NO live broadcast of Nagoya basho

[Peterao 3]

If NHK is still paying the fee (I haven't heard about this one way or the other), then there's no breach whatsoever. They can pay money and not show a second of sumo for the duration of the contract.

And you seriously think the paying public/regulators/whoever would put up with THAT?

Why shouldn't they? Ownership still counts for something, even in Japan.

[Asashosakari 20,225]

And you seriously think the paying public/regulators/whoever would put up with THAT?

Well, Peterao also thinks the Kyokai should suspend operations until a perfect solution to their various problems has been developed. Nevermind that, by that time, there will very likely no longer be an entity on which to implement that solution. Call it the "I prefer Ozumo dead-but-pure" approach, I guess.

[Peterao 3]

And you seriously think the paying public/regulators/whoever would put up with THAT?

Well, Peterao also thinks the Kyokai should suspend operations until a perfect solution to their various problems has been developed. Nevermind that, by that time, there will very likely no longer be an entity on which to implement that solution. Call it the "I prefer Ozumo dead-but-pure" approach, I guess.

Melodramatic much?

Sumo can preserve the traditions of the past with about one tenth of the people that it has now, maybe even less. Call it the "I prefer Ozumo reborn" approach.

[Peterao 3]

I don't often lavish praise on NHK, but I do think that they did a fantastic job in handling this crisis. They didn't rush to a decision, preferring instead to let the NSK play its hand out, and let the viewer feedback continue to come in. They weren't simply interested bystanders either; they put together a compelling broadcast that combined Q&A with the two riji, expert commentary, and some fascinating original research to further help their viewers understand the situation. In the end, they came up with an action plan that satisfies the majority contingent, yet also offers something for the loyal fans that still want to see sumo.

If the NSK could have come up with a clear explanation of their issues, and a recovery plan that made sense, I believe that NHK would have broadcast the basho regardless of viewer opinion. But without any help from them, NHK basically let the customer decide their fate.

Personally, I would have preferred no broadcast at all, live or digest. But I can totally accept this compromise as the best way to go in line with the situation and the feedback they received. It gives me hope for the Kyokai, as it seems that NHK has learned some lessons from its own scandal, and have really worked hard to earn the trust of the people it serves. I honestly didn't think that they had it in them to do the right thing.

Well done NHK!

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Well done NHK!

Disagree. Total backbone- less catering to the blood-hungry rabble and media, instead of looking at this with a cool head. 2 people kicked out, many suspended, an outside temp rij in place-I'd say the Kyokai did an unprecedented job of showing its good will and pretty quickly at that. What were the terrorists' demands that weren't met, meriting the blackout?? I didn't see a list of demands that were not adhered to. It's purely a shameless lesson in ass-licking to the same bosses that subsidize them both.

Disgraceful.

[Takamizawa 0]

Disagree. Total backbone- less catering to the blood-hungry rabble and media, instead of looking at this with a cool head. 2 people kicked out, many suspended, an outside temp rij in place-I'd say the Kyokai did an unprecedented job of showing its good will and pretty quickly at that. What were the terrorists' demands that weren't met, meriting the blackout?? I didn't see a list of demands that were not adhered to. It's purely a shameless lesson in ass-licking to the same bosses that subsidize them both.

Disgraceful.

Well said Kintamayama! Agree 100%

[Kintamayama 47,194]

And more- the NHK is a friggin public TV station, not judge and jury and moral thermometer. They're supposed to render a service, so I say "shut up and give the service, nobody asked you for your opinion, or stop giving the service, and still shut up". Who are they punishing by not showing sumo? The Kyokai, who evidently will get paid anyway and with a side bonus-unprecedented attendance due to lack of TV broadcast thereof? Great. They are punishing the viewers, and not only local viewers (I don't get NHK so I am not affected either way). So the poll said 68%. Those numbers are meaningless. The older population doesn't like to fill in forms or go online. Ask the customers at the venues the same questions-you may get a totally different set of answers.

