What is the outlook for the broadcasting business? A report on The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been made.

 ■ What is the outlook for the broadcasting business? A report on The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been made.

A review committee for issues around The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' broadcasting, that is, the "Review subcommittee for strengthening the infrastructure of the broadcasting business", has compiled a report. 

We have been advancing considerations on strategies for what AM radio should be, and how to strengthen the management infrastructure of local stations. I served as acting chairman.

Advertising spending on TV broadcasts has been on a downward trend, while advertising spending on the Internet in 2019, exceeded advertising spending on TV broadcasts for the first time.

As the population declines in rural areas and the diversification of media continues along with the spread of the Internet, etc., our analysis shows that, "Expecting an increase in TV advertising revenue will be difficult in the future."

There are four points that should be addressed to improve the environment.

① Sharing best practices

② Development of human resources

③ Promoting use of the Internet, etc.

④ Further promotion of overseas expansion

① Sharing of best practices: The National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan collects cases, and shares information among member companies. We will continue these efforts.

② Development of human resources: It is necessary to secure and develop human resources that can handle new business areas including technology such as IP conversion, expansion of content overseas, and online broadcasting, etc.

It is required that the entire industry can handle these things.

More importantly is ③ promoting use of the Internet, etc.

"It is necessary for even the country to try and continue improving the environment, so that an efficient and stable broadcasting infrastructure can be established, such as by building a common broadcasting infrastructure, etc."

Facilitation of rights processing for broadcasting is also an issue. I think that the efforts were too weak, despite the fact that the Japanese system has the Galapagos effect which had been an issue for quite some time. However, with the start of NHK's simultaneous broadcasting, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications requested that the Agency for Cultural Affairs deal with this, and heeding this, discussions are being held at the Council for Cultural Affairs. I look forward to seeing some progress.

The use and application of audience data is also a new important theme.

"it is necessary to assume a wide range of actual services, and have verification through actual evidence that targets many viewers." "Based on the revisions to the Personal Information Protection Law, it is necessary to proceed with improving rules through actual evidence, etc., and promote the creation and development of new services that utilize audience data."

Also, collaboration with NHK.

Introducing cooperation in the field of the Internet, such as broadcasting of programs on radiko and TVer, and investment in JOCDN, a broadcasting platform funded by commercial broadcasters.

NHK aims to "perform the necessary work for the progress and development of broadcasting and its reception", and requires "further efforts for cooperation involving online broadcasting" based on the Broadcast Act.

Furthermore, NHK is developing technologies such as automatic sign language and automatic subtitle generation, etc., using AI, and it has been pointed out that broadly utilizing such pioneering knowledge and technology across the entire broadcasting service, will contribute to the strengthening of the management infrastructure of local stations. 

I think this is a correct understanding of NHK's pioneering role.

The final suggestion is ④ Further promotion of overseas expansion.

The overseas expansion of broadcast programs is also an important matter in the policies of Cool Japan. Local stations "Support for overseas expansion through international content trade fairs, and the development of human resources, etc., are important", and the drastic strengthening of TIFFCOM has been cited. I would also like to cooperate with CiP in Takeshiba, Tokyo, where I am promoting the development of bases.