Abstract
The first half of 2018 saw various panels debating over the future of broadcasting.First, the Regulatory Reform Promotion of the Cabinet Office, which had started deliberating the effective use of spectrum for broadcasting in autumn 2017, continuously discussed this issue. Then, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ study group on problems surrounding broadcasting also began a debate in late July, 2018. Then, on March 15, it was reported that the Abe administration was drafting proposals for broadcasting system reform (hereinafter “the government proposals”). The government intention was revealed to virtually demolish the broadcasting institution and to place commercial broadcasters on equal footing with video streaming and other online media services, which caused “turmoil” as the move provoked strong resentment from Tokyo-based commercial flagship stations and the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association, and even newspapers and magazines covered the story intensively. After these news reports on the government proposals, the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council—Prime Minister’s advisory body—announced the third report containing wider issues such as content strategies and support for broadcasters, but it did not include many of the issues that had been reported as government proposals.A series of debates at the Promotion Council and receding “turmoil” seem to have soothed the broadcasters for some extent. However, since the momentum of media diversification and viewers/users segmentation looks unstoppable, broadcasters shall be soon put to the test in the context of how far they can shape the future of broadcasting responding to the needs of society.This article first reviews the debates over the future of broadcasting unfolded during the six months from February to July 2018 as well as the “turmoil” in chronological order, based on which the author presents the six key words that the thinks are important and discusses relevant issues including how each key terms are related to each other.
