According to the Asahi Shimbun, The Japanese government is considering ordering the Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) to carry programmes about the North Korean abduction issue on its international shortwave radio service. A citizens group has since last year been broadcasting a shortwave radio programme to North Korea in the hopes that Japanese believed to have been abducted there can receive messages from their relatives. But the programme, known as “Shiokaze” (sea breeze), is jammed by North Korea. It’s currently carried via a transmitter in Taiwan.
Under the Broadcast Law, the Communications Minister has the authority to designate specific subject matter for international broadcasts. The international shortwave radio service run by NHK is the only service subject to such a ministerial order because part of the production funds for that service is provided by the government. This power is rarely used, as the government wants to respect NHK’s independence. But in the current climate, Yoshihide Suga, the Internal Affairs and Communications Minister, told reporters yesterday that he wants to give specific orders to NHK to carry the programme.
However, it appears that Suga is not suggesting that NHK carries the programme as part of its own output, but merely allows the group producing the programme to use NHK’s shortwave transmitters if it wants to. NHK is cutting back on shortwave, so there is plenty of spare capacity available. According to Suga, “If ‘Shiokaze’ says it wants a shortwave radio programme on a new frequency, we’d like to formally apply to the International Telecommunication Union,” Suga said. “We want to think positively to have NHK facilities used.” In fact, applying for a frequency is not necessary, and Suga doesn’t appear to understand how shortwave frequency planning works.
Some observers in Japan are expressing concern about a threat to NHK’s independence, but Media Network believes that the reporters covering the story didn’t understand the distinction between broadcasting a programme within one’s own service and allowing another organisation to have airtime on a transmitter.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)