MTV Japan
Encyclopedia
MTV Japan is the Japanese version of the cable television
network based in Japan
. It is a subsidiary of MTV Networks
, and was launched on December 24, 1992. It can be viewed on cable television, SKY PerfecTV!
, SKY PerfecTV! e2 and IPTV.
In 1992, Music Channel, Inc. acquired a license from Viacom
to broadcast with the MTV name. Broadcast began on CS Analog and Skyport services, with PerfecTV! accessed added in 1996 and DirecTV
access added in 1997. Notable VJs from that time include Marc Panther
and Ken Lloyd
.
In 1998, Music Channel canceled their license with Viacom because of the high license fee required. Consequently, from 1999 the station changed its name to Vibe and shifted its content focus from Western music to domestic music products. Without the MTV brand name behind it, competition from other channels such as Space Shower TV and Sony Music Japan's Viewsic (now Music On! TV
) led to the station being acquired by H&Q Asia Pacific
in 2000.
Also in 2000, MTV Broadcasting Japan, Inc., a separate company formed by groups like CSK and Sega
, acquired a broadcast license from SKY PerfecTV!. However, the company never broadcast under the MTV name; it changed its name to M-BROS and broadcast under that name on both DirecTV and SKY PerfecTV! until April 30, 2002.
Following this attempt to use the MTV name (and perhaps because of it), Viacom once again formed a contract with Music Channel, and created a revival of MTV Japan on January 1, 2001, this time under the umbrella of MTV Networks and with the support of MTV capital. Music Channel, Inc. also changed its company name to MTV Japan, Inc. at this time. The first video played on MTV Japan was bird
's "Mind Travel."
The Vibe name carries on in its Internet activities, which were spun off from the channel as VIBE, Inc. This company was integrated into Bandai Networks in 2005.
There is a marked difference in this revival of MTV Japan when contrasted to the old MTV Japan. The older MTV Japan focused on overseas artists, whereas the current MTV Japan focuses on domestic artists. As a result, the channel has drawn criticism from proponents of the older MTV Japan. However, in March 2006 the network drew 6,000,000 viewers, making the channel second to Space Shower TV and an overall financial success.
In August 2006, MTV Japan was made a complete subsidiary of MTV Networks. This was to consolidate its activities with other Viacom subsidiaries in Japan, such as Nickelodeon Japan and the FLUX Digital Content Service.
Some of the most popular musical acts such as Ayumi Hamasaki
and Tohoshinki have received several awards from this channel and performed numerous times on its awards show.
s rather than reality television
or music-related programs and it also displays shows from the American counterpart
or the channel, such as The Hills, Laguna Beach, etc.
Past VJs:
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network based in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is a subsidiary of MTV Networks
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
, and was launched on December 24, 1992. It can be viewed on cable television, SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV!
SKY PerfecTV! is a direct broadcast satellite service that provides satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services to households in Japan, owned by parent company SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation....
, SKY PerfecTV! e2 and IPTV.
History
MTV originally was a music block on JORX-TV from 1989 to 1992.In 1992, Music Channel, Inc. acquired a license from Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
to broadcast with the MTV name. Broadcast began on CS Analog and Skyport services, with PerfecTV! accessed added in 1996 and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
access added in 1997. Notable VJs from that time include Marc Panther
Marc Panther
, real name , is a French-Japanese rapper, singer, and co-producer born on February 27, 1970 in Marseille, France. His father is French and his mother is Okinawan, and he goes by Marc Jule Pinsonnat in France. He is a member of the pop group globe and 245...
and Ken Lloyd
Ken Lloyd
Kentaro James Shibuya Lloyd , better known as Ken Lloyd, is a British/Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. Fluent in both Japanese and English, he writes lyrics in both languages...
.
In 1998, Music Channel canceled their license with Viacom because of the high license fee required. Consequently, from 1999 the station changed its name to Vibe and shifted its content focus from Western music to domestic music products. Without the MTV brand name behind it, competition from other channels such as Space Shower TV and Sony Music Japan's Viewsic (now Music On! TV
Music On! TV
, also known as , is a cable television network operated by , a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Inc. .Its official motto is We Believe in Music.-History:* March 2, 1998 - Music On! TV, Inc. was founded by the Sony Music management as ....
) led to the station being acquired by H&Q Asia Pacific
H&Q Asia Pacific
H&Q Asia Pacific is an Asian private equity firm founded in 1986 by Ta-lin Hsu as a branch of the investment bank Hambrecht & Quist. It is one of the oldest and most established private equity firms in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm has managed an aggregate of over $2.1 billion in committed...
in 2000.
Also in 2000, MTV Broadcasting Japan, Inc., a separate company formed by groups like CSK and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, acquired a broadcast license from SKY PerfecTV!. However, the company never broadcast under the MTV name; it changed its name to M-BROS and broadcast under that name on both DirecTV and SKY PerfecTV! until April 30, 2002.
Following this attempt to use the MTV name (and perhaps because of it), Viacom once again formed a contract with Music Channel, and created a revival of MTV Japan on January 1, 2001, this time under the umbrella of MTV Networks and with the support of MTV capital. Music Channel, Inc. also changed its company name to MTV Japan, Inc. at this time. The first video played on MTV Japan was bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
's "Mind Travel."
The Vibe name carries on in its Internet activities, which were spun off from the channel as VIBE, Inc. This company was integrated into Bandai Networks in 2005.
There is a marked difference in this revival of MTV Japan when contrasted to the old MTV Japan. The older MTV Japan focused on overseas artists, whereas the current MTV Japan focuses on domestic artists. As a result, the channel has drawn criticism from proponents of the older MTV Japan. However, in March 2006 the network drew 6,000,000 viewers, making the channel second to Space Shower TV and an overall financial success.
