Changing places.(digital television services, Japan)

Some are more prepared than others to deal with Japan's headlong rush towards its digital deadlines

Terrestrial

All six Japanese networks, including public broadcaster NHK, are going through at least three major steps in the next three years. These begin with the launch in December 2000 of digital satellite HDTV operations. This will be followed by another satellite, N-SAT-110, which starts operations in late 2001. The third event that will have a major impact on the industry is the launch of digital terrestrial transmissions in three major metropolitan areas in 2003.

In addition to these external realities, each one of the six networks has its own issues to deal with on the eve of the 21st century. These range from regulatory constraints on cyber operations (NHK) to the need to raise funds to cover new office complex construction costs (NTV and TV Asahi) as well as preparing for IPOs (TV Tokyo).

They also face the imminent threat from the growing base of digital direct-to-home subscribers and from the cyber communication group whose influence is seeping onto the traditional turf of broadcasters.

While the major networks, with relatively deep pockets, are already set to go digital, their 45 smaller, and not so affluent affiliates and the 77 even smaller UHF stations are yet to find ways to survive and maintain their identity in the new digital world order. Casualties are expected before Japan goes totally digital in 2010.

Satellite

Japanese skies, once dominated by NHK satellite's two channels launched 10 years ago, have become increasingly crowded. The eight new broadcasters (including NHK and Wowow), which begin their new digital satellite operations in December, 2000, join the nine-year-old Wowow analogue service, Japan's first commercial satellite broadcaster launched…