end of Wai Wai on Mainichi website???

[Bucky]

I came across this message on the Wai Wai page today:

MDN readers,
Some readers pointed out that various articles published in the WaiWai column were inappropriate content for the Mainichi Daily News. We respond to this criticism by halting publication of this column. We plan to start a column with a new concept to replace WaiWai in the future.
Thank you for your understanding.
Mainichi Daily News

Cue the bugeler playing taps.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/

[Kuang_Grade]

Some readers pointed out that various articles published in the WaiWai column were inappropriate content for the Mainichi Daily News.

Isn't that the point WaiWai? Is this further 2_cha_n fallout from a kerfuffle that impacted a long time FG member? While I guess it will make more hard pieces about "sexy vampires" and bikini fashion show pieces, weren't WaiWai pieces often in their top 5 viewed stories?

[Taro Toporific]

Now we will have to suffer through the japantoday's banal translations of the Shukan Post like 'Blind-date cafes' attract all kinds of girls.

[GuyJean]

What is written in Japanese is inappropriate in English.

Looks like the 2channel nutjobs can't handle the English world reading what they read everyday in Japanese tabloids..

2Channel must die.. Or I guess, kill itself; TIJ.

GJ

[Takechanpoo]

Looks like the 2channel nutjobs can't handle the English world reading what they read everyday in Japanese tabloids..

The real problem is that not only 2channeler but also now a few of J-reporters in Mainichi Shinbun can't even read English sufficiently and don't know what going on waiwai.
By the way, I saw blogs and threads in 2ch and other J-forum which treated *********** as a weird anti-Japan gaijin and attached to ***** photo link. In those threads I remonstrated 2channelers but reversely they blamed me and said me "Go home, chon!(チョンは祖国に帰れ！！！)".
If you are critical to Japan, you are called "反日(hannichi: anti-Japan in the case of gaijin)" or "在日or チョン(zainichi or chon in the case of Japanese) in recent J-society.

[Mulboyne]

The Wai Wai pieces have been loose summaries of articles appearing in the weeklies. There are a lot of nutters who have got their knickers in a twist but the two main attacks on the column are (1) the summaries are too loose: they don't represent the tone of the originals (2) By reproducing these stories in their English edition, the Mainichi is lending its own credibility to them.

I thought that by preferring loose summaries over straight translations, the column was able to keep a distance from the original sources as well as making fun of them. On the second complaint, a Japanese friend put it as follows: how would you feel if The Times had a Japanese edition in which there was a feature summarizing Penthouse reader's letters, tabloid scandals and sex tips from women's magazines? Actually it wouldn't matter to me at all although I might raise an eyebrow if the British Embassy in Japan started publishing that kind of material on its website.

The internet has been the undoing of the column in a number of ways. When it appeared in print, it was clear that the Mainichi was featuring selections from the mass media. On the net, however, it only takes one or two reposts before the line is blurred and the source can appear to be the Mainichi itself rather than the tabloids.

It is sad that the Mainichi haven't defended the column more robustly. Most native English readers would have recognized the sense of humour behind the summaries so I have to doubt whether they really brought the paper into disrepute.

[Greji]

[quote="Takechanpoo"]By the way, I saw blogs and threads in 2ch and other J-forum which treated **** as a weird anti-Japan gaijin and attached to ***** photo link. In those threads I remonstrated 2channelers but reversely they blamed me and said me "Go home, chon!(チ]

I followed that thread for a bit Take and it cracked me up when they served you up as a Kimchi connousieur. Little do they know..

But that crowd on 2channel are an example of taking the net to the extremes. Regardless of how much far-fetched shit is posted, they will end up believing it themselves and will then attack anyone who challenges them on it. There is nothing like the feeling of security one gets by being in one's own apartment while typing out against the world. Makes them feel invulnerable as compared to being the insignificant little pissants they actually are.

[AssKissinger]

My wife said it was that story about education mamas blowing their sons as study incentives.

[Mulboyne]

My wife said it was that story about education mamas blowing their sons as study incentives.

There were three or four stories regularly mentioned in the complaints and that was certainly one of them.

[Sentakki Fried Chicken]

My wife said it was that story about education mamas blowing their sons as study incentives.

