Japanese Media

An overview on Japanese media habits shows many similarities with the American situation. Our Japanese correspondents usually watch TV in their free time, sitting on the sofa in the evening; American people too watch TV mostly at mealtimes. Like in Italy, there isn’t a typical national TV program, apart from the Kabuki theatre, but there are characteristic comedies and animations.

Ms. Tao likes the drama that goes on air every day on NHK (a state-run broadcasting station). The Japanese don’t usually watch foreign TV via satellite but they like renting foreign videos. They think that their TV is amusing, but they would like to increase its variety.

As regards the differences between state-owned and private TV, the gap is not as wide as in the past: the former broadcasts educational series and shows for all kinds of people, while the latter focuses on local programs and entertainment for the young audience. Nowadays in Italy private channels keep on hammering with advertising and TV selling and state-owned TVs are becoming more and more frivolous.

As far as Japanese newspapers are concerned, they are not so different from the foreign ones; they just have some peculiar features, like a fairly ironical way to report Japanese events and a sport column that is not as relevant as it is in Italy. A famous newspaper is called "Asahi".

Some Japanese folks don’t often read the press; they just sometimes browse the sport-line. Even if the Internet is fairly widespread both for entertainment and for work, people often prefer buying newspaper rather than reading them on-line. The Japanese use the web both for entertainment and for work, to study and to communicate with friends abroad.

One of the most interesting aspects of Japanese media is the unique style of animation that has developed in that country.  What is commonly known as Anime, is actually a broad term used to define several different aesthetic and narrative styles that are found in print, movies, television and online. 

At times Anime can both excite and disturb western audiences, and it is this ability that makes Anime so fascinating, both as entertainment and as a cultural indicator.