In August 2006, MTV Japan was made a complete subsidiary of MTV Networks. This was to consolidate its activities with other Viacom subsidiaries in Japan, such as Nickelodeon Japan and the FLUX Digital Content Service.
Some of the most popular musical acts such as Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
and Tohoshinki have received several awards from this channel and performed numerous times on its awards show.
Programming
MTV Japan broadcasts varieties of programs, Unlike its American counterpart, MTV Japan tends to broadcast music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s rather than reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
or music-related programs and it also displays shows from the American counterpart
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
or the channel, such as The Hills, Laguna Beach, etc.
Homegrown Shows
- Brand New Mix
- Classic MTV
- Download Chart Top 20
- International Top 20
- Japan Chart Top 20
- Korea Hits
- MTV A Class
- MTV×DAM WANNASING KARAOKEE CHART
- MTV Check the Rhyme
- MTV Fresh
- MTV Mega Vector
- MTV News
- MTV Student Voice Awards
- MTV Top Hits
- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
- Music Video Selection
- Unplugged (Japanese version)
- U.S. Top 20
Shows Imported from MTV Networks Worldwide
- America's Best Dance CrewAmerica's Best Dance CrewAmerica's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features street dance crews from the United States and around the world. It is produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson and airs on MTV...
- Behind the MusicBehind the MusicBehind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
- BET AwardsBET AwardsThe BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
- Blue Mountain StateBlue Mountain StateBlue Mountain State is an American comedy series that premiered on Spike on January 11, 2010. The series producers include Chris Romano and Eric Falconer and is produced by Lionsgate Television...
- Britney Spears Official Top 20 (MTV UK)
- The CityThe City (MTV series)The City is an MTV reality television series. The first spin-off of MTV's, The Hills, it follows one of the show's former cast members, Whitney Port, as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The program premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded its first...
- Disaster DateDisaster DateDisaster Date is a hidden camera TV-show on MTV in which actors go on a blind date with a person. The series premiered on September 28, 2009, and is primarily filmed in the Los Angeles, California area.-Premise:Each episode usually has 3 separate dates...
- The Dudesons in America
- The Gratest...The Greatest (TV series)The Greatest is a VH1 series. Each episode counts down either songs, albums, music videos, moments, musicians, or celebrities of a particular category.-Episodes:-References:...
- The Hard Times of RJ BergerThe Hard Times of RJ BergerThe Hard Times of RJ Berger is a United States television comedy series created by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith for MTV. The show's central character is RJ Berger an unpopular sophomore at the fictional Pinkerton High School in Ohio who has an exceptionally large penis...
- Headbangers BallHeadbangers BallHeadbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
- The HillsThe HillsThe Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
- iCarlyICarlyiCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
- Jersey ShoreJersey ShoreThe Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
- Making the VideoMaking the VideoMaking the Video is an MTV show, consisting of half-hour episodes, which chronicles the process of filming various music videos. Usually the director outlines the concept of the video and the show often includes light-hearted and humorous moments. It always concludes with a premiere of the...
- MTV Europe Music AwardsMTV Europe Music AwardsThe MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
- MTV Movie AwardsMTV Movie AwardsThe MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
- MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
- MTV World Stage Live in MalaysiaMTV World Stage Live in MalaysiaMTV World Stage is a global series that brings multi-genre talents with global relevance to an audience in over 550 million households. Recorded "live" at the most exclusive gigs, world renowned music festivals and unique concert locations from around the world, MTV World Stage is the "front row...
- My Life As LizMy Life as LizMy Life as Liz is a mockumentary style American television series that centers on the life of Liz Lee, a misfit high-school senior living in small town Texas...
- The Price of Beauty
- Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The IslandReal World/Road Rules Challenge: The IslandReal World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island is the sixteenth season of the reality television game show, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, which aired on the American cable tv network MTV. It premiered on September 10, 2008 at 10pm ET/PT...
- SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
- Taking the StageTaking the StageTaking the Stage is a musical reality show set at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is produced by Nick Lachey, a SCPA alumnnus, for MTV. The first season chronicled the lives of five high school students and their friends as they train for careers in the arts...
- ValemontValemontValemont is a supernatural American television miniseries on MTV that premiered on September 21, 2009. Two episodes premiered on Tuesdays during The Hills and The City. For six consecutive weeks, two and a half minute episodes of Valemont premiered in the commercial pods directly preceding The...
- VH1 StorytellersVH1 StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
Past Homegrown Shows
- U.K. Top 10
- UsavichUsavichis a series of animated short films originally created for MTV's Japanese mobile service "Flux" and still being created for MTV Japan by Satoshi Tomioka and his studio Kanaban Graphics since 2006. It is about an odd pair of rabbits imprisoned in a Soviet prison...
- World Chart Express with Honda
VJs
Current VJs:- Arisa Urahama
- Boo
- CHRIS
Past VJs:
- MEGUMI
- RENA
- Marc PantherMarc Panther, real name , is a French-Japanese rapper, singer, and co-producer born on February 27, 1970 in Marseille, France. His father is French and his mother is Okinawan, and he goes by Marc Jule Pinsonnat in France. He is a member of the pop group globe and 245...
- Ken LloydKen LloydKentaro James Shibuya Lloyd , better known as Ken Lloyd, is a British/Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. Fluent in both Japanese and English, he writes lyrics in both languages...
- Teppei
- Akiko Fukuda
- George Williams
- RURI
- KENNY
- Rei
- Kana Oya