Japanese public and private broadcasters will introduce an IC card for viewing digital programs to prevent shows from being copied illegally or distributed over the Internet.
NHK and the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan said Monday they will introduce the common B-CAS Card in April. It will be given to consumers when they buy digital televisions.
Viewers will have to insert the card into their TVs to watch or record digital content, while broadcasters will air their shows with a special transmission signal enabling only a single, nonrerecordable copy of the program to be made, the broadcasters said.
The method will apply to both existing broadcasting satellite digital programs and terrestrial digital broadcasts, which are set to begin Dec. 1 in some areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.