[Peterao 3]

Well done NHK!

Disagree. Total backbone- less catering to the blood-hungry rabble and media, instead of looking at this with a cool head. 2 people kicked out, many suspended, an outside temp rij in place-I'd say the Kyokai did an unprecedented job of showing its good will and pretty quickly at that. What were the terrorists' demands that weren't met, meriting the blackout??

改革の具体的な道筋はまだ見えていない

We still don't see any concrete plan for reform.

Sounds pretty clear to me. Kyokai was just jerking around, saying "oh we'll do this and we'll do that, we'll just think about it after the basho!" And the NHK was all like "oh no you DON'T girlfriend!"

Maybe now they'll understand that an IOU and a "trust us!" won't cut it anymore.

And it's not a "blackout" They are still going to end up showing every single Makunouchi match, from the tachiai to the conclusion. I'm not fully satisfied with that, but I'm willing to compromise.

Again, with feeling: well done NHK!

[Asashosakari 20,225]

Sumo can preserve the traditions of the past with about one tenth of the people that it has now, maybe even less.

And you're wondering why I just called it the "dead-but-pure" approach? Lucky for you that you're located in Japan, I guess, so you could still watch sumo even if it's off TV and reduced to playing in the Tokyo equivalent of a certain Philadelphia bingo hall. Shutting out the rural population of Japan and the entire international market would be a small price to pay for a clear conscience, I suppose.

Anyway, no, I'm not melodramatic. People rarely give it much thought, but a huge number of regularly-held events (even ones considered highly important) only survive due to people's inertia. As an extreme example: Would anybody really miss the United Nations General Assembly if they stopped meeting for a few years? I doubt it. In my assessment, Ozumo as a commercial entity is firmly in that camp nowadays. Introduce a serious and significant disruption to its regular schedule, and it'll be toast in short order. The best-case scenario of what you're arguing for is "sumo reborn", not "Ozumo reborn"; any completely rebooted commercial version of sumo is unlikely to share much of anything with what Ozumo has been like since WWII. (If that doesn't bother you, you already have an option: amateur sumo. There are tons of tournaments all over Japan for you to attend.)

Edited July 6, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Kintamayama 47,194]

改革の具体的な道筋はまだ見えていない

We still don't see any concrete plan for reform.

Again, who the heck do they think they are? The Ministry of Morality? They are a TV station that gives services in exchange for payment, under the auspices of the government. It's not like their bosses said to cancel the broadcast-they decided themselves. Real changes in a system rooted in tradition takes time. Any idiot child can understand that. They are adhering to the street and sucking up to their bosses. Nothing good ever comes out of censored Government-run TV.

[Peterao 3]

And more- the NHK is a friggin public TV station, not judge and jury and moral thermometer. They're supposed to render a service, so I say "shut up and give the service, nobody asked you for your opinion, or stop giving the service, and still shut up". Who are they punishing by not showing sumo? The Kyokai, who evidently will get paid anyway and with a side bonus-unprecedented attendance due to lack of TV broadcast thereof? Great. They are punishing the viewers, and not only local viewers (I don't get NHK so I am not affected either way). So the poll said 68%. Those numbers are meaningless. The older population doesn't like to fill in forms or go online. Ask the customers at the venues the same questions-you may get a totally different set of answers.

Do old people still like to pick up the phone, or write a letter? NHK offers a variety of avenues for expressing an opinion. Not using them is no excuse to later cry that your views are not taken into account.

The bottom line is that NHK got into big trouble, where it still remains in part, because it did not take viewers concerns or opinions into account. People in Japan told them that's what they want. Those people's funding is what runs NHK. QED.

And again, every single Makunouchi match will still be broadcast, just not live.

I really can't think of anything else to say on the subject, except that NHK has learned to listen to the people that matter.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I really can't think of anything else to say on the subject, except that NHK has learned to listen to the people that matter.

