NHK to Cut Viewer Fees in October 2023

Tokyo, Oct. 11 (Jiji Press)--Japanese public broadcaster NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp., said Tuesday it will lower viewer fees by about 10 pct in October next year, the first cut in three years and the largest ever.

The monthly fee for a contract for terrestrial television services will be reduced by 125 yen to 1,100 yen, while that for a contract that also includes satellite TV broadcasts will be cut by 220 yen to 1,950 yen.

The broadcaster initially considered lowering fees only for contracts with satellite services, which make up over half of all contracts.

"We've become able to reduce (fees) this much as a result of reform," NHK President Terunobu Maeda said at a press conference.

NHK will tap into about 150 billion yen in surplus to pay for the fee cut. The broadcaster expects to post losses until fiscal 2026 before breaking even the following year on cost cuts.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]