What Will Happen? Media x Content in Japan and the World

■What Will Happen? Media x Content in Japan and the World

I spoke on stage at an event called “What Will Happen? Media x Content in Japan and the World”

Q What did coronavirus do to the music industry?

A Concerts stopped. Music went through the digital wave before any other industry and changed its business model. They let you listen to music through streaming and make money through concerts and merchandise. However, merchandising at concerts and venues was no longer possible, which was another big blow. I would like to ride this out. The most important issue is heading to capture the global market on the net.

Q Will conversion to online proceed rapidly?

A 1993 is when we began collectively call books, music, games, television, and movies content, in anticipation of information becoming data due to digital technology. It was apparent that online distribution would become mainstream. It finally came. Japan is slow. This likely means that Japanese TV and print media were well-made.

Q How do you view the online market?

A Advertisement is influenced by GDP, and GDP by population. Advertising will not grow. Rather, life will shift to the net, including entertainment. Information such as education will also become content, and expenditures on information and communication costs will also increase. This was instantly accelerated by the coronavirus. Japan’s digitalization have advanced five years on the clock. There is no going back.

Q What about fusion between communications and broadcasting?

A Online streaming started in Japan over 10 years after the rest of the world. However, the world industry is one step ahead and progressing toward all-IP cloud technology. All content is uploaded to the cloud and sent to all devices, such as TVs and smartphones, over all transmission channels, such as radio waves and the net. There are rumors that the BBC will relinquish airwave transmissions.

Q Will TV change?

A The field of video is already a data business. The foundation of Netflix is viewership data, and all online advertising is also linked to data. The fusion of communications has ended, and the ability to utilize data will serve as the foundation. However, Japan’s broadcasting stations are still in the test stages for data utilization. TV has held up well, but a billow of change is finally coming.

Q Will the Big Four continue to reign?

A The Big Four has had overwhelming power, but various countries are strengthening regulations and rules, such as antitrust laws and personal information protections. There are also moves in Europe such as newspapers/magazines and Google agreeing to pay content usage fees. The focus of the next one to two years will be how the relationship between content and platforms will change.

Q How do you approach platforms?

A US platforms are competitors, as well as partners in global sales channels. Something similar may happen in China. The news that Netflix will offer funding for anime and that KADOKAWA receive a 30 billion yen investment from Tencent is a very important move.