Wii Puts Japanese Television Under Pressure

Knuckles writes "The Times reports that Japanese consumers have been 'abandoning television' in order to play with Nintendo's Wii. Recent figures from Japan's audience-tracking firms show that 'last week was the first in nearly two decades where no single show on any commercial station attracted more than a 9 per cent audience share ... According to one senior executive of the country's largest commercial television channel, Fuji TV, families who used to tune in to its colourful diet of soap operas, panel games and comedy variety shows may, instead, be drifting away and choosing to spend the same, economically-critical golden hour time playing on their Wii.'"

Comments

TV is going the way of the Dinosaurs?

[Zekasu]

It's funny to think that television is finally being replaced (or at the very least, threatened) by a medium that actually supports the end of the couch potato. Irony? Just a bit.

Journalism, or Nintendo press release?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's so perfect, it could have been written by Nintendo.

But television is destined to become as irrelevant and ignored as commercial local radio stations. Maybe one day we'll get to reclaim the bandwidth that it wastes, and use it for something more worthwhile.

So?

[Spy der Mann]

I left TV for videogames, the web, chat, forums, downloadable music and anime episodes long time ago.

Re:So?

[wanderingknight]

In Japan, anime is not mainstream family television, aside from the typical kiddie shows and a couple of shounen series. The real substance of anime is aired at late-night slots, and has a really focused target. Average ratings for late-night anime are around 2%~4% at best.

Re:Maybe

[Goaway]

You think Hard Gay is "repressed"?

Under Pressure

[Bibz]

Wii Puts Japanese Television Under Pressure

At first, I tought that japanese television were under pressure with all those flying wiimotes. Imagine all the stress the TVs must have when someone starts to play the wii, they never know if they're gonna make it or not.

Re:Not sure how to take this...

[meringuoid]

So you can have your Wii and new Anime, but it requires the anime fans support the studios.

* examines T-shirts, wallscrolls, DVD boxsets, figurines dotted around room *
* examines ridiculous amount of bandwidth being consumed by Azureus for Haruhi-related purposes *

... I probably come out around even.

Re:Maybe

[jollyreaper]

You think Hard Gay is "repressed"? Instant Slashdot poll
Do you find this comment more disturbing:

A) In context?
B) Out of context?
C) Help! Help! I'm being repressed!
D) Cowboy Neil?