Abstract
An annual conference of Public Broadcasting International (PBI) was held in Tokyo in November 2022. The Overseas Media Studies group of the NHK Broadcasting Culture Institute that researches public service media (PSM) around the world, which have been providing information not only through broadcasts but also on the internet, interviewed six representatives of American, European, and Asian PSM who took part in the PBI Tokyo 2022, asking what challenges each media outlet was facing and what roles PSM should play amidst the dramatic change in the environment surrounding information and communication media. The common challenges the interviewees cited include (1) securing long-term stable financial resources, (2) intensifying competition caused by the expanding choice of information sources and services, (3) audience fragmentation and erosion, and (4) declining audience trust. They also had a common belief that, all the more for the era of abundant disinformation and deepening social fragmentation, PSM is needed as an institution “delivering reliable information” and “bridging people.” To gain a public understanding of these roles, the representatives also underlined the importance of enhancing transparency and accountability efforts. The talks of the six representatives showed a sense of urgency, with an eye on the challenges in their efforts of transforming from public service broadcasters to public service media, as well as a sense of mission, with a commitment to supporting rich and quality information spaces and civil, democratic societies.
