According to one embodiment of the present invention is applied to an apparatus which performs automatic recording based on a timer recording list. A transmitting/receiving module is connected to a network. Preference information retrieved from another recording apparatus via the transmitting/receiving module is once set directly in a first storage module. A second storage module saves a timer recording list in which the preference information in the first storage module is reflected. As a result, the preference information retrieved from the other recording apparatus is once set directly in the first storage module, and the preference information in the first storage module is reflected in the timer recording list.