That story was originally selected by a Japanese and translated by a Japanese (a guy who actually worked for the Yomiuri at one stage). It first ran in 1997 and was originally published in Asahi Geino.

[Western All Stars]

Whoever was doing the translations or summaries for WaiWai articles in English is a grade-A translator/writer. The puns and alliterations were great and really captured the way J trash tabloids feel in Japanese. None of this "when you are engulfed in flames" junk you see a lot.

[Mulboyne]

That story was originally selected by a Japanese and translated by a Japanese (a guy who actually worked for the Yomiuri at one stage). It first ran in 1997 and was originally published in Asahi Geino.

One of the criticisms I don't understand is the claim that Wai Wai features shouldn't be printed because they aren't true. I've always though the point of WaiWai is to highlight some of the outrageous stories which regularly appear in the weeklies without vouching for their accuracy. The arguments runs that the Mainichi brand somehow legitimises them which doesn't ring true to me. There are, however, a number of foreign journalists who have lifted stories straight from Wai Wai and reported them, without citing sources or context, in their own newspaper columns but it seems unfair to blame the Wai Wai team for that.

[Takechanpoo]

[YT]uPX1t9MGnmk[/YT]
We shouldn't forget Mainichi itself is not gossip but one of 4 main J-papers. I assume that most of wai wai gaijin readers have read it as at least the same placement as kind of New York Sun(not NYT). In this point ******** and other responsible guys should honestly reflect on what they ever done.

[Big Booger]

The Wai Wai was the main reason I went to the page.. without it I doubt I'll be back... unless I want to play a round of Sudoku or something..

[canman]

What the fuck. The writers should think about what they have done? Now correct me if I'm wrong, but they took stories that were published in other Japanese magazines, albeit gossip magazines, and they translated them, or paraphrased them, in a section of the Mainichi website, not the newspaper, but the website, under the title WaiWai, and these stupid fucking loser pathetic 2 channelers have a fit. What a bunch of losers.
Do they feel disgraced? Are they ashamed that other people can read about what their mothers did for them to help them with their exam hell, is that what it is.
And when did the Mainichi newspaper become this bastion of reporting etc. They are another arm of the LDP for Christ's sake.

[Mulboyne]

I don't think 2chers understand that the Mainichi Daily News was never a direct translation of the Mainichi Shimbun. It was originally an English language newspaper produced by the publisher to compete with the English titles put out by the Asahi and the Yomiuri (and, of course, the Japan Times). All of the English newspapers put out by the major Japanese media groups have contained material that didn't appear in the main Japanese paper.

That isn't just because it was too time-consuming to produce a translated version of the main paper, it's because this material was primarily aimed at foreigners. Columnists wrote about their life in Japan, there was information about services for foreigners, matsuri calendars, Japanese language lessons, etc. Wai Wai columns were always part of that. By translating what the weeklies were chewing over, they were letting foreigners who didn't, or couldn't, read them, know what the media background noise was in Japan in an entertaining fashion.

The articles may not have been appropriate for the Mainichi Shimbun but they were in the Mainichi Daily News. If 2chers say they are not appropriate for The Mainichi Daily News then I'd like to get a better understanding from them of what is appropriate for it. Is coverage of the Kawasaki fertility festival ruled out too because it wouldn't appear in the Japanese paper?

[Mulboyne]

There's more now:

Explanation and Apology Regarding Mainichi Daily News WaiWai

Mainichi Daily News, the Mainichi Newspapers' English language website, contained a corner called WaiWai that attracted criticism for such things as being too vulgar and debauching Japan by sending around the world information that could be misunderstood. In the wake of this criticism, we decided to end this corner. An online news site reported on these developments and inquired with the Mainichi Newspapers about them. The Digital Media Division which operates the information portal Mainichi.jp also includes the Mainichi Daily News and after receiving the criticism of the WaiWai corner, it was taken down from the Mainichi Daily News and a notice stuck in its place.

Mainichi Daily News is linked to Mainichi.jp. A detailed explanation of the developments in this case have also been provided in Japanese. The Mainichi Newspapers apologizes for the articles that attracted criticism.

