Summary of Meeting of the Radio Regulatory Council (No. 907)

Summary of Meeting of the Radio Regulatory Council (No. 907)

1.

Date and time

June 14, 2006 (Wednesday)
15:08 to 15:28

2.

Location

Meeting Room of MIC (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
(Meeting Room No. 1002 on the 10^th floor)

3.

Attendees (Honorifics omitted)

(1)	Members of the Radio Regulatory Council
	Mitsutoshi Hatori (Chairperson), Takeo Inokuchi (Vice-Chairperson), Junichi Hamada, Koshiko Kodate, Hatsuko Ukigawa
(2)	Hearing Examiner of the Radio Regulatory Council
	Syuichi Tanaka
(3)	Secretary
	Ikko Mitsui (Deputy Director of the General Affairs Division, Telecommunications Bureau)
(4)	MIC (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
	Shimizu (Policy Coordinating Officer), Kouno (Deputy Director-General of the Minister's Secretariat), and others

4.

Minutes of the Meeting

(1) Change in broadcasting matter consigned to Nippon BS Broadcasting Corporation and BS-i, Inc. (Consultation No. 16) A change in broadcasting matter consigned to Nippon BS Broadcasting Corporation and BS-i, Inc. was explained by MIC as detailed below. This was followed by a Q&A session. After deliberation, the council approved of the change.
a.	Explanation by MIC
	This consultation concerned the Electric Program Guide (EPG), which is currently broadcast by BS Digital Broadcasting. The MIC asked for a judgment on the acceptability of Nippon BS Broadcasting Corporation terminating the broadcasting of the EPG on July 31, 2006, and BS-i, Inc. starting its broadcasting. Changes in broadcasting matter must be examined to verify their conformity with Article 9 of the Screening Standard on Matters Related to Broadcasting. The council confirmed that, despite changes in equity participation since the matter was originally approved, conditions such as the decentralization of media were still being met. The council also decided, following deliberation, that the change in consigned broadcasting matter would not impair the matter's identity vis-à-vis its identity at the time of approval. In conclusion, the council decided that the change conformed with the stipulations, and the item was approved.
b.	Main contents of the Q&A session
	The council asked if the change of broadcaster would require a change of receiver or of other products used by the former broadcaster to provide the EPG service. The MIC answered that the change of broadcaster for the EPG service would only result in a change of credit ownership and company name; from Nippon BS Broadcasting Corporation to BS-i, Inc. Since the service ID would continue to be used, viewers would not need to change equipment, and the program channel would not be changed. (The Radio Regulatory Council Secretariat is responsible for the wording of this document)