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2014/02/06
DPJ sets up project team to discuss broadcasting law, NHK
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On February 6, a project team concerning broadcasting law and NHK-related issues, chaired by Kazuhiro Haraguchi, DPJ Next Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and a director of the Committee on Internal Affairs and Communications in the House of Representatives was established and held its first meeting inside the Diet. This project team has been established under the DPJ Diet Affairs Committee with the aim of maintaining NHK’s public spirit and impartiality, and will undertake thorough investigations, the results of which will be fed through into the Diet debate. During the first meeting, the future direction of the project team was discussed.
Following the meeting, Haraguchi spoke to members of the press, saying, “I believe that public broadcasting is facing its greatest crisis in the post-war era.” He said that looking at the various remarks made by NHK Chairman Momii in his inaugural press conference and by members of the NHK board of governors, it would be necessary to examine the independence of public broadcasting, freedom of the press and freedom of speech in relation to the broadcast law. He pointed out: “In particular, the reason that NHK is able to receive fees for public broadcasts is that the major mission of public broadcasting is to act not as a nationalized broadcaster, but as an entity independent from the government that serves as a thorough check on power, provides a variety of views conducive to public welfare, and creates a foundation for democracy.”
Haraguchi also commented that the project team intended to proceed with careful discussions and investigation that would not interfere with the media, and organs of public opinion, even if such organisations were mistaken. He stressed, “When it comes to freedom of speech and the independence of public broadcasting there are no boundaries between ruling and opinion parties” and expressed the view that the DPJ would be actively reaching out to other parties through the Secretary General and Diet Affairs Committee Chair.
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