英字新聞

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 7
EDITORIAL: Broadcasters must stand up to LDP pressure
（社説）「停波」発言　放送局の姿勢を見たい

Communications minister Sanae Takaichi has reiterated that she or others in her post could order broadcasters to suspend operations if they repeatedly air politically unfair programs.
　政治的に公平でない番組を繰り返し流した場合、時の総務大臣の判断で、放送局に電波停止を命じることもありうる――。
　高市早苗総務相が、こう繰り返し表明している。

Takaichi, who also said some of her predecessors made similar remarks, has ruled out changing her position despite a series of statements by media executives and legal scholars criticizing her assertion.
これまでの総務大臣も同様のことを述べてきた、とも言っている。放送関係者や法学者らによる批判声明が相次いでいるが、考えを変えるつもりはないという。

Takaichi doesn’t understand the spirit of the Broadcast Law.
　高市氏は放送法の意義を理解していない。

The principal aim of the law is to secure the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
放送法の精神は、憲法が保障する表現の自由を確保することにある。

The law’s Article 4, which requires political fairness in broadcasting, should not be used as a legal base to penalize broadcasters with orders to suspend their operations. That’s because there can be no clear definition of the term “political fairness.”
　様々に解釈できる「政治的公平」を定めた第４条を、停波という処分と結びつけるべきではない。

The communications minister, who is a politician, cannot be expected to serve as a good judge of whether a program is politically fair or not.
番組が政治的に公平か否か、自身も政治家である大臣が判断することには矛盾がある。

The current Liberal Democratic Party has taken a series of aggressive actions to meddle in the content of TV programs. The ruling party has made “requests” and conducted “interviews” that could be regarded as attempts to intimidate broadcasters.
　いまの自民党は、番組内容にまで踏み込み、威圧ともとれる「要望」や「事情聴取」などでテレビへの干渉を強めている。

Coming from a Cabinet minister of this high-handed governing party, Takaichi’s reference to possibly ordering broadcasters to suspend programs can be taken as an open challenge to the freedom of broadcasting.
そんな政権党の大臣が「停波」を口にすることは、放送の自由への圧力と受け止められる。

What is worrisome is that TV broadcasters could be daunted by her words.
　心配なのは、テレビ報道に萎縮が広がることだ。

Some employees of TV stations have reportedly said they feel silent pressure from their higher-ups. Others have mentioned growing signs that the people involved in producing TV programs are exercising self-restraint and using their own judgment to avoid provoking controversy.
　「上から無言のプレッシャーがある」「自主規制や忖度（そんたく）によって萎縮が蔓延（まんえん）している」。現場にはそんな声があるという。

The people’s right to know, a foundation of democracy, would be seriously undermined if broadcasters conduct docile news reporting out of fear of being labeled “unfair” by the government.
政権から「公平ではない」と言われるのを恐れて報道が手ぬるくなれば、民主主義社会の基本である国民の知る権利の足元が掘り崩される。

Even if they are undaunted by the government’s threat, TV broadcasters would lose the trust of viewers if they suspect TV programs are made in line with the government’s wishes.
　実際は萎縮していないとしても、視聴者が「政権の意に沿った放送だろう」と疑えば、テレビ報道は信頼を失う。

Takaichi’s remarks have effectively aroused such suspicions among the public. The situation is causing heavy losses for society.
高市氏の発言は結果として、こうした疑念を膨らませている。社会にとって大きな損失である。

Asked about Takaichi’s remarks, the heads of all the national TV networks have stressed that broadcasters are committed to the principle of “independence and autonomy.” They should demonstrate their commitment to the principle through their programs.
　在京キー局のトップはみな、記者会見で高市氏の発言について問われ、「放送は自主自律」と答えている。その覚悟を具体的に示してほしい。

Some TV broadcasters have already aired programs that dug into this issue and showed their own positions while providing viewers with information to think about related questions themselves.
　すでに、この問題を掘り下げて、視聴者に考える材料を提供しながら、自らの姿勢を示した報道番組もある。

But such moves have been limited in scope and show no signs of developing into a major trend.
だが、そうした動きは一部にとどまり、広がりが見えない。

Many newscasters who have criticized the government will be replaced as part of program changes this spring. This has made Japanese TV viewers attentive to the attitudes of TV broadcasters toward news reporting.
　春の番組改編で、政権に厳しくものを言ってきたキャスターが次々と交代することもあり、視聴者は今後の報道姿勢を注目している。

As an important player in journalism, TV stations should do more to communicate their views and opinions directly to viewers.
テレビ局は報道の担い手として、自分たちの考え方を、もっと積極的に直接視聴者に伝えたらどうだろうか。

Article 1 of the Broadcast Law says the law’s purpose is to “ensure that broadcasting will contribute to the sound development of democracy by clarifying the professional responsibilities of those who are involved in broadcasting.”
　放送法第１条には「放送に携わる者の職責を明らかにすることによって、放送が健全な民主主義の発達に資するようにする」とある。

TV broadcasters have a duty to clearly show how they are trying to fulfill these responsibilities.
それをどう実践しているのか、分かりやすく見せてほしい。