NHK Annual Report 2015- 2016 Contents 2 Message from the President NHK 5 Programs 7 Channels 9 NHK Corporate Plan 11 News Reporting 13 Global Network ANNUAL REPORT 15 Broadcasting Technologies 19 Digital Services 21 NHK WORLD 23 Global Partners 2015/2016 26 Research and Archives 27 Serving Our Audience 28 Supported by Audience 29 Organization 30 History of NHK Message from the President This year is the 90th anniversary of the start of radio broadcasting in Japan in 1925. The story of broadcasting since then has been the story of Japan and the world. Through the end of the war and post-war reconstruction to the years of high-speed growth, the bursting of the economic bubble and on to the present day, NHK has broadcast the great events and changes of our times, and delivered broadcasts that protect people’s lives in times of disaster. The annual public opinion surveys reveal diverse expectations regarding the mission and role of public broadcasting. The expectations for “Fairness and Impartiality” and “Sharing of Social Is- sues” rose for three years in a row through the last fiscal year, and so did people’s evaluation of how well these are being realized. I sense that there still is more that we can and ought to do in terms of how far we can answer those expectations. NHK starts a new three-year Corporate Plan in the new fiscal year. This plan is also targeted to- wards NHK’s vision of “Becoming an Even More Trustworthy Source of Information, Shaping the Future with the Power of Creativity” for 2020, the year of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our broadcasts are evolving to help build a better future, strengthen transmissions to the world and the distribution of information via the Internet, and also through the promotion of 8K (Super Hi-Vision). As a public broadcaster, NHK must also never forget the great importance of ensuring that the bur- den of receiving fees is borne fairly. Target 80 is an initiative to mobilize the whole corporation in activities to promote understanding of the receiving fee system with the target of achieving a record 80% payment rate and 50% satellite contract rate by the end of the 2017 fiscal year. All members of NHK staff are united in this goal and striving to undertake the challenges and re- forms. I ask for everyone’s understanding and support. Katsuto MOMII NHK President June 2015 1 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 2 3 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 4 Award-Winning Programs Programs NHK participates in competitions and TV festivals in order to enhance the quality of its programs, to share Japanese content with international audiences and to promote understanding ews urrent ffairs between Japan and the rest of the world. In fisical 2014, NHK N C A Entertainment programs won 140 awards in Japan and abroad. Documentary Legends of the Deep: Asia Rainbow TV Awards Deep-Sea Sharks Best Nature & Environment Documentary In co-production with NEP, Discovery Channel and ZDF/ARTE China Dragon Awards Silver prize for NATURE & ENVIRONMENT World Media Festival Intermedia-globe GOLD for DOCUMENTARIES/ Nature and Wildlife Sumo Spirit ABU Prize for TV: Sports News 7 NHK Special Buratamori – walking around towns and cities ~ A Storm from Egypt~ Drama Sports Nature Drama Battlefield Tokyo Monte Carlo Television Festival Monaco Red Cross Prize Radio Chicago International Film Festival Television Awards Gold Plaque for Feature Length Telefilm Historical Drama “Ardent Flower” Spirits of the Athletes Life Force The U.S. International Film & Video Festival Certificate for Creative Excellence for Entertainment/TV regular-TV Movie World Media Festival Intermedia-globe GOLD for Science & Technology Children’s & Education International ENTERTAINMENT programs Children and Education Mimicries - The Secret of JAPAN PRIZE International Black and Yellow Contest for Educational Media The Best Work in the Pre-school Category (The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communication Prize) Radio Cosmic Front Next With Mother International News Report 2015 A Pot of Goldfish: 55 Years ABU Prize for RADIO: Drama of Dreaming of Black and Yellow 5 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 6 Channels ELEVISION ADIO T NHK continues to deliver a diverse range of programs R March 2015 marks the 90th anniversary of radio broadcasting in Japan. Since over its TV channels, composed of two terrestrial and its first radio broadcast, NHK’s radio services have delivered a wide range of two satellite channels. programs. DOMO, NHK mascot © NHK.TYO General TV Educational TV Radio 1 Radio 2 Weekly programming hours Total : 168h00m Weekly programming hours Total : 142h45m Weekly programming hours Total : 168h00m Weekly programming hours Total : 130h20m News : 75h06m News : 4h32m News : 85h55m News : 15h15m Education : 17h23m Education : 111h47m Education : 4h31m Education : 90h32m Culture : 37h10m Culture : 39h34m Culture : 26h26m Culture : 24h33m Entertainment : 38h21m Entertainment : 38h00m The main NHK terrestrial channel broadcasts around the This terrestrial channel is aimed at younger