The present technology relates to a data processing device and a data processing method that can realize further flexible operation of digital television broadcasting.
A data processing device placed in a facility related to broadcasting station and a data processing device placed in a transmitter station exchange data, as transmission data transmitted via a communication line, which is obtained by processing a stream including control information, a component, and variable-length information and adding variable-length information existence information indicating a presence or absence of variable-length information. The present technology can be applied as a transmission system between stations, for example, between a broadcasting station and a transmitter station.