Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 November 20 - 26 [POLITICS]

NHK coverage of secrets protection bill affected by reshuffle of management

The slant of news coverage of a secrets protection bill by public broadcaster NHK appears to be influenced by the appointment of five management committee members who are close to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

During a period between November 4 and 18, one of NHK’s news programs, News Seven, reported about the bill eight times. In the news reporting, it just provided the parliamentary statements by the minister in charge of the legislation. After November 14, focus of the coverage shifted to negotiations for amendments to the bill between the ruling bloc and the Japan Restoration and Your parties. Arguments by other political parties and citizens’ movements in opposition to the bill rarely appeared on the program.

Another news show, News Watch Nine, took up the issue only four times during the same period. On November 8, the day the Diet discussion of the bill started, it showed interpellations of each party in regard to the bill. It concluded the story with a video clip of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo saying “I will appropriately handle the arguments.”

News media, including NHK, will face difficulties if the bill becomes a law. However, the public broadcaster only repeats the opinions given by the government side. This is a totally inappropriate attitude for a public broadcaster.

Past related article
> PM Abe tries to fill NHK top echelons with his friends [November 7, 2013]