Former TV Tokyo Producer Discusses Growing Trend in TV Stations on N-Spec Following Interference Call After Broadcast

With increasing focus on compliance, TV stations fear that negative reviews will harm their reputation and brand value, leading to a visible reputation risk. As a result, there has been an increase in interference with the production teams and lower-level staff.

However, in focusing so much on reputation risks, if stations end up engaging in actions that violate basic human rights, like in this instance, they risk losing everything.

In the past, management at stations respected the views of the production teams, following an unwritten rule of protecting each other’s territory. But now, most individuals prioritize their own self-preservation first. When a problem arises, they are afraid of being blamed and lack the courage to take responsibility. Ultimately, the people in charge are increasingly disconnected from the production teams and creators.

The tendency became apparent during NHK’s regular press conference on October 16, led by Chairman Nobuo Inaba. While defending his position, Inaba stated that the decision was not made with Kohaku‘s production in mind, yet remarked that a contract could be made based on the judgment of the production team. This statement is concerning, as it appears to shift the responsibility onto the production team, implying that if the team makes the judgment, it can’t be helped, which is problematic.

 

 

Opinions from the top “I feel that there are more now than before.”

In interpreting the November 5th Tokyo Shimbun comment from Kozo Nagata, he mentions that documentary programs prioritize the awareness of the production team, and are generally not created based on directives from upper management.

The key term here is generally, which implies exceptions. Not every program is micromanaged; doing so would be too time-consuming and inefficient. However, certain programs, such as NHK Special, Close-up Gendai, and iconic drama series like Taiga Drama and Asadora (morning dramas), are under the NHK banner and thus, considered “exceptions” to this principle.

To investigate the internal situation, I interviewed people involved in multiple N-Special productions. They acknowledged that opinions from upper management had increased compared to the past. These opinions had a particular characteristic: they weren’t direct orders but rather suggestions or ideas passed down.

As a result, what happens on the production side? Since many different people give various opinions from different perspectives, the team gets confused. This mirrors the earlier example where editorial corrections kept changing, resulting in a “back-and-forth” editing process that delayed progress.

Based on these observations, it’s easy to imagine that similar issues are affecting the production of Omusubi. The show has faced criticism from various websites and articles regarding its content, and its ratings could potentially set a record for the worst in the history of NHK’s morning dramas.

Naturally, this results in the confusion of giving opinions without forcing actions or taking responsibility, a top-down management approach that likely contributes to the chaotic nature of Omusubi—where it is unclear whether it’s a social drama, a family drama, or a story of a woman’s rise to success. This situation is a direct reflection of the increasing trend in the television industry of top-down directives.

In the next installment, I will examine the second trend: the growing power of talent agencies.

For the second part, a former TV TOKYO P who appeared in “N Supe” talks about the reality of “the ‘power’ of talent agencies to which broadcasters must conform.