World Expo ’70 in Osaka Increases Color TV’s Momentum
In March 1966, six years after the start of color TV broadcasting service, a nationwide microwave network for color TV broadcasting was completed, making color TV broadcasting available to 93% of the country. NTV started color TV broadcasting, with evening Prime Time programming in April 1970, and NHK launched all-color General TV in October 1971. Color TV became the dominant means of TV reception in 1972, with reception contracts reaching 11.79 million.
By this time, the performance of TV equipment had drastically improved, and TV prices had come down as well. Beginning in April 1970 and running for the six months of the World Expo, live relay broadcasting from the event site created a color TV boom nationwide.
Also notable is the construction in 1970 of a converter that could change the signals from one TV system into those of another. The converter was very useful in converting the format of European programs, since they were produced according to a different TV standard. This device made it possible to provide live broadcasting to a global audience from international events such as the World Expo and the Sapporo Winter Olympic Games.

1975, 50th Anniversary of Broadcasting in Japan
March 22, 1975, marked the 50th anniversary of broadcasting in Japan. The number of TV receiving contracts reached 25.75 million on that day. NHK estimated the number of TV sets among the general populace at approximately 46 million (among which 32 million were color TV sets) as of November 1975.
According to NHK’s “National Time Use Survey,” the TV viewing time of people who were 10 years old or older was 3 hours 19 minutes during the week (including Saturday) and 4 hours 11 minutes on Sundays (35 minutes on weekdays and 31 minutes on Sundays for radio broadcasts). 95% of those surveyed responded that they had contact with TV daily, showing that TV had become deeply rooted in peoples’ daily lives.
Meanwhile, broadcasting technology experienced a phenomenal advancement. Broadcasting content was enhanced through innovations made by the broadcaster to the transmitting equipment, including news gathering systems, such as cameras, outside broadcasting systems, and Electronic News Gathering (ENG); and to program production/relay broadcasting systems. Additionally there were advancements in receivers and the first appearance of VCRs and remote control devices.

TV Culture and the Trends Created by TV
Televisions were in almost every home in the 1970’s, and broadcasting’s influence on people’s lives grew. TV became the means of controlling their information environment. Television stations started broadcasting a variety of diverse programs, fitting them into the rhythm of daily life, including the “Morning Wide Show” and the year-long “6-days-a-week TV morning drama series.” This gradually resulted in the creation of new forms of programming and expression especially suited for TV. Popular dramas, music, and personalities became avenues for dispatching new trends and vogues. TV was mass culture and turned into the norm for daily life.
TV created a new way to enjoy sporting events, by providing a box seat at home. TV offered more relaxed viewing, professional commentary, and electronic media, such as instant replay, none of which was available at a baseball stadium or in a box seat at a Grand Sumo Tournament. People began to feel that watching a sporting event from this home “TV box seat” could be more enjoyable than the actual experience.

1. FM broadcasting
2. Signal converter for different TV systems
3. The new living room culture
4. Research for the new era begins