The Case for Communication Research: Why TV Stations Operate News Sites

 

Shimizu: I was also involved as a founding member. Houdoukyoku launched in April 2015 as a 24-hour live streaming service, distributed via FOD (Fuji TV On Demand) and the smartphone broadcasting station "NOTTV."

Since we had to keep streaming content 24/7, there were times when no other talent was available and I ended up going into the studio myself. I've handled various programs, but broadcasting something like "24-Hour TV" every day with such a small team was a first for me (laughs).

However, midway through, NOTTV itself decided to end its service. That forced us to rethink whether Houdoukyoku should continue broadcasting 24 hours a day as before.

So, after conducting research, including observing American online services, we relaunched on October 24th last year. We transformed it into a news site that delivers what you want to see, when you want to see it. This went beyond just live streaming, incorporating on-demand videos, text, infographics, VR, and more.

While maintaining the infrastructure of our 24-hour live streaming service, we decided that even though we stream around the clock, we don't need to force ourselves to create content for the entire 24 hours when there's no new information. So, we've adopted our current format, which incorporates repeat broadcasts and other elements.

As a result, I believe we've achieved a unique news service that's quite difficult to replicate.

 

What's needed in media going forward is "researching how to convey information."

Osaki: As of now (June 2017), one difference from other similar services is your attempt to incorporate cutting-edge technologies like VR into your service. What led you to start this, and what was your intention?

Shimizu: "Covering stories and conveying them" has traditionally been the primary role of media. However, it's now commonplace to see situations where President Trump himself disseminates messages via Twitter, or where ordinary people share information on Facebook faster than established media outlets.

Essentially, we've entered an era where anyone can simply gather and report news. Therefore, I believe the future role of media should extend beyond just "gathering and reporting" to also encompass "researching how to communicate effectively." Previously, it was sufficient to focus solely on reporting methods suited for television broadcasts.

But going forward, we must consider how to convey information that cannot be effectively communicated through the television device. For example, we need to research and understand better than anyone else whether VR can be used to convey certain information, and when using VR would be more effective.

We don't yet know how far VR will advance, but media companies that dismiss it as "just VR" right now will be completely unprepared when new devices or technologies emerge. It's unlikely someone who never made games for the NES could suddenly create great games for the Super NES.

Those who built expertise on the Famicom can adapt to the Wii, the Nintendo Switch, or even mobile games. Even if VR doesn't catch on widely, the research we do now on how to communicate effectively will undoubtedly pay off in the future.

Tera: In terms of researching communication methods beyond VR, we've recently been streaming live at least once a day on platforms like LINE LIVE, Facebook Live, and Periscope.

So, how do we technically make this happen? It's actually not difficult at all. I bought a live encoder for about ¥50,000 from a junk shop in Nakano Broadway, set it up in the studio, and that's what we use.

Even with mature technology like this, how you use it matters. So, I want to keep researching communication methods from various angles, not just focusing on the latest tech.

Shimizu: I went to cover the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Innovation Awards, but I made a rule to go without a camera and only shoot with my smartphone.

So, we actually filmed the award-winning video by a University of Tokyo student team using just smartphones, and it aired on terrestrial TV. Media from all over the world were at the SXSW venue, but hardly any had a team as large as ours – with reporters, sound engineers, and assistants.

If we keep thinking "that's just how it is" forever, we'll lose all competitiveness on the global stage. When human resources are limited and mobility is essential for coverage, I believe Houdoukyoku can do so much more research into how to communicate effectively using this device and this team size!

The app as one distribution channel

Osaki: Please tell us the background behind launching the app at this point, roughly two years after the service began in 2015.

Shimizu: When we launched the service in 2015, our primary focus was on building scale as a media outlet, so we concentrated solely on creating content. Starting in the fall of 2016, we adopted a distributed media strategy. We began distributing Houdoukyoku news to platforms like Y!News, SmartNews, Gunosy, Facebook, and Twitter, while researching the most effective distribution methods for each platform.

As the service grew to a certain scale, we started getting questions from various quarters: "Why doesn't Houdoukyoku have an app?" During Mao Asada's retirement press conference, we received many comments like, "I didn't know Houdoukyoku was streaming it on the web. I wish they'd sent me a push notification."

While pursuing our approach as a distributed media outlet, we concluded that having our own app as one of the content distribution channels was the natural step to further improve user convenience.

Osaki: It hasn't been that long since we released the app, but compared to when we didn't have one, have you noticed any changes in user behavior or new insights?

Shimizu: We haven't gathered enough data yet to speak with clear evidence, but since various genres of content continuously appear as users scroll within the app, I get the sense that many users stay for extended periods, thinking, "Wow, Houdoukyoku has this much content!"

Osaki: Tell me about monetization. Generally, for web services, acquiring users is the priority. You grow the user base to a certain scale, and only after crossing that threshold do you start thinking about monetization. How does Houdoukyoku approach this? I'd also like to hear about your business model.

Tera: Our overall plan is to establish the foundation for a viable business this fiscal year and then focus seriously on monetization next year. We're primarily considering advertising as our core revenue stream and have already started small trials with branding ads.

Looking ahead, we see various possibilities by expanding the app and website features. For example, community functions. While this is still in the future, we could potentially become a platform that matches users based on their preferences and needs, derived from data on the articles they read.

Osaki: Having worked on app development and web service operations myself, I can't help imagining all the things we could do specifically because it's an app (laughs). Are there any other features besides community functionality you're considering implementing in the app?

