Unusual transfer from Nippon TV to TBS…The “decline of TV stations” revealed in the second broadcast of “How is that really happening?
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Although the viewers welcomed the show with open arms, the industry is in an uproar.
The popular late-night variety show “Sore wa jitsujitsu! How’s it going?”, a popular late-night variety show on NTV, was discontinued at the end of March.
However, it was somehow resurrected on TBS, and on June 3, a special program, “Koukou no rumor daikensetsu! How Is It Really?
Not only was the title similar, but so was the content. The cast included MC Katsuhisa Namase, Miyuki Oshima (Morisanchu), Chankawai, and the usual suspects, including the narrator. The narration is also the same.
On June 26, a second broadcast was held under the title “Sekai Kurarayakutekita x Sore wa Jissan Donde no Kai★Guam Donki & Ichigokin SP” (World Travel Guide x That’s How It Really Is★Guam Donki & Get Rich SP).
This is an event that would surprise and astonish anyone in the industry. This is now causing controversy within the industry.
The person who said this is a controversial issue in the industry today said, “There are times when programs are moved from one station to another within the same station, but I have never seen or heard of a program being “transferred” to another station.
A producer in charge of variety programs at a key station said, “There are dramas and animations that have finished airing, but they are not transferred to other stations.
It is quite common for other stations to buy dramas and animations that have already finished airing and air them on their own channels. In the past, singing programs were broadcast on other stations with slightly different titles, and there were certainly programs that were parodies, such as “27 Hours TV” (Fuji TV) in response to “24 Hours TV” (NTV).
However, there are no examples of programs that were not aired in the past, but were produced by other stations exactly as they were. The industry is very much in an uproar, wondering what in the world has happened.
However, many viewers welcomed the program.
This is because the program was so popular that there were rumors that it would be promoted to prime time after a reorganization.
If NTV, which aired the program, and Chukyo TV, which produced the program, had agreed to it, there would be no problem, but in fact they are said to be outraged. However, there is no indication that they formally protested to TBS. That is why they were able to broadcast it a second time.
When we asked another TV station official about the “behind-the-scenes” story, he replied, “TBS has no reason to be upset about a protest,
TBS can say that they have no reason to protest,” said one of the TV station representatives. On the other hand, Nippon TV and Chukyo have their own reasons for not protesting. It is a bit complicated, but programs are copyrighted just like books and photographs. However, it only applies to “programs that have been broadcast.
Therefore, programs that have been broadcast in the past cannot be broadcast on other stations without permission. However, it is not illegal to produce “similar programs” on other stations. Similar to program sales, broadcast formats can also be sold. However, there is no such thing as copyright in this case. Overseas, if a program is taken down, it is possible to sue for infringement of format rights, but in Japan, you can’t complain even if the program is taken down.
In the past, a “famous quiz show” was almost terminated when the American side found out that it had copied the program years after it had started airing and demanded hundreds of millions of yen for format infringement. In Japan, however, “the man who does it wins,” even if he takes down a program.
There is a kind of “tacit understanding” within the industry that such actions are within the “bounds of decency. There seems to be no legal problem with “Sore wa Sore”, but if not only the content, but also the title and performers are “completely ripped off”, it is out of line with the industry rules,” said an insider from the same TV station. (TV station insider)
As for how the program came to be aired on TBS, there are reports that the station approached a producer who had left Chukyo TV and asked him if he would like to work on the program with us. A TBS official was stunned by this.
It would have been unthinkable at TBS before. Even if they were to offer us a job, we would not accept it if we had any pride as TV people, and it would be unthinkable for us to make an offer. Even if we were to do it, we would have to change the form a little. The problem is that they don’t feel anything about being blatantly called “the same thing” or “plagiarism.
It is said internally that the level of TBS programming has dropped drastically compared to the past. They must have made their decisions without thinking too deeply. Behind this is the situation: terrestrial broadcasting is losing money, young people don’t watch it, and its influence is declining considerably. So I think their judgment is also declining.”
Furthermore, behind the scenes, the problems that TV stations are facing seem to be hidden,
TBS is not the only one, but now TV stations are getting involved in investment and various other potentially lucrative fields, even though they are amateurs. In particular, TBS has made an M&A deal with a cram school called ‘School IE,’ and its seconded staff are under stress.
They are considering partnering with companies in various fields, taking advantage of their ability to use TV as an advertising tool. The president’s address at the beginning of the fiscal year did not mention TV or radio, but only talked about business expansion, such as hundreds of millions in sales. As a broadcaster, TBS is in its last days.
He is concerned about the current state of TBS.
The TV industry is facing a difficult situation, as Internet advertising expenditures will overtake TV advertising expenditures in 2007. As the saying goes, “poverty dulls the wit,” and the “no-holds-barred” parody wars may increase even more in the future.
For the viewers, all they want is to watch a truly interesting program.