Dear Japanese MSM: Free your information!


Actually, even worse than the dailies are the magazines. In recent days I’ve used the deep archives of both Time and Atlantic (all 150 years now free*) for research.


Does Japan’s information want to be free?

7 thoughts on “Dear Japanese MSM: Free your information!

  1. Why do we assume that all societies fundamentally believe that information should be free? Japan does not seem to share this belief, and I don\’t mean that cynically. I think there is a lot of evidence that there is a general feeling that information should be controlled. This is seen in the mechanics of the kisha clubs (a system created to punish \”scoops\” and control leaks) and in the entertainment industry\’s economic punishment against publishers that print unflattering information about stars.From a personal standpoint, I have met a lot of editors over the year who have a lot more information than what they are printing. They are intentionally holding back, and was recently told that it\’s because they like to trade gossip with \”other editors.\” The media class generally sees themselves as more aligned with their sponsors or other companies rather than to \”the people.\” Sure some freelancers leak information through the shukanshi, but serious news is mixed with lurid sex stories and complete ficiton.


  2. I\’ve heard it said that Japanese reporters both know more about what\’s going in and report less of what they know than, say, American reporters.There is a clear lack of a \”service ethic\” in Japanese journalism, at least as far as political journalism is concerned. The question is whether that\’s the result of close relationships forged between reporters and their subjects or media kingpins and prime ministers (or both).




  4. AC

    In addition to the considerations mentioned by David Marx and yourself (which I agree with completely), it\’s worth keeping in mind that while U.S. newspapers like the New York Times make much more of their content available online for free, they\’re in dire financial straits compared to the Japanese dailies. I don\’t doubt that that\’s a consideration in the media here continuing to keep a lid on their information.


  5. Financial fitness of Japanese dailies is unclear and blurred by the traditional saying that every Japanese household subscribes to a newspaper. At the same time, the Nikkei for instance is clearly getting thinner these days, although it is not a family newspaper. I have heared from insider\’s source that the Asahi is \”struggling\” to keep readers. Maybe a matter of time.


  6. Well I\’m sure Time and Atlantic have deep archives–it is just that they suck for doing any real research.As for Japan, the Japan Times has a good archive–for free–searchable with Google.Western journalists covering Japan are overall lazy, conceited, and mostly in Tokyo doing what lazy, conceited people do.


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