Interviews with Presidents of Five Commercial Broadcasters: BS's 16th Year Outlook Part 1: BS Nippon TV President Koichi Akaza

BS digital broadcasting, which began on December 1, 2000, is about to enter its 16th year. The five commercial BS broadcasters have steadily expanded their fan base and continued to grow with programming that leverages the unique characteristics of the medium. Marking this 15th anniversary milestone, we interviewed the heads of each company about the appeal and strengths of their content, their future initiatives, and asked them to share a single kanji character representing the future of BS and the thoughts behind it.

Meeting the Expectations of All Viewers at Nippon TV and BS Nippon TV

──President Akaza, you are entering your fourth year leading BS Nippon TV. What do you consider to be BS Nippon TV's strengths?

The strength is undoubtedly the Nippon TV brand. At the same time, I feel the weight of carrying that Nippon TV brand every day.
Currently, among Japanese TV stations, we are fortunate that Nippon TV enjoys very high viewer support. Compared to that, BS Nippon TV is still developing. Ideally, I would like everyone who doesn't watch Nippon TV to watch BS Nippon TV. We aim to meet viewer expectations as a unified brand, working in synergy and complementing each other with Nippon TV.

Recently, we broadcast a one-hour interview with Prime Minister Abe on "Deep News" airing weekdays at 10 PM, while the terrestrial Nippon TV news program covered key points. I believe this was a good example of effective collaboration.

──Over the past three years, what content has given you a sense of tangible results?

"Deep Layer NEWS," which began in the fall of 2013, has steadily gained traction and has now grown into one of our flagship programs. For a daily series, establishing a viewing habit is crucial, and the efforts of the production team have clearly yielded results.
Launched last spring, "Earth Theater: Songs I Want You to Hear 100 Years From Now" is a high-quality, authentic music program hosted by Shinji Tanimura, featuring a different star guest each episode. Though broadcast monthly, it has also become one of our flagship programs.

BS Nippon TV has consistently pursued "deep dives into hobbies" made possible by BS broadcasting. While BS's core target audience is said to be seniors, and this trend is reflected in the mechanical contact rate survey launched this April, broader audience support is essential for future growth. Alongside long-running favorites like "BS Nippon: Songs of the Heart" and "TOSHIBA Presents: Tales of a Small Village - Italy," we are expanding themed programming on topics like pets and art to actively target younger generations under 40 and those with specialized interests.

──Recently, on October 10th, you implemented a multi-channel broadcast for live golf and baseball.

This was implemented because the Tour World Cup (HONMA TOURWORLD CUP AT TROPHIA GOLF), which was scheduled for a first-ever four-hour live broadcast on BS Nippon TV, overlapped for one hour with the broadcast of the first day of the Giants' Climax Series. This made us realize the potential for multi-channel programming beyond just extended baseball night games.

Maintaining support in sports genres, particularly Giants games—an area where BS Nippon TV excels—remains our most crucial focus going forward.

We will continue to nurture our programming while pursuing unprecedented challenges.

──Soon, the period drama "Sabu and Ichi: The Detective Chronicles" will air as a 15th-anniversary special (scheduled for December 19th at 7:00 PM). Looking ahead to the 16th year, what areas do you plan to focus on?

Period dramas are popular across BS channels, but BS Nippon TV aims to offer works with a unique twist. This adaptation of Shotaro Ishinomori's work resonates with me personally, as I read the original manga in real time—its stylish flavor left a strong impression. We've filmed it in 4K, meticulously refining every detail. It's a production that will appeal to senior viewers, of course, but also introduce younger generations to the appeal of period dramas.

We will have another programming reshuffle next spring, but our approach is less about churning out new shows and more about carefully nurturing our regulars while gauging viewer response. For example, shows that started this spring like "Kataoka Ainosuke's Historical Investigation!" and "Miyake Yuji's Hometown Exploration ~Proud Countryside Stories~" are steadily gaining support, as seen in the ratings. We will build and expand around these core programs.

Even on terrestrial Nippon TV, many popular programs have emerged from late-night slots and secured prime-time slots. We possess that same DNA. I also want to cherish the tradition, established before my appointment, of having a significant number of in-house produced regular programs.

Period Drama "Satake and Ichiro: The Detective Chronicles" (Scheduled for December 19, 7:00 PM - 8:54 PM)

──Could you express the future of BS in one kanji character?

I chose "挑" (challenge). BS has only been broadcasting for 15 years; we must never forget to challenge new things. Particularly crucial now is the 4K/8K broadcasting set to begin test transmissions next year. Furthermore, as we approach the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, various aspects like technology and systems will evolve, and the trend toward online streaming will intensify.

Amidst this, I believe next year will be a year demanding major decisions from each broadcaster. Naturally, as a manager, I also want to increase the momentum of our challenges beyond the past three years to grow the company.
Furthermore, for BS Nippon TV, this year carries the meaning of challenging terrestrial Nippon TV. Our sister company Nippon TV is both a rival and an ally. We intend to keep challenging ourselves with the determination to achieve a combined market share of 100%.

15th Anniversary "BS Exhibition 15 Festival"

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of their launch, the five BS commercial broadcasters will hold the "BS Showcase 15 Festival" starting December 1 (running until January 31, 2016). During this period, they will broadcast over 60 carefully selected archive programs from all five stations, including travelogues, documentaries, and films, totaling 130 hours. Furthermore, during the year-end and New Year period (December 28th to January 3rd), the five stations will jointly present the special program "Back to the 21st Century," airing for two hours daily on a rotating basis. Actor Kotaro Yoshida will appear as the "Director of the Yoshida Future Research Institute," presenting research findings on five themes of the 21st century: "Monsters," "Work," "Tokyo," "Women," and "Time."