The blow-back continues from an incident involving the broadcast of falsified information on a variety show aired by Kansai Telecasting Corp. (known popularly as Kansai TV). The communications ministry plans to include a measure targeting the broadcast media in a bill to revise the Radio Law. Under the proposed measure, if a broadcast company has broadcast fake information that has a harmful influence on the people's lives, the ministry would ask the company to submit a plan to prevent a recurrence. No doubt this means greater government interference in the broadcast media.

Because the broadcasting of questionable content has not been limited to the Kansai TV incident, the government has reason to adopt an aggressive stance toward the broadcast media. Given these circumstances, the media must return to basic principles and ethics governing their activities and operations. The industry also needs to develop and strengthen a system to control the quality of broadcast content and to punish companies that produce and broadcast untrustworthy content.

On Jan. 20, Mr. Soichiro Chigusa, president of Kansai TV, apologized for the fabrication of information in the July 7 installment of its variety show "Hakkutsu! Aru Aru Daijiten II (Encyclopedia of Living II)." The show promoted natto (fermented soybeans) as a dieting aid, and had such a big impact that it sparked a run on natto nationwide and caused shortages.