BS also stands for
Broadcast
Satellite, an
analog-turned-
digital satellite TV system used in
Japan. The first operational BS satellite was developed by
Toshiba and
General Electric, and launched by
NASDA in 1984 to carry
NHK programming. There are currently four operational BS satellites in
orbit, which carry most of Japan's popular satellite television, including NHK and
WOWOW. These satellites broadcast with two main 14/12
GHz transponders each, plus one backup.
NHK and WOWOW charge separate reception fees for their programming, but since the inception of HDTV in 2000, Japan's five major terrestrial networks have offered BS service for free to any home with a receiver.
Japan's other satellite TV network, the CS system, is superior to BS in every respect, but Sky Perfect Communications currently holds a monopoly on CS and charges hefty fees for its 170-channel CS service, making BS a far more popular choice for your average Joe Sixpack in Tokyo.
BS introduced Domo-kun to the world.