[/floatl]Asahi: NHK chairman pushes pro-state spin
The chairman of Japan Broadcasting Corp.'s board said NHK should promote Japan's national interests and the government stance in broadcasts abroad, despite the Broadcast Law that stipulates impartiality, sources said. Shigetaka Komori, chairman of the board of governors...told NHK's management at a March 11 meeting that the public broadcaster should not only upgrade its overseas broadcasts but also "go a step further." "Sending out Japan's views (overseas) must be undertaken with certain resolve," he was quoted as saying. While noting the clause in the Broadcast Law that says NHK programs should be impartial, Komori said national interests of various nations are being asserted in their overseas broadcasts. Under such circumstances, NHK cannot simply broadcast views evenly, he was quoted as saying...However, the board's acting chairman, Kazuteru Tagaya, a professor of law at Chiba University, expressed concerns at the meeting about Komori's proposed direction for NHK's overseas broadcasts. "It (NHK) would become nothing more than a state-run broadcaster if it offers only the Japanese government's position," Tagaya said. Yoshihiro Oto, a professor of media studies at Sophia University, said it is not clear if Komori's remarks constitute an intervention in editorial rights of overseas broadcasts. "But his words lack consideration for the public broadcaster's ideal role and development that have valued diversity," Oto said. "Not many people pay attention to programs similar to those of other state-run broadcasters," he said. "Offering fair and neutral news reflects public trust in media reports and the maturity of Japan's democracy"...more...
