How could the Diet press club monopolize the building?

Our Planet-TV, an internet media organization, had asked if it could shoot the protest against the restart of nuclear power plants from the roof of the Diet press club building.  The protest was held in front of the prime minister's official residence. The request was turned down by the press club, which manages the building. Independent journalists like the ones at Our Planet-TV and foreign correspondents have often been excluded from the press clubs in Japan. Consequently, the independent media filed a lawsuit against the press club claiming that they were discriminated against. Our Planet-TV claimed that it would constitute a violation of media freedom and that the press club building was originally built to let the people know the activities of the Diet.

 On Oct. 14^th, TANIGUCHI Sonoe, a chief judge of Tokyo District Court, dismissed the case and ruled that either defendant, the state or the Diet press club had no responsibility of compensating Our planet-TV for the damages while neither of the defendants encroached on the right of the plaintiff.

 At the press conference after the decision, SHIRAISHI Hajime, a representative of Our Planet-TV, said, "The ruling was very unduly. The mainstream media are trying to hold fast to vested interests excluding the other media. The ruling goes against the times when better media access to the government is encouraged thanks to the internet spread." She added that she is ready to appeal the court ruling.

 The reporters of Labor Net have also been chagrined at gathering information of the protest activities in front of the prime minister's official residence. We'll continue to closely monitor this case.(Takahei)
Phott\o: The Diet Press Club building on 29th July

 国会記者会館は誰のもの？～アワープラネットTVの損害賠償裁判が敗訴

国 会の活動を国民に伝えるために建てられた国会記者会館を国会記者会（クラブ）だけに使わせていいのか、アワープラネットTVがインターネットメディアにも 建物（屋上）を使う権利があると争った裁判の判決が、10月14日東京地裁であった。谷口園恵裁判長はアワプラTVの主張を却下して、被告の国も記者会も 原告の権利を侵害していないので、損害賠償の責任はないとする判決を下した。判決後記者会見を行ったアワープラネットTVの白石草代表は、「非常に不当な 判決だ。メディアがメディアを排除して記者会が自分たちの既得権を守ろうとしている。インターネットの普及で官庁の取材がオープン化する波に逆行する。た だちに控訴したい」と語った。私たちレイバーネット取材班も首相官邸前取材で同じ悔しい思いをしているので、この裁判を注視していきたい。（高幣）　＊写真＝2012年6月29日の国会記者会館