And I say, they have just turned "giving our bosses with the key to the safe and our cushy jobs what they want, regardless of the consequences and without even being asked" into an art form.

[Peterao 3]

Anyway, lucky for you that you're located in Japan, I guess, so you could still watch sumo even if it's reduced to playing in the Tokyo equivalent of a certain Philadelphia bingo hall.

N-S-K! N-S-K! N-S-K!

(sorry, couldn't resist... (Zabuton flying...) )

Seriously, why couldn't sumo still be televised from the ECW Arena just as it's televised from the Kokugikan? They televise shogi tournaments and high school baseball, there will always be room for a cleaned up Ozumo on NHK wherever it plays.

[Asashosakari 20,225]

Seriously, why couldn't sumo still be televised from the ECW Arena just as it's televised from the Kokugikan? They televise shogi tournaments and high school baseball, there will always be room for a cleaned up Ozumo on NHK wherever it plays.

So ~10-15% of NHK viewers expressing the notion that they'd like to see the upcoming basho on TV are safe to ignore (even though that's roughly the same as the actual ratings sumo broadcasts pull in), but NHK would be happy to show some reboot Ozumo for the small fraction of those 15% who would still be interested at that point, simply because it's "cleaned up"? Perhaps if we're talking about two seven-day tournaments per year, but certainly nothing approaching the current quantity.

Edited July 6, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Peterao 3]

For the 118th time, the 10-15% were not ignored. It is because of them that we will have the digest that will allow us to see every Makunouchi match in full

[Kintamayama 47,194]

The whining NHK management answered a few questions. "It was not our idea, but if we went on as usual, we wouldn't know the extent of the Kyokai's reforms.. We really don't want to put out the light of Sumo. People complained in the past about the former scandals, but 12, 500 people answered our poll and we couldn't just ignore them.". (Sign of disapproval...)

[Asashosakari 20,225]

For the 118th time, the 10-15% were not ignored. It is because of them that we will have the digest that will allow us to see every Makunouchi match in full

I will laugh and laugh if sumo pulls big ratings in the 6pm slot thanks to the controversy and NHK not only ends up going back to the full broadcast in short order but also asks the Kyokai to move the makuuchi matches from 4-6 to 6-8 in the future. (I can be just as utopian as anyone else.)

[Kotoviki 16]

Well done NHK!

Disagree. Total backbone- less catering to the blood-hungry rabble and media, instead of looking at this with a cool head. 2 people kicked out, many suspended, an outside temp rij in place-I'd say the Kyokai did an unprecedented job of showing its good will and pretty quickly at that. What were the terrorists' demands that weren't met, meriting the blackout?? I didn't see a list of demands that were not adhered to. It's purely a shameless lesson in ass-licking to the same bosses that subsidize them both.

Disgraceful.

I couldn't say it any better either!!!! (Sign of disapproval...)

[Peterao 3]

Is that an emu or an ostrich in your picture? I'm guessing the latter, as you seem to be perfectly content to stick your figurative head in the sand and let all of the grotesque questions that recent events have raised go ignored and unanswered, just as you long as your bi-monthly supply of sumo matches are unencumbered.

NHK is literally the last line of defense to keep the Kyokai from turning sumo into an all-out freak show, every bit as shady as a back alley mizushobai.

To quote an oldie but goodie: gentlemen, the screwballs have spoken! And I for one look forward to the new episodes of Itchy and Scratchy.

[Kotoviki 16]

So the poll said 68%. Those numbers are meaningless. The older population doesn't like to fill in forms or go online. Ask the customers at the venues the same questions-you may get a totally different set of answers.

Absolutely, they probably wouldn't go online and fill out forms.

And I think there were many out there who didn't think they needed to "voice" their opinion to keep the sumo on and so they didn't. I think most of the people thought they would show it anyway.....

