TBS HighLights

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Consolidated revenue from broadcasting operations for FY2003 declined 0.6% from the previous fiscal year to 257,386 million yen. Operating income was almost unchanged at 18,328 million yen.

Strong time sales were recorded for one-time broadcasts such as The 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris, France and special drama productions to commemorate the 50th anniversary of TV broadcasting in Japan: “Our Memories of the Sugarcane Field” (a drama) and “TBS Life Science Special What is the Man? Part Ⅳ”(a documentary). However, performance for the full consolidated fiscal year was slightly down year on year, reflecting difficult market conditions faced by some regular programming.

Spot sales were almost unchanged from the previous fiscal year. Adverse operating conditions arising in the first half were offset in the second half when recovery momentum gradually returned to the advertising market. Robust growth was recorded by the general electrical equipment, precision and office equipment, and finance divisions.

Our Memories of the Sugarcane Field

Quiz show 'Pittanko Kankan'

In programming, TBS fell behind Nippon Television Network Corporation and Fuji Television Network, Inc. in all time bands in the fiscal year under review. Our average ratings were 7.7% (all day), 12.6% (“golden time”), and 12.5% (prime time)—in each case somewhat down from the previous fiscal year.

Our Memories of the Sugarcane Field

The 9th IAAF World Championships
in Athletics in Paris, France

Say Hello to Black Jack

My Ex

Drop-out Teacher Returns to School

In regular dramas, Say Hello to Black Jack (Fridays), a dramatization of a hospital-based comic book story, caused a stir after its launch in April 2004, and in October we brought a new perspective to college dramas with Drop-out Teacher Returns to School, set in Hokkaido and dealing with truancy. TBS’ distinctive Sunday dramas performed strongly: My Ex (aired in July) starring the popular Tsuyoshi Domoto and Ryoko Hirosue had an impressive average rating of 15.7%, and Vessel of Sand (aired from January), a conceptually unique modernization of a Seicho Matsumoto mystery featuring Masahiro Nakai of the hit group SMAP, did even better with 19.6%.

Vessel of Sand

In variety shows, Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s Tokyo Friendly Park II, which creates an amusement-park atmosphere, enjoyed another strong rating, of 17.9%. Established favorites such as the Amazing Animals also fared well. Nakai Masahiro's SMAP Friday was a program targeting work-stressed women audience. In autumn, we launched two new programs, one humorous with viewer contributions, and one offering educational entertainment, in our drive to create content that appeals to entire families.

In sports productions, broadcast time for The 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris, France staged in August totaled 55 hours. Ratings high points in the nine-day event were 22.5% for the men’s marathon and 30.1% for the women’s marathon. In baseball, we were able to offer live coverage of must-see games in Japan and abroad including Game 1 and Game 4 of the Japan Series between the Hanshin Tigers and the Daiei Hawks, and Game 1 of the Major League Baseball World Series, with Japanese star Hideki Matsui playing. In addition, ratings during the show K-1 Dynamite 2003!!, which aired on New Year’s Eve 2003, spiked at 43% when former sumo wrestler Akebono fought Bob Sapp. Although this peak lasted only a few minutes, it was the first time in the history of Japanese television that ratings for NHK’s Red and White Singing Contest, New Year’s Eve Grand Song Festival, were surpassed.

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji
Meet-the-People Session

K-1 Dynamite 2003!!

In news operations, TBS’s image was enhanced by coverage of South Korea President Roh Moo Hyun’s dialog with Japanese citizens, which aired as a special. Also contributing to consistently increasing ratings was a revamp of regular programming from autumn. We were quick off the mark reporting major new stories such as the capture of Saddam Hussein and sentencing of Shoko Asahara (Chizuo Matsumoto), former leader of Aum Shinrikyo, the religious sect responsible for releasing sarin gas in the Tokyo subway in 1995. Additionally, two major productions in November, Back in the time of Ancient Rome and TBS Life Science Special ‘What is the Man? Part Ⅳ’ were very well-received as accessible educational entertainment.

As of March 31, 2004, the Group’s affiliate Japan News Network (JNN) comprised 28 companies throughout Japan, unchanged from the preceding fiscal year.

Meet-the-People Session

Amazing Animals

In broadcast satellite operations, BS-i, Inc. (the Group’s digital broadcasting satellite company) sought to build viewership using the catchphrase “BS-i for grown-ups” to make the distinction between terrestrial broadcasting, and provided appealing, high-quality content harnessing the strengths of the digital medium. Unit sales of reception equipment grew at a much faster pace than in the preceding fiscal year, and subscriber households totaled approximately 5.4 million by the end of March. C-TBS, our new communications satellite broadcaster, using 110 (degrees mark) E longitude, added a new channel in April 2003, JNN NEWS BIRD, and steadily increased the number of subscribers for its pay-to-use services including tbs channel and Kids’ Station.

BAKUSHOMONDAI's 'Baku-Ten!'

Back int the Time of Ancient Rome!!


Tokyo Friendly Park II