mercedo's Journal: Struggle Between Powers

Between political party, broadcasting corporation, newspaper.

All three are big syndicates that seems represent Japan itself.

Liberal Democratic Party - the party that has been holding political grip since the end of WWII ( Conservative Party in Britain ), NHK-Japan Public Broadcasting Corporation( BBC ). Asahi Newspaper ( The Times -Japan's most authoritative Newspaper ).

They have been struggling over the report by Asahi that says that two members of parliament in LDP used their political power to change the contents of TV program of NHK - both two politicians and NHK have been denying because it's simply violating the freedom of speech, and it is exceeding what the appropriate job being allowed by politicians. And if NHK allowed to adopt their intent, also it severely vilotes the neutrality of broadcast - NHK earned all its revenues from listeners to keep this big principle.

Right now this struggle has found no one winner, they are struggling again and again and again.

This is a good example the division of powers are working. Used to be LDP -political party has got far exceeding power over other two media, in the age of internet, media have been gaining powers very drastically and one of the powers -newpaper is challenging the power of political party.

Time flies.

Here in the US

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Our President simply hires reporters and sells stories to local news shows that support his point of view, which are then broadcast as local reports. Somehow, it's much more seemless that way. For both meanings of the term.

Re:Here in the US

[mercedo]

Compared to the power the US president has, the power of PM in Japan is considerably small. Many times we had a chance to read scandals made by PM at that time, and many had to resign for the report the media made. I believe this is a healthy sign of working democracy.

Re:Here in the US

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Legally, the President doesn't really have the power to do this- or at least, not any more than anybody else does. It's purely a business decision by the free press in each town- they get a story for cheaper than paying the time of the reporter, to use as their own. Far cheaper than producing a new story of their own.