viewers. It delivers This station delivers a broad selection of programs, from news Radio 2 focuses on educational programs and has earned clock, every day of the year. This channel delivers news and a variety of educational programs, as well as programs focusing to entertainment, designed to appeal across the generations. In a deserved reputation as Japan’s “lifelong learning channel.” information essential to the lives of people in Japan, as well as on classical art, welfare issues, and music. the event of a natural disaster, Radio 1 provides safety advice It devotes a great deal of time to language learning, culture, cultural and entertainment programs. and information. Most programs are broadcast live, giving and welfare issues, as well as new programs, including the channel the ability to deliver information promptly in the business lectures. Some programs broadcast on NHK’s event of an emergency. international radio service, NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN, are also available on this channel. BS 1 BS Premium FM Weekly programming hours Total : 168h00m Weekly programming hours Total : 168h00m Weekly programming hours Total : 166h09m News : 90h22m Education : 35h19m Education : 9h26m Education : 23h56m News : 2h09m News : 23h08m Culture : 36h32m Culture : 66h49m Culture : 70h16m Entertainment : 17h10m Entertainment : 63h43m Entertainment : 63h19m Programming focuses on world news and live sports, as well as An “edutainment” channel that can be enjoyed by a broad As a comprehensive music channel, FM delivers programs documentaries that analyze the background to global situations. cross section of viewers, BS Premium seeks to broadcast rich, with high-quality sound to lovers of various genres of music, in-depth programs, including shows on nature, the arts, music, from pop to classical. In the event of a disaster, the channel and the theater. will cooperate with Radio 1 to quickly provide essential local information. Radiru, NHK radio’s mascot © NHK.NHKSC 7 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 NHK ANNUAL REPORT 2015/2016 8 NHK Corporate Plan Becoming an Even More Trustworthy Source of Information, Shaping the Future with the Power of Creativity NHK’s Vision 2015-2020 Looking forward to 2020, the year of the our reporting and production capabilities. Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, As prescribed in the Broadcast Law, NHK NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, also known as will continue to fulfill its mission to serve Japan Broadcasting Corporation) endeavors the public as a trusted source of news and to provide broadcasting and services of the information, with fast and accurate reporting, world’s highest standards, utilizing leading- a wide range of fulfilling, high-quality content, edge technologies. and enhanced global reach, both through Beginning in 2015, we will further enhance broadcasting and through the Internet. NHK Corporate Plan (FY2015-2017) : Five Major Objectives Accurate reporting people can Creating broadcasting and Maximum effort to ensure that Further enhancing creativity rely on; a wide range of Presenting Japan to the world services that open up new receiving fees are borne fairly and efficiency fulfilling content possibilities As the media revolution con- “Protecting people’s lives and As the cross-border flow of people In order to achieve the highest-quality To ensure an equitable burden-sharing Structural reforms between NHK itself tinues, and in anticipation of livelihoods” is one of public and information accelerates and broadcasting and services in the world of “receiving fees,” NHK, faced with and its affiliated organizations will move broadcasting’s most important missions. globalization moves forward with by 2020, NHK will focus on new slackening growth in the number of forward. the worldwide attention Japan NHK’s Tokyo headquarters and great speed, NHK, as “a trusted public services utilizing the Internet, “8K households, will take measures to Managerial resources will be reallocated is expected to draw in the year stations will work as one and maximize broadcaster,” will transmit accurate (Super Hi-Vision),” and other services promote the public’s understanding with the twin goal of creativity and 2020, NHK will carry forward our efforts to contribute to disaster information and a diverse range of that provide new value to our audience. of the receiving fee system. The greater efficiency in operations in its “challenge” and “reform,” prevention and reduction through our programs and other content, thereby collection system will be overhauled and order to achieve the NHK Group’s reporting. bridging Japan with the world through NHK will steadily implement measures maximum effort will be made to achieve collective strength to produce rich and positioning the Three-Year Plan the promotion of the understanding in anticipation of its evolution into the highest-ever receiving-fee payment varied broadcasting and services, and (FY2015-2017) as the first phase NHK will further strengthen reporting of Japan and Japanese perspectives in advanced “public media.” rates.