The relationship between television and the Internet has been discussed from various angles, and there seem to be various complex circumstances involved in the issue.
This issue of the relationship between television and the Internet is not unrelated to the activities of the Japan Media Communication Center (JAMCO). JAMCO is involved in producing English editions and other international editions of television programs produced and broadcast by Japanese television stations and providing them free of charge to broadcasting stations in developing countries. The television programs are selected from those recommended by the television stations.

The contracts signed with overseas television stations that JAMCO provides the programs to stipulate that the programs are provided “for use in domestic programming, and the television stations that receive the programs cannot use the programs for any other purpose.” Moreover, the terms of the contracts prohibit uploading all or part of the broadcasting data to the Internet for the public to download or view through the Internet.
In recent years, however, JAMCO has received inquiries from broadcasting stations in developing countries regarding issues related to the Internet. For JAMCO’s activities to provide programs, the relationship between television and the Internet may become a significant issue in the near future.
Therefore, JAMCO felt the necessity to understand the circumstances around the relationship between television stations and the Internet in developing countries, particularly with regard to television stations in the Asia-Pacific region with which JAMCO has deep ties, and chose this as the theme for this symposium. We consulted with Professor Haruko Yamashita of Daito Bunka University about the planning and coordination of the symposium.
What is the situation surrounding the simultaneous retransmission of television broadcasting content on the Internet? How are the conditions different in each country?
We asked experts and researchers from Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand to report on the situation in their countries. Moreover, since the conditions of broadband, which forms the foundation of the Internet, are important to consider when discussing television and the Internet, we asked an expert who is familiar with the Pacific Island nations to write about broadband conditions in the region in order to widen our perspective. In addition, we asked a researcher to report on the situation in South Korea, a country that is seen to have growing influence on the television content market of the Asia-Pacific region. These are expected to be important studies in order for us to consider the situation in Japan as well.
From the outset, the purpose of this symposium was not to debate the relationship between television and the Internet in Japan but to gain an objective understanding of the circumstances surrounding the relationship between television and the Internet in the Asia-Pacific region.
The direction the discussions will take from that point forward will be left up to the participants of the symposium.
How should we consider the relationship between television and the Internet when considering the issue of the international transmission of television programs? We will contemplate this question by receiving reports about the circumstances in various countries in the Asia-Pacific Region.