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The 70th "Newspaper Convention" held in Hiroshima Local Chugoku Shimbun celebrates its 125th anniversary
The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association held the 70th Newspaper Convention at the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima in Hiroshima City on October 17 as the central event of Newspaper Week (October 15-21). Representatives from newspapers, news agencies, and advertising companies nationwide, totaling 522 people, participated.
At the opening of the ceremony, Chugoku Shimbun President Yoshinori Okaya stated, "This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Chugoku Shimbun's founding. This is the fourth time the convention has been held in Hiroshima. The first was in 1955, ten years after the atomic bombing. The second was in 1980, when Hiroshima City became Japan's tenth government-designated city. The third was in 1998, at the dawn of the internet age when the newspaper industry entered a period of intense competition. Now, 19 years later, we gather in Hiroshima, a city of world peace that achieved recovery after the bombing and cheers on the fiery red Carp, to explore the future of newspaper publishing."
Kojiro Shiraishi, Chairman of the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association (Chairman of Yomiuri Shimbun Group Headquarters and Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo Headquarters), stated: "Amidst the global problem of fake news since last year's U.S. presidential election, this year's representative slogan for Newspaper Week is 'Spot Fake News, Know the Facts Through Newspapers.' "The fundamental role of journalism is to discern the truth through reliable reporting and present it to the public. We must leverage the power of journalism more than ever before and earn even greater trust from our readers," he stated. "Even in this era of media diversification, newspaper advertising is highly valued for its reliability, social impact, and deep local roots. Starting with newspaper advertising, it is crucial to leverage the 'comprehensive strength of newspapers'—combining diverse content, sales outlet networks, and sports/cultural initiatives—to propose new business solutions addressing advertisers' challenges." He also addressed the revised Personal Information Protection Law, the reduced consumption tax rate, promoting PR activities targeting children and young adults, and maintaining door-to-door delivery networks.
Next, the assembly adopted the resolution: "Through speech and reporting activities, we contribute to the safety and security of citizens' lives while striving to realize a free and peaceful society. We pledge to fulfill journalism's public mission, keeping in mind the responsibilities entrusted to newspapers." (Summary)
Other events included the Newspaper Association Award ceremony, a commemorative lecture by Mazda Chairman Seita Kanai titled "Mazda's Car Manufacturing: Romance and the Abacus," and a research symposium by newspaper company representatives titled "Challenges Facing the Newspaper Industry: Newspapers Fighting 'Fake News.'"
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