7 July 2016
Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB) and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) announced a major expansion of their partnership. On 1 July, JIB started to use AsiaSat 7 to broadcast NHK WORLD TV HD, an English language news and lifestyle TV network, and for the continued distribution of its SD channel in the Asia-Pacific.
“Since our SD service launch on AsiaSat in 2009, AsiaSat has proved to be our insightful and dependable partner in Asia and has done an excellent job in helping us to expand our penetration. Our new HD service will bring a brand new viewing experience of high quality news and entertainment content to home viewers and travellers in Asia,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO of Japan International Broadcasting Inc.
“Introducing an HD service is a strategic and competitive move of all leading broadcasters to attract new audience and satisfy existing viewers’ changing appetite for enhanced picture and sound quality. We are proud of JIB’s decision to choose AsiaSat once again to support this exciting expansion of their HD service in Asia. We look forward to continuing to contribute to NHK WORLD TV’s success in the region with our industry leading audience penetration and market knowledge,” said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts of AsiaSat.
NHK WORLD TV’s 24-hour programming cycle includes its signature news show, “NHK NEWSLINE,” and a wide selection of technology, lifestyle and entertainment programs, including “great gear”, “TOKYO FASHION EXPRESS”, “Dining with the Chef”, “SPORTS JAPAN” and “Journeys in Japan”. In addition, the channel offers an assortment of groundbreaking documentaries and specials, including “Asia Insight”, “Inside Lens” and “NHK Documentary”.
NHK WORLD TV HD/SD channels are available free to air on AsiaSat 7 (105.5°E) with the following reception parameters:
Transponder C12V C7H
Downlink Frequency 4100 MHz 3880 MHz
Downlink Polarisation Vertical Horizontal
Transmission Standard DVB-S2 DVB-S
Compression Standard MPEG-4 MPEG-2
Modulation 8PSK QPSK
Symbol Rate 29.72 Mbps/sec 27.5 Mbps/sec
FEC 5/6 3/4
(Source: JIB press release)
22 June 2016
GRAND SUMO Highlights
Jul 10 – 24 16:30/ 22:30/ Next Day 4:30/ 8:30 (UTC) <23 min.>
Sumo, Japan’s national sport, is coming to NHK World TV. Six grand sumo tournaments are held each year, and with wrestlers coming from around the globe, the interest of overseas fans is growing. During the 15 days of the July tournament, NHK World TV programming will feature bouts involving high-ranking wrestlers. Mongolian Yokozuna Hakuho, the winner of the previous tournament, is the centre of attention. To make the highlights even more enjoyable, the weekend coverage will have “Sumopedia,” information of the sports, including its history and customs.
Other highlights from the July schedule include:
Amazing Bug’s Technology
Jul 15 Fri 23:10/ Sat 5:10/ 10:10/ 17:10 (UTC) < 48 min.>
For millions of years, insects have come out ahead in the struggle for survival. The programme reveals some of the mechanisms hidden in their bodies and shows how human-made technology is being inspired by those evolutionary traits. 4K high-speed cameras and digital microscopes provide an extraordinary view of the world of bugs, from painless mosquito stings to high-performance dragonfly wings.
Bunraku in Paris-Oiran: Experts in the Art of Love
Jul 23 Sat 23:10/ Sun 5:10/ 10:10/ 17:10 (UTC) < 49 min.>
Designing shoes for Lady Gaga garnered a lot of attention for contemporary artist Noritaka Tatehana. Now he’s turning his talents to staging Japan’s traditional puppet theatre in Paris. Collaborating with Bunraku master Kanjuro Kiritake, Tatehana serves as art director for a story steeped in Japanese aesthetics. The master himself is giving the grand role of the courtesan Akoya its premiere outside of Japan, bringing the soul of the character to the present. The programme documents the two men’s efforts to discover new dimensions of Bunraku.
(Source: NHK World TV press release)
27 May 2016
NHK WORLD TV, a 24-hr English language channel, has inked a deal to offer its channel on Tata Sky Limited, one of the largest pay DTH operators in India.
The successful launch on Friday, May 6th, 2016 sees four million Tata Sky subscribers accessing NHK WORLD TV which broadcasts around the clock, fulfilling the need for immediate and timely news updates and entertainment.
“With the longstanding close cultural and economic ties shared between Japan and India, NHK WORLD TV’s programs will further strengthen those bonds by offering subscribers a source of information from a Japanese- and Asian-centric perspective. We are confident Indian viewers will find the channel useful as a first choice option for news from around Asia, and our lifestyle programs a source of quality entertainment,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO, Japan International Broadcasting.
Operating from Japan, NHK WORLD TV is a 24-hour English language television service for international viewers; providing the latest Asia-centered informative and entertainment programs. NHK WORLD TV is available to 290 million households in 150 countries and regions. It is accessible via free mobile app, online live-streaming and video-on-demand on its website.
