TV news at 50
The state of news reporting today is marked
by fierce competition fueled by the latest advances in video IT equipment,
satellite links and other communications technology. When the terrorist
strikes of 9/11 severed video circuits in the facilities of a telecom
carrier's building, NHK managed to route around the problem by finding
a different circuit to deliver the pictures. When Kabul was under bombardment,
NHK made arrangements with a Qatari satellite broadcaster to route the
video feed through Paris. The first images captured by NHK's reporting
team in Kabul were transmitted by the use of a portable satellite videophone,
enabling the reporter, Nimura Shin, to broadcast an NHK exclusive. NHK's
news is now shifting rapidly to the Hi-Vision format.
Making it easy to understand
Communicating the essence of the news in
the most easily comprehensible format is a key challenge. One important
aspect of easy-to-understand news reports is the use of computer graphics,
maps, models and other visual aids.
Visual weather forecasts
From NHK's very first day of TV broadcasting, weather forecasts
were in the programming mix. Weather forecasts could now be understood
with the eye. In 1965, the Japan Meteorological Agency established
a radar station at Mt. Fuji, making it possible to track typhoons
continuously. In July 1977, the Himawari geostationary weather
satellite went into service, allowing real-time images of the
weather to be displayed.
In April 1983, NHK began using computer graphics to display real-time
rainfall and other weather information obtained from AMeDAS, the
Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System run by the Meteorological
Agency. In April 1995, forecasts started making use of animated
versions of AMeDAS images and around 100 other graphics. In the
case of extreme weather hazard reports, NHK has pioneered the
use of cutting-edge techniques such as GPV (Grid Point Value)
imagery to provide images of proprietary forecasts, point forecasts,
and the results of Meteorological Agency simulations. As of December
2002, NHK was broadcasting 29 weather forecasts each weekday on
various channels.
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State-of-the-art control technologies
News production is a complex process, and
to ensure broadcasts go smoothly the use of six consoles is carefully
coordinated for the best results in editing and output. The news studio
has become a computer command center that can connect the whole world
in an instant.
News via the Internet
The Internet is quickly becoming a medium
that anyone can access anywhere and at any time. As a public broadcaster,
NHK has a duty to transmit clear, accurate information promptly using
various platforms. NHK also has a responsibility to ensure that information
is distributed equally to all as new media forms take root in daily
life. A mobile phone with Internet access may well prove to be the most
vital source of information during an evacuation following a disaster
or other emergency. NHK's job is to make sure that information is delivered
to everyone, everywhere, whenever it is required.
In addition to its TV and radio services,
NHK will continue to seek ways to enhance emergency broadcasting with
the help of 21st century communication systems.
Unbiased, accurate news
Having been designated as a public broadcaster under the Broadcasting
Law, NHK is obliged to "provide a balance of news, educational,
cultural and entertainment programming." In particular, the
Disaster Measures Basic Law specifies NHK as "the official
source of emergency information to protect citizens' lives and
property in the event of a disaster." In the pursuit of this
mission, NHK undertakes rigorous training of personnel and attends
to its equipment and network on a daily basis.
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The Evolution of NHK News Programs
1953-'60s
The Evolution of NHK News Programs '70s-2000
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