NHK begins 24-hour English TV service for overseas viewers

TOKYO, Feb. 2 Kyodo -
Japan Broadcasting Corp. began Monday a 24-hour all-English global broadcasting
service targeting overseas viewers via satellite and the Internet.
The newly expanded NHK World TV features ''NEWSLINE,'' a 30-minute news show
broadcast on the hour, as well as programs that introduce small and
medium-sized businesses in Japan and English versions of popular programs such
as ''Today's Close-up.''
The broadcasts will not be aired in Japan, but some of the programs can be seen
on NHK World's website.
The Japanese public broadcaster began international broadcasting in 1995,
currently reaching about 80 million households worldwide.
NHK plans to expand coverage areas mainly in Asia with a view to increasing the
viewership to some 110 million households around the globe by the end of March,
officials of the broadcaster said.
Japan International Broadcasting Inc., an NHK subsidiary set up in April last
year, is also involved in program production and other operations of the global
broadcasting service.
==Kyodo