NHK to launch 24-hour English programming

TOKYO – Public broadcaster NHK today announced the launch of Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIBtv), a company that will transmit 24-hour programming in English via the Internet and satellite.

The service, which will be a first for Japan and begin in February of next year, expects to reach 110 million households in North America, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and other areas of the world. Newly elected president and CEO Hatsuhisa Takashima wants to increase Japan’s international presence.

“We will be offering round-the-clock English-language TV programming that informs the world about Japan and gives the benefits of a unique perspective on Asia,” said Takashima in a press release. “For up-to-the-minute content, we’ll be drawing on Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, which has news-gathering operations throughout Japan, in nearly every country in Asia, and elsewhere around the world.”

The programming content, which will include reports on politics and business and features on traditional culture and pop-culture, will be distributed in four-hour cycles optimally suited to time zones around the world.

In April of this year, Japan International Broadcasting was formed through a 50 million yen capital investment from NHK. The company is expected to start program production and installation of broadband distribution networks on September 1st. An additional 150 million yen will be invested by NHK later this month to give JIBtv a total capitalization of 200 million yen.

“With extensive cooperation from NHK and other Japanese broadcasters,” Takashima said, “JIBtv is ready to dramatically step up the transmission of information from Japan to the rest of the world. We’re confident that our international broadcasting service will showcase Japan in an unmistakable new way.”

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