Hatsuhisa Takashima shows JIB’s image character “JIB-kun” during the Wednesday press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo.
PHOTO BY TARO FUJIMOTO

NHK to launch all-English international TV broadcasting service

Thursday 29th January, 06:07 AM JST

By Taro Fujimoto

TOKYO —

Public broadcaster NHK will make its Japanese/English bilingual international broadcasting service “NHK World TV” Japan’s first 24-hour all-English news channel on Feb 2, NHK and its subsidiary commercial company Japan International Broadcasting (JIB) Inc announced Wednesday.

“Without an all-English international broadcasting service, Japan will be always left behind in global trends. We have to be more active in the international arena,” said Hatsuhisa Takashima, president and CEO of JIB Inc. NHK and JIB expect the current global viewership of 80 million to increase to 110 million this fiscal year

NHK World TV will be available from Feb 2 in about 70 countries and regions in the world through satellite and cable television as well as its Internet website. The existing “NHK World Premium” will mainly target Japanese expats, according to NHK.

Yoshinori Imai, vice president of NHK, said, “As for editorial independence, NHK is guaranteed control. The most important thing is fair, balanced news. Our responsibility is to show the world how government policies and public opinion are formed in Japan.”

Takashima, who is a former NHK journalist and press secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also said, “A critical eye on what is happening in Japan is necessary for journalistic work.” He cited the Arab network Al-Jazeera as a successful example that provides diversified viewpoints on global issues.

The new channel is funded by resources from NHK, including tax money and viewer fees, and JIB, which is owned by NHK and private companies, such as commercial TV stations and telecommunication companies. The service will broadcast commercial advertisements and publish banner ads on its website.

For more information, visit: www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

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Latest 15 of 36 Total Comments Show All

Soochi at 11:53 PM JST - 29th January

Whatever they do is it likely be any less propaganda than Fox, Aljazeera, the BBC & CNN?

'cos BBC World Service and Fox News are comparable like that....
Good_Jorb at 12:07 AM JST - 30th January

'cos BBC World Service and Fox News are comparable like that....

Of course they are, both have thier leanings and bais, their level of bais I suppose though is relative to the reader/viewer. I'm surprised Japan has already launched NHK as an international broadcasting service. I am going guess there is going to a lot of ridiculous Anti-North Korea propaganda and plently of sumo.
temporaryVisa at 12:13 AM JST - 30th January

Superb. This is going to be hilarious.
Soochi at 06:35 AM JST - 30th January

Of course they are, both have thier leanings and bais, their level of bais I suppose though is relative to the reader/viewer.

Sorry, I just can't take this seriously. You honestly place Fox News and BBC World on a par? And their level of bias is based on interpretation rather than content?!?!? Behave La!
Good_Jorb at 07:22 AM JST - 30th January

You honestly place Fox News and BBC World on a par?

Fox News is very up front about it and BBC is more calculated about it but both are extremely biased, as are most big media outlets, it is sad reality of journalism today. More to the point, yes I honestly take just as big of a grain of salt when watching BBC as I do with Fox news.

And their level of bias is based on interpretation rather than content.

I should have said their level of "precieved bais" is directly relative to what reader/viewer wants to hear. As well since the content from Fox News and BBC have both be proven to be less than 100% accurate, it does become a question of which you believe more.

Moderator: Back on topic please. The subject is NHK.
grafton at 08:28 AM JST - 30th January

I think most of the English speaking ex-pats (& doubtless a few none-English, English speakers) have looked for news channels we can feel comfortable watching while at the same time have some faith in. Such searches through global news networks have a tendency to leave me feeling empty. Is there no news outlets that can be watched with confidence? For me the answer is no. And although the BBC seems to have this reputation of being good, fair, honest, impartial & whatever I really don’t find it to be any of those things, maybe it’s just better at hiding it’s leanings.

NHK’s new channel might just be what we all need, something so obvious we don’t really need to think beyond what is being said & shown. If they avoid doing things the way BBC world does it might just be enough to put some pressure on Japan. And that can’t be a bad thing. BBC world is only about the world & next to nothing about Britain, which I do still have a little interest in. As for NHK, I’m not sure I am going to be too pleased if they go with the Sumo. I hate Sumo with a passion.
JeffLee at 08:46 AM JST - 30th January

NHK World has political, not journalistic, objectives. It's not comparable with CNN, BBC, etc., whose stations use correspondents and editors from many different countries. NHK World will be a Japan-centric operation.
amerijap at 10:09 AM JST - 30th January

So, it's gonna be a political news program, huh? I don't expect it to be the one that could be comparable with PBS or C-SPAN. It could be a JP version of Fox News at best, since NHK still retains its media image of former headquarters serving as the imperial JP government's intelligent sources during WWII.
realist at 11:45 AM JST - 30th January

According to this geek, "the most important thing is fair, balanced news" well, we dont get that on NHK at the minute, do we? NHK is just a propaganda machine for the LDP. Always was, always will be, until it is disbanded. And what`s with the zany looking cartoon character? Why do japanese universities, public corporations, banks and businesses choose these childish symbols to try to sell their products? Are they aiming this at children? No, of course - this is Japan.
Harry_Gatto at 04:13 PM JST - 30th January

On the other hand, we could all wait and see - watch it for a month AND THEN pass judgement.
LFRAgain at 01:29 PM JST - 31st January

Blasphemy, I say!
space_monkey at 04:07 AM JST - 1st February

I can't wait until they report on the rise in "foreign crime" in Japan and criticize other countries for interfering with their whale hunts. That will go down like a sumo slipping on a banana peal.

I think if they use it to constantly advertise new and exciting cutting edge Japanese technology product launches it will be a stellar success.
UnagiDon at 04:19 AM JST - 1st February

On the other hand, we could all wait and see - watch it for a month AND THEN pass judgement.

That's anathema to the JT hoi polloi. Being judgemental and throwing up ad hominems in advance (revealings biases in the process) is soooo much easier, as per the post just before mine.
UnagiDon at 04:28 AM JST - 1st February

But I will agree that getting all your news about Japan from NHK is a bad idea, as is getting all your news about Japan from JT.
complainer at 12:19 PM JST - 2nd February

UnagiDon, I can't agree with you more.