The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported the results of a "Survey on Corporate Governance of Private Broadcasting Operators."
This survey was conducted within the framework of the Study Group on Ensuring Governance of Broadcasting Operators, with cooperation from the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (NAB), aiming to comprehensively understand the current status and issues of corporate governance among private broadcasting operators. The survey targeted private broadcasting operators nationwide and conducted comprehensive fact-finding research on the construction status of corporate governance and compliance systems toward achieving corporate value that member companies aim for.
The survey results revealed characteristics of unique governance structures among private broadcasting operators, many of which are unlisted companies. Particularly, regional broadcasting operators were confirmed to face different challenges from typical listed companies in terms of shareholder composition and management systems. Furthermore, unique issues that cannot be addressed by conventional corporate governance theory were highlighted from the perspective of balancing the public nature of broadcasting business with corporate management.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications established the "Study Group on Ensuring Governance of Broadcasting Operators" in June 2025, examining issues specific to broadcasting operators in response to a series of problems surrounding Fuji Television. The study group is conducting broad discussions including the necessity of legal regulations while maximizing respect for proposals and initiatives from private broadcasting operators, including NAB and key Tokyo stations, examining governance strengthening measures for the entire industry.
The article shows that corporate governance in the broadcasting industry is at an important turning point, with examinations proceeding from both aspects of autonomous governance ensuring and institutional framework development.