Media Monitor

Akahata Critiques TV Political Coverage

Sunday, June 27, 2010

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Tokyo -- Akahata, the daily publication of the Japan Communist Party, offers an interesting critique of the mainstream media's coverage of the new administration of Naoto Kan.

The first point they make is that the media always builds up a new prime minister irregardless of the underlying policy issues:

"The media fuels public expectations of a change of direction in the political situation and the possibilities in a 'new government' without examining why the government had reached an impasse in the first place... When former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned just eight months after his inauguration due to public distrust, what the DPJ did was the same as the LDP, just changing the prime minister without changing policies."

Akahata goes on to accuse the media of diverting attention from fundamental policy issues:

"Instead of taking a closer look at those issues, the media focused on how the DPJ can get rid of the influence of former DPJ top leader Ichiro Ozawa during the process of appointing the new DPJ leadership and the Kan cabinet members. This media coverage gave the public the impression that the Kan cabinet is clean, and contributed to an abrupt recovery in public support for the DPJ."

Akahata also claims that the television media in particular unfairly marginalizes the smaller parties from the national debate:

"In addition, the media should be criticized for failing to take a fair and just stance on their coverage of the new administration. Since the new administration was inaugurated, only DPJ and LDP lawmakers have appeared on major TV programs... With the House of Councillors election just around the corner, such an overtly biased treatment of political parties is extremely unjust."

Akahata concludes their piece with the following observation:

"In the brief period of time leading up to national elections, it is a minimum requirement for the media to provide various opinions to voters to uphold their right to know what options are available. The upcoming House of Councillors election's key issue is whether to continue policies which are subservient to the United States and large corporations. The media should take a fair and just position which is independent of political power."

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