08.28.03
Newspapers Act to Protect Privacy in Electronic Era

From Pressnet: The protection of privacy and human rights has become a major issue for media outlets that provide databases for news articles and Internet-related services. According to the January 2003 NSK annual survey on electronic and broadcast media by newspapers and news agencies, 32 news organizations offer databases of their articles, photographs and page image. Calls for increased privacy protection has risen as public access to restored articles on the Web and database retrieval services becomes easier and more common.

Yet, as the article explains, media organizations cannot merely revise or delete old articles, due to the social function of the media and the value of the databases. Some companies set guidelines for revising and deleting articles. For instance, The Yomiuri Shimbun, the largest newspaper with a paid database retrieval service, formed the Electronic Media Grievance Committee in January 2002. The committee introduced guidelines to protect personal information in its "Database for Paid Services" and "Internet-Related Services," which allows for article deletion. The committee will also handle any requests for the deletion of articles. It is already thinking about deleting articles about minor mishaps and criminal cases automatically.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori
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08.19.03
Japan Leads the World in Adopting Internet TV

Japan leads in extensive adoption of experimental technology -- Internet Protocol (IP) TV, reports Australian IT. Softbank International and Yahoo operate BBcable TV in Japan, offering IPTV services such as American news and movies. A recent entrant to the market is middleware supplier, Plat'C2, offering Opera Software. Other areas where extensive rollouts of IPTV are soon expected are South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Strategy Analytics estimates that some 111,000 homes worldwide will receive IPTV services this year, and more than 20 million homes will join by 2008. IPTV delivers TV content and video-on-demand (VOD) via broadband Internet to a home television.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori
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08.12.03
Jiji Releases Financial News From Reuters in Japanese

Two news agencies, one British and the other Japanese, formed a strategic alliance to provide Japanese financial news, reports HostingTech. Jiji Press and Reuters Group will provide streaming news and data services, domestic and international financial news, historical data and analytical tools. The two organizations have previously collaborated on J-Port, a joint service in Japanese supplying Jiji's economic-related news with Reuters' global economic information and data.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori
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08.07.03
New Online Storage Service Announced

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. announced a new online storage system to be launched on Aug. 20, 2003, reports Business Wire. The new system has a user-friendly GUI, allows uploads from remote locations and permits e-mail transfers of new and old media formats. It also offers custom domain names and encryption options for greater security. The service could be useful for any number of professionals required to share and store information and data from disperate locations. IIJ charges an initial fee of $336 and a monthly fee of about $168.
-- OnlineJournalism.com Writer Anamika Wani
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07.29.03
Wireless Watch Japan Site Relaunched

Wireless Watch Japan, a leading source of information on the business of wireless Internet in Japan, is back with a new Web site and URL, Japan Corporate News Network reports. Started as a free weekly mailzine published via the Japan Inc magazine Web site in March 2001, Wireless Watch Japan (WWJ) has expanded. They boasted over 2,500 subscribers by late 2002 and provided over 10,000 video streams a month. Due to this jump in popularity and demand for its niche content, WWJ launched a new site and has remodeled itself on a pay user revenue model. It also has discussion forums, Weblogs and a PR posting service. The site aims to create "a global, mobile-industry-focused, Japan specific wireless community."
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori
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Thanks to Nooper.com for the use of their photos.