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Well, I figure that after posting the article this past Tuesday about TV Japan being dumped from my cable TV menu, I had to follow up with the future of North America's lone distributor of Japanese television content on our tellys. The past few days have seen a fair bit of speculation among myself and friends but earlier today just past the witching hour, we finally got the word of TV Japan's fate from the source itself. To directly quote the announcement from their website:
NHK Cosmomedia America
After more than three decades of broadcasting Japanese television programming to audiences across North America, we regret to inform you that TV JAPAN will cease its broadcast on March 31. As a result, it will no longer be accessible through cable and satellite TV networks as of April 1, 2024.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our viewers for choosing TV JAPAN as your source of Japanese entertainment and news.
Starting April 1, a new video streaming service ‘Jme’ will commence. With Jme, you'll have access to live NHK news, the latest dramas, popular movies, and much more—all conveniently accessible on internet-connected devices. With Jme, you’ll have the flexibility to enjoy your favorite Japanese programs from the comfort of your home or on the go. Jme offers unlimited streaming for one flat monthly price.
To access the Jme service, simply register on our website starting March 20, 2024. To welcome you to the new service, a 30-day free trial is provided to new subscribers between March 20 and April 30, 2024.
We understand this transition may raise questions and we are here to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated customer support team, should you have any inquiries or require support.
Just to clarify, NHK Cosmomedia America owns TV Japan which would explain the majority of the latter's programming being from the government channel.
So I gather that we're on the cusp of an ending and a beginning. And personally, I get to see what my TV looks like hooked up to the Internet.
Fireminer here. I know that cable TV is dying, but it's kind of suck to see another service goes down like this. Old people (and me to a certain degree) still have a soft spot for cable and satellite TV because of how simple they're to use. Live with someone in their 70s or 80s and you'll see them fumble with the smart TV menu. Even the delay when you change between different channels on the Internet feed is a sore point.
ReplyDeleteA tip though: If you really want to make the change to Internet TV, just download an IPTV app and find some working feeds. I use one too, it costs nothing, and even has several Japanese channels.
Hi, Fireminer. It indeed sucks but when I saw the announcement with TV Japan stating that a number of providers did a mass dumping of the channel, I'm sure that there was a fair amount of panic among the staff. Even going to the new format, I'm not sure how long it will last especially with the $25 US monthly bill. But I know my parents need the service, so I gotta get it for them.
DeleteI'm looking at a number of options right now but what is your IPTV app? I can look up that one.
Fireminer: I use iMedia as my IPTV app on an Android TV, but I don't think it's available in America. You could try TiviMate, which allow you to just boot straight ahead into it as the TV is turned on (octogenarian-proof) and manually sort the channels. These features however are locked behind the paywall, but you can pay an one-time fee of $29.99 to unlock the premium version.
DeleteIf you don't want to pay anyone and want some customization, then just use the Kodi app, which also act as a media player. You can Google "How to add IPTV feed to Kodi" and you'r good to go.
J-Canuck thanks for the update! Well, it is sad to see TV Japan go! Although, basically it is the same company but a new service that looks like it is modeled after existing streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and TVer. Going with the IPTV app might be the best option as long as it is easy for your parents to use.
DeleteHey, Fireminer. Thanks for the information. I'll have to check TiviMate and Kodi. I was also told about devices such as the Amazon Fire Stick and Roku.
DeleteHi, Brian. I'll have to give trial runs to the new setup and then teach my parents. Could be a rough new days next month.
DeleteYeah, I can imagine! A totally new paradigm for them to get used to. I hope wallet can adjust to the new price, too.
DeleteWe'll have to see, Brian. It's gonna be more than a 100% increase in the cost at nearly $35 CDN a month. And I'm not sure whether Jme will survive the next year or so with the possibility that some subscribers will frankly just ditch the channel.
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