Challenging the Age of Viewer Rating Supremacy" - The Trajectory of TV Man Union in the 1970s

Challenging the Age of Viewer Rating Supremacy" - The Trajectory of TV Man Union in the 1970s

In the 1970s, when the Japanese television industry was dominated by the viewer rating system, TV MAN UNION, founded by Haruhiko Hagimoto and others, began to take on a unique challenge. The company began to produce documentaries that did not pursue ratings, but focused on social significance. Yoshiyuki Kono's programs on depopulation and pollution were highly acclaimed by critics, but the company faced difficulties in securing production funds and sponsors. On the other hand, through hit productions such as "Professional: The Way of Work," Tsuyoshi Matsuo and his team achieved both social recognition and commercial success. The program presented a different value system from the competition for ratings, and is positioned as an important presence that brought a new style to the Japanese TV industry.