[Kotoviki 16]

Does anyone think that in that limited digest show that the shin-juryo boys will be on TV? Probably not!!! How unfair that the shin-juryo boys finally get their sekitori debut and nobody can watch it? Personally I was going to make a DVD of Kaisei's debut for his brother since he and his sister couldn't come to Japan right now.

It is the most unfair to them!!!!

***FWIW I and my friends did not answer any poll to the NHK and all of us wanted to have the broadcasts. I'm sure we weren't the only ones who figured we just didn't need to. Learned a lesson but still, I'm just saying.... we can't be the only ones!***

[Asashosakari 20,225]

... you seem to be perfectly content to stick your figurative head in the sand and let all of the grotesque questions that recent events have raised go ignored and unanswered, just as you long as your bi-monthly supply of sumo matches are unencumbered.

NHK is literally the last line of defense to keep the Kyokai from turning sumo into an all-out freak show, every bit as shady as a back alley mizushobai.

I'm wondering: Weren't you one of those same people until very recently? Nobody who has paid some attention to the history of Ozumo or who (like Kotoviki) is in close contact to the inside considers any of this "grotesque" or a "freak show". It's no different than it ever was.

[Jonosuke 28]

I actually think NHK made the right decision. After watching their special, it became patently obviously the Kyokai has not shown any viable solutions to what ail them. I disagree with a view that they are taking the high road, trying to be the moral authority on this issue. The vast majority of Japanese public is totally disgusted with the Kyokai and the way they have been handling this issue.

During the special program, one panel member talked about he has not seen any sign of governance from the Kyokai board, more often taking rather reactionary actions every time they encounter one incident or another. It isn't NHK who is not listening to the public but the Kyokai, steadfastly perched in their cabin at the Kokugikan and hardly taking any initiative until pressed by the Ministry of Education and Science. The Kyokai has not been properly gauging the public anger over drug problems, death of recruit and conduct of yokozuna.

From a NHK point of view, the average viewers won the argument though they may not likely be Ozumo viewers. NHK is at least consistent in their stand against organized crime groups as they have been canceling appearances of any artists and singers who have been proven to have an association with such group members.

They are also consistent as they already stopped the Nagoya Basho version of their sumo magazine as it contains the rikishi who have been implicated in the current scandals and with the banzuke having their names intact, they cannot hardly air the broadcast.

It isn't NHK that has to reform but the Kyokai. The Kyokai should be more aware ever than ever before that they are in a real crisis situation or if not, it is really the end of Ozumo.

[Peterao 3]

By the way, watching the conference, they say nothing about this ban being "Nagoya Basho" only. They will continue to monitor the situation and determine what to do for the Aki Basho when that time comes.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Is that an emu or an ostrich in your picture? I'm guessing the latter, as you seem to be perfectly content to stick your figurative head in the sand and let all of the grotesque questions that recent events have raised go ignored and unanswered, just as you long as your bi-monthly supply of sumo matches are unencumbered.

NHK is literally the last line of defense to keep the Kyokai from turning sumo into an all-out freak show, every bit as shady as a back alley mizushobai.

To quote an oldie but goodie: gentlemen, the screwballs have spoken! And I for one look forward to the new episodes of Itchy and Scratchy.

You're missing the point sir. The grotesque events should be fully investigated and the people guilty should be dealt with swiftly. Change in the world of sumo is a long time coming. And as I have written (you obviously skimmed that part like milk) I don't use NHK so no difference for me, so it's not about my "bimonthly supply of sumo matches". Don't you read my posts, or do you just reread your own? My beef is with the NHK. Their not broadcasting the basho will not expedite the reforms or the investigations-it just won't show sumo on TV in July. They do not have the clout they profess to have. It just makes them THINK they make any sort of difference by dropping this bombshell. Never in the last ten years have the three letters NHK figured so prominently in the news. Great PR for them, but not really helping sumo and moving along them reforms you're so adamant about. And you've got it all wrong-the Education etc. Ministry is the last line of defense since they hold the key to the safe, and not some public service TV station.

Edited July 6, 2010 by Kintamayama