A communication system includes a first recording apparatus and a second recording apparatus. The first recording apparatus determines whether recording of a broadcast program is settable in the first recording apparatus based on first information for reservation of the recording and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program, and transmits third information for requesting the state of the apparatus to the second recording apparatus when the recording is not settable. The second recording apparatus receives the third information from the first recording apparatus, and transmits fourth information to the first recording apparatus in response to the third information. The first recording apparatus further receives the fourth information from the second recording apparatus, evaluates a priority level assigned to the second recording apparatus based on the fourth information, and transmits the first information to the second recording apparatus according to the priority level.