Current Status of Internet Protocol Television in Japan
oversees and delivers the keys for the use of encrypted and decrypted content, is required to implement these services.
The operators of both the delivery platform and the DRM system are must collaborate to accomplish IPTV service enterprises. The IPTV services of Actvila and Hikari TV, which are already commercially available through consumer digital TV sets, implement a DRM system operated by the Marlin organisation [2]. This allows consumers to access IPTV services immediately when they purchase a digital TV set and connect it to a network, without any particular procedure.
Figure 2 outlines the structure of the Marlin organisation, which was founded by a group of consumer-electronics companies. Some of these companies are playing an important role in achieving Japanese IPTV services, because they have established delivery platform operators and DRM system operators.
So far new contracts have generally been required for the content broadcast over IPTV. Such contracts must usually be agreed with all of the rights holders of the broadcast content and these can include acting talent, musical-copyright and musical-performance organisations, and so on.
Agreeing contracts with many rights holders can be a lengthy process. This was initially one of the big barriers to starting IPTV services with broadcast content in Japan. However, an exploratory committee was set up to provide a more advanced content-service environment. The members of the committee included stakeholders, a federation of economic organisations, and broadcasters. The committee published its distribution guidelines on 25 February 2008. These guidelines were used to obtain a prompt agreement if no written contract had been made among the broadcasters (or program production companies) and the representatives of the affiliated actors and musical performers.
Figure 2: Marlin organisation
2.2 The legal system to deliver broadcasting content through IPTV
Some institutional issues have to be taken into account when distributing TV programs through an IP network. The legal system had to be adapted to permit broadcasters to provide TV programmes over IP networks, because it was conventionally assumed that they would be broadcast only over the air. NHK was initially restricted by law from charging for its Internet content due to its position as a unique public broadcaster in Japan. However the legal system was changed to make it possible for NHK to provide HDTV content directly through the Internet services and, as a result, to charge for that content. This service is named NOD. NOD services were subsequently established on a self-paying basis by means of an independent accounting service.
2.3 Measures for the prompt processing of rights
The copyright that content holders have for IPTV differs from that for broadcast services. Permission for broadcasting only is basically provided to broadcasters, and further permission is needed to distribute the content through IPTV.
Rights protection is a critical but challenging issue for IPTV services. It is intended as a defence against illegal distribution and piracy. Technologies needed for rights protection have to comply with the international standards laid out in the guidelines mentioned above. The organisations involved in supplying IPTV services must take illegal distribution seriously. It is difficult to prevent piracy and illegal distribution, because technology alone cannot be satisfied to predict breaches in security. However, the committee agreed that immediate and significant action must be taken when piracy and illegal distribution are discovered, and that, ideally, all illegal behaviours should be prevented by using rights-protection technology. At present, however, this is not practical.
Another important issue for IPTV services is the form of the profits. The guidelines describe two methods of generating profits, as summarised in Table 1. Copyright holders are able to choose between these two options, or to make a different agreement if neither is appropriate.
3. Introduction to NOD services
NOD services were launched on 1 December 2008 both directly and through the platform operators for digital TV sets, following the distribution guidelines and specifications of the IPTV forum Japan. NOD services have been delivered by some platform operators that already offer IPTV services.
3.1 Current status of IPTV services in Japan
The IPTV services available in Japan are listed in Table 2. These are mainstream IP broadcasting and on-demand
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