(Source: NHK WORLD TV press release)
Read more about Tata Sky in this article from our international media magazine, The Channel: Installed in Four Hours
20 April 2016
NHK WORLD TV, a 24-hr English language channel, continues to reach out to new subscribers in ASEAN with its IPTV launch on 17 March 2016 on Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS), the largest mobile phone network provider in Thailand.
This launch sees NHK WORLD TV’s extensive programs being made available in HD to AIS Fibre broadband subscribers on its TV platform, AIS PLAYBOX, as well as its mobile application, AIS PLAY, running on both Android and iOS systems.
“Thailand, being a vibrant and robust ASEAN country, is an important market for us. We are confident Thai viewers will continue to find our news coverage objective and accurate, and our lifestyle programs entertaining and enlightening,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO, Japan International Broadcasting.
Operating from Japan, NHK WORLD TV is a 24-hour English language television service for international viewers; providing the latest Asia-centered informative and entertainment programs. NHK WORLD TV is available to 290 million households in 150 countries and regions. It is accessible via free mobile app, online live-streaming and video-on-demand on its website.
About Japan International Broadcasting, Inc. Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB), a subsidiary of NHK, is responsible for the worldwide distribution of NHK WORLD TV as well as the Japanese language channel NHK WORLD PREMIUM. Currently, the two channels are broadcast around the world on three international plus domestic satellites in their respective markets and reach households, hotels and others via DTH, cable, IPTV and terrestrial broadcast. (Source: NHK World TV press release)
23 March 2016
From Tuesday 29 March, NHK WORLD TV, the 24-hour international English language channel from Japan’s public service provider, NHK, will launch a consumer-facing, multimedia advertising campaign in the UK with Virgin Media.
Using the slogan ‘Hit the road with NHK WORLD TV’, the campaign is designed to promote NHK WORLD TV’s diverse range of travel programmes, engaging UK audiences in the run up to Japan’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The three-week advertising campaign will launch on Tuesday 29 March with a one day ‘homepage takeover’ on virginmedia.com, showcasing NHK WORLD TV’s travel season. Alongside this, NHK WORLD TV will be advertising its programmes across the London Underground Virgin Media WiFi network, a free extra for major mobile networks in the UK, and Virgin Media TiVo set top boxes.
NHK WORLD TV has also engaged London-based specialist TV PR company, tpr media, to support the promotion of its travel programming output, both to consumer and targeted trade media.
The travel programmes selected for promotion until Tuesday 19 April include:
TOKYO EYE 2020: From iconic landmarks to delicious dishes, this series explores some of the greatest aspects of Tokyo as the Japanese metropolis undergoes a new transformation in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In each programme presenter Chris Peppler examines a different aspect of the city’s development with input from a range of contributors including Tokyo-based photographer Martin Holtkamp.
Weds 00:30-01:00 / 13.30-14.00 / 18.30-19.00
J-Trip Plan: The number of tourists visiting Japan is increasing year on year and their demand for unique experiences in growing too. This series is great resource for travellers who want to learn more about the country’s food, events, fashion, leisure activities and trends, with insider tips on where to go, and how to get there – from mountain temples to cherry blossom festivals. In addition to the weekly programme, presented by Thane Camus and Amy Ota, travellers can discover a wealth of practical advice and interesting facts on J-Trip Plan’s Facebook page.
Mon 15:30-16:00 / 21:30-22:00
Tues 03:30-04:00
Core Kyoto: This fascinating series delves deep into the core of Japan’s ancient capital Kyoto, exploring the city’s 1200 years of history and culture from the kimono and the koto (a long Japanese zither with thirteen strings) to sake and Kannon (the God of Mercy).
Thurs 0:30-01:00 / 06:30-07:00 / 13:30- 14:00 / 18:30-19:00
Journeys in Japan: The series follows English-speaking visitors as they travel through Japan, exploring local culture, meeting the people and offering insider travel tips rarely found in guidebooks. Each episode focuses on a different topic, from Japan’s snowy mountains to its popular hot spring towns. In one programme, model and actor, Dean Newcombe from Newcastle learns about the practice of asceticism in a Zen temple to prepare for ‘Sominsai’, a naked folk festival in Iwate prefecture.
Tue 0:30-01:00 / 06:30-07:00 / 13:30-14:00 / 18:30-19:00
Thurs 15:30-16:00 /21:30-22:00 (Rerun)
Fri 03:30-04:00 (Rerun)
NHK WORLD TV, the 24-hour international English language channel produced by Japan’s public service broadcaster NHK, showcases everything Japanese – from culture to news on the hour and a programming schedule that covers subjects from art and travel, to cookery and science and technology. The channel, which is available on Sky, Freesat, TVPlayer, Virgin Media and a dedicated app, reaches 280 million households in more than 150 countries.
For more details: www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/howto