Shimizu: We're thinking about things so new that you might ask, "Is that even a service a news outlet should be considering?" I almost want to show you our current proposal (laughs). Because we're focused on "researching how to communicate," we're starting from the question: what kind of features wouldn't be found in existing news apps?

We're working to create something that, when looked back on later, will make people say, "Houdoukyoku was doing that back then?" Details will be a treat to look forward to in the future.

Osaki: Regarding the future of the app, is there anything else you can share at this point?

Tera: This is still in the conceptual phase, but we plan to work on AI and location information. AI can also be used on the content-creating side—essentially, AI reporters. We think some users might actually prefer the AI reporter.

Also, regarding location data, I often listen to news while moving instead of reading text. I think it would be great if the smartphone could sense location, determine if the user is moving, and then deliver information audibly if they are.

Osaki: Establishing and maintaining a system that streams content 24 hours a day must be incredibly difficult, beyond what I can imagine.

Shimizu: Having been on the reporting frontlines myself for so long, I understand that even during the year-end and New Year holidays, someone is always on duty at the news center. This is for emergency responses to incidents or earthquakes. By utilizing that existing human resource, we can steadily increase information dissemination from the news center.

It's a system that allows us to turn the vast amount of information accumulated through daily reporting activities into content and disseminate it, rather than discarding it as waste just because it didn't fit into TV program slots. Of course, there are things to learn initially, but for those who see it as expanding what we can do and where we can publish, it's incredibly exciting.

From my experience, as a reporter, having more outlets to share information is incredibly valuable. So, the addition of Houdoukyoku as a new platform doesn't mean "more work."

The Significance of a Service Combining Video and Text

Osaki: I find it distinctive and interesting that your service combines not only "video," which is a broadcaster's strength, but also text-based "articles." What was the intention behind creating such a hybrid service?

Tera: The term "article conversion" is frequently used within Houdoukyoku. The concept we're pursuing now—making television readable—is quite intriguing, don't you think?

I believe this will become commonplace in 5 to 10 years. It's crucial to make content not just watchable on TV, but also listenable while commuting and readable during short breaks. Establishing a strong online presence, especially on social media, is vital. This is something both "Mezamashi TV" and "Tokudane!" absolutely should pursue.

By doing this, we can acquire new users on smartphones, which should help elevate Fuji TV's overall audience.

Shimizu: After "Wide Na Show" airs, its content gets posted online almost every week and becomes a huge topic. I find it frustrating that we don't do this ourselves, while other companies recognize its value and use it. Since we own the content, we could transform it into even more interesting ways to present it ourselves.

What we can do with the archive

Osaki: Past footage should hold immense value in the broadcasting business. I believe leveraging this for web business could potentially hold even greater value than for broadcasting itself. How long does Houdoukyoku retain its past video archives?

Terada: Honestly, we're open to any number of years for that, but we start with a one-year archive and extend it as needed. Relatedly, it's extremely important to preserve not just the video but also the text online.

That's because text is essential for search engine visibility. If content doesn't appear in search results, it effectively remains inaccessible to most people. By converting to text, search engines can index it, allowing unexpected audiences to discover our work. It also enables distribution via RSS feeds to platforms like SmartNews and Gunosy.

As the entire TV industry comes to truly grasp the importance of making content discoverable online in this way and the value of giving content fluidity, I believe the approach to content will naturally evolve beyond just news reporting. It will take the form that Houdoukyoku is currently working on.

Shimizu: There's another benefit to having articles as text: those articles can be reused as drafts later. Having text articles makes it incredibly easy to look back at past content. That's much harder with video (wry smile).

Tera: Similar to archives, in broadcasting, I think a lot of footage gets shot but never used and just disappears. This includes material that was never used in the first place, or parts that were cut during editing because the broadcast time didn't allow for everything to be used. Utilizing that unused footage is incredibly valuable.

Shimizu: Exactly. With a platform like Houdoukyoku, we can bridge the gap between users who think, "Actually, I wanted to know that too," and reporters who have information they want to share. I'm confident that by utilizing information and footage that has lain unused until now, we can definitely build a great service.

Tera: This came up recently when I was talking with someone from an online-only news media outlet. They mentioned that TV station video archives are extremely useful for creating chronological fact-check content and expressed a desire to utilize them.

Osaki: Finally, how do you envision the future of the Houdoukyoku service? Please share your thoughts, Mr. Shimizu and Mr. Tera.

Shimizu: In a nutshell, we want to make Houdoukyoku content accessible anytime, anywhere—not just on smartphones. Currently, Houdoukyoku content is also shown on the Shibuya Loft Vision screen, and we want to significantly increase such venues and opportunities.

We also want to constantly adapt as communication and devices evolve. Looking ahead, we want to create new ways of conveying information for the next era—things like making it viewable via AR or wearable devices, or even redefining what news and media mean.

Tera: I believe we need to diversify our business 360 degrees so we don't rely solely on broadcasting revenue. For example, in the US, tech media companies host major conferences, drawing people from around the world and monetizing those events.

I believe Houdoukyoku can achieve similar expansion in Japan. Beyond that, we should establish a business model across all fronts—publishing books, offering real-world lectures like university courses, and monetizing community features as mentioned earlier. This is the direction Houdoukyoku should pursue moving forward.

Osaki: I'm really looking forward to seeing what Houdoukyoku does next. Thank you for your time today.

 

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