Tokyo – National Association of Japanese Commercial Broadcasters (Minporen) has expelled Kansai Telecasting Corp. (KTV), after revelations that bogus scientific data was used in its quiz/variety show Hakkutsu Aruaru Daijiten II (Encyclopedia of Living II) in January. An investigation uncovered 16 cases of questionable data used in the program, mostly on health and dietary effects of various foodstuffs.

KTV will lose the members' discount of network transmission fee and the use of the umbrella Minporen broadcasting rights of the Beijing Olympics. It's the first expulsion since 1999 when it was revealed that Shizuoka Daiichi was skipping commercials. It took the Shizuoka TV 17 months to regain Minporen membership. Soichiro Chigusa, president of KTV, is likely to resign shortly, according to industry sources.