Professor Side’s “Not in the Textbooks” PR Course Vol. 5 | Newspapers (General Newspapers)
Hello, this is Professor Side.
From this installment, we will discuss newspapers as our theme.
Japanese newspapers are broadly categorized into “general newspapers,” “regional newspapers (including block newspapers),” “business newspapers,” “sports newspapers,” “evening newspapers,” and “trade newspapers.” The majority of online news and news on portal sites also consists of articles from newspapers or news agencies equivalent to newspapers. In other words, it is common for newspapers to be the original source of reporting. This is the most important point to understand when it comes to “strategic PR.”
“General newspapers” are newspapers sold nationwide, such as the Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, and Sankei Shimbun. Because they are sold throughout the country, they are also called “national newspapers.” Furthermore, the print circulation of these “general newspapers” is exceptionally high on a per capita basis, even by global standards. In terms of circulation, the Yomiuri Shimbun has approximately 9.12 million copies and the Asahi Shimbun approximately 6.79 million copies, with the vast majority supported by the “home delivery system.” Home delivery covers not only “general newspapers” but also “sports newspapers,” “business newspapers,” and “regional newspapers,” as well as magazines published by newspaper companies (and some trade newspapers as well). This home delivery system has been instrumental in the significant development of Japanese newspapers. However, circulation is declining rapidly due to the spread of the internet and smartphones. Several years ago, the three companies—Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, and Nikkei—began consolidating newspaper delivery outlets with the aim of improving efficiency.
Additionally, the paid digital editions of the Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei cannot be said to have been successful. Many people who read news from Yahoo or aggregation sites have a strong belief that news should be free, and it has become commonplace not to pay for news, whether digital or print.
