures for the future image around 2030.

Specifically, NHK and commercial broadcasters jointly invested to reduce the burden of maintenance and management costs for broadcasting network equipment in the region, which is an issue, in order to create an environment where broadcasters can focus on content production. , It should be considered to establish a new operator responsible for the ownership, operation and maintenance of relay stations, and to replace small relay stations such as mountainous areas with high-speed, large-capacity data communication = broadband, etc. It is said that.

In addition, in order to expand the management options of commercial broadcasters, affiliated stations that can be placed under the umbrella of the holding company based on the so-called "mass media centralized exclusion principle" to ensure the multiplicity, diversity, and regional characteristics of broadcasting. It includes removing the restriction that the target area is limited to 12 prefectures and making it possible to broadcast the same broadcast program in neighboring prefectures.

On the other hand, regarding the Internet distribution of broadcast content, it is important to maintain a dual system of NHK and commercial broadcasting and instill the value of broadcasting in the Internet space, and it is necessary to consider a mechanism to support simultaneous broadcasting distribution. is.

The Council of Experts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will submit the recommendations to Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Kaneko next month.