Large Message on TV Screen Can Reduce Nonpayment By NHK Viewers: Panel

By Kyodo News International, Tokyo

May 20–TOKYO — A communications ministry panel studying issues on NHK subscription fees drafted a final report Tuesday saying that showing enlarged text messages on the TV screen urging fee payments would help reduce the viewing of satellite broadcasting programs by people who do not pay the fees.

After studying ways to prevent such TV viewing, the panel set up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications concluded that the superimposition of messages pressing for payment of subscription fees in letters large enough to obstruct the view of programs would be effective.

Public broadcaster NHK, officially called Japan Broadcasting Corp., is expected to introduce the measure after it receives an official report.

Viewers can either subscribe to terrestrial broadcasting programs at 2,690 yen per two months through account transfer payment or to terrestrial and satellite broadcasting services at 4,580 yen also per two months through transfer payment.

The panel has been studying ways to prevent viewing of NHK programs via broadcasting satellite by people who have no subscription for any of the services or reception of satellite broadcasting programs by subscribers of terrestrial broadcasting.

In addition to superimposition of enlarged messages, the panel considered integrating the subscription of terrestrial and satellite broadcasting services and scrambling of TV programs to make them viewable only by those who pay reception fees.

The panel concluded that the integration plan would raise subscription fees even for viewers unable to watch satellite TV programs, while scrambling of programs could change the nature of viewing fees designated by the Broadcasting Law.

Under the law, households and businesses with TVs are required to pay subscription fees to NHK. The fees make up most of the nationwide broadcaster’s revenue, but the law carries no penalties for nonpayment.

Of the three options to prevent the reception of satellite broadcasting programs without paying subscription fees to NHK, the superimposition of enlarged messages would be most effective, the panel said.

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