Outline

For several years, WaiWai has taken parts of stories reported in mostly weekly magazines and used these to report on Japanese society and customs. In late May, the Mainichi Daily News editorial department began receiving complaints about the stories in WaiWai being too vulgar and an Internet bulletin board began criticizing the column. The online news site took up this issue and reported on it.

Many of the opinions about WaiWai asked the Mainichi about whether it had thought about what effect reporting to the world these stories in English would have, or that these articles would lead to a spread of misinformation about Japan.

Response

Following criticism of WaiWai in late May, we decided there was a problem with listing the stories on the Mainichi Daily News site, even though they were transcriptions of articles that had appeared in magazines published in Japan. Stories were withdrawn from the site and we halted access to problematic archived stories. We also asked search engines to prevent past WaiWai stories from being displayed.

We then changed WaiWai's editorial policy and drastically altered the standards used in story selection. However, there were problems with how past stories had been presented, so to avoid similar criticism from arising, we decided that we needed to come up with a sound editorial structure. This led to a fundamental re-think about WaiWai and on June 21, the decision was made to cease publishing the corner. On the Mainichi Daily News site, we listed the following notice: Some readers pointed out that various articles published in the WaiWai column were inappropriate content for the Mainichi Daily News. We respond to this criticism by halting publication of this column.

While explaining the process in both Japanese and English and apologizing, the Mainichi is poised to severely punish the head of the Digital Media Division, which is responsible for overseeing the site, the manager responsible for the corner and the editor involved with the stories.

Mainichi Daily News, and its publisher the Mainichi Newspapers Co., sincerely accepts readers criticism and will work to provide, edit and publish reliable information.

Japanese version here.

[GomiGirl]

That is sad.... these guys are being punished for doing their jobs based on the criticisms of a bunch of fanatics, some of whom threatened staff.

A sad day for journalism.

[steffi]

That's a bummer. I always read waiwai to counteract the depressing stories in japan. A sad day indeed.

[Osakadave]

There's more now:

Explanation and Apology Regarding Mainichi Daily News WaiWai


Japanese version here.

Thanks. This is ridiculous. No integrity at all at the MDN.

[Midwinter]

That is sad.... these guys are being punished for doing their jobs based on the criticisms of a bunch of fanatics, some of whom threatened staff.

A sad day for journalism.

Indeed GomiGirl, I hope that was just a bad choice of words. How anyone can work for a company, do what they're told, and then get punished for it is beyond me. Sad, sad, sad...

[Bucky]

Comments to the Mainichi can be made on their website at this location:

http://mb.mainichi.jp/cgi-bin/bbs_e/KU01.cgi?CID=00000006&ID=00000001

I too found the Wai Wai the main reason I stopped by the Mainichi website. I would not be suprised if they will see a noticable decline in traffic on thier site.

[Jack]

I can see how some Japanese might take offense to Wai Wai's stories and how those stories might portray Japanese culture to foreigners. In the West (our culture) we know the gossip magazines and most people do not bother buying or reading them despite the outrageous headlines staring at you at the supermarket checkout line. Some people do read them, of course, but those who do are a different breed, to be polite let's call them low class.

But if those stories were translated in Japanese in a reputable newspaper, even if it does mention the source as being from Star or Globe or whatever, the Japanese don't know the quality of those newspapers and might believe that some folks in Texas do actually have babies with extraterrestrials. The fact that Wai Wai names the source magazine does little if you don't know the magazines. In the story then you would have to tell the reader that the Shukan Post is the equivalent of the National Enquirer or something like that for people to have a reference point.

It's a wise move by Mainichi to discontinue the column because many of the stories may reflect negatively on it and tarnish its brand.

This has nothing to do with being a sad day for journalism or anything like that. Translating those stories for all to see under the Mainichi banner was a mistake in the first place.

[baka tono]

Wow I actually agree with Jack on something.

[GomiGirl]

It is a sad day - the stories were published under a totally different section to regular/legitimate news. Stories that are translated from a source were not pushed out as true stories, but as translations from tabloids.

Any fool could recognise that...

[AssKissinger]

Baka and Jack- Both of you should go get fucked. Wai Wai is cool; it's the rest of that rag that sucks a dick.

[Greji]

I can see how some Japanese might take offense to Wai Wai's stories and how those stories might portray Japanese culture to foreigners. In the West (our culture) we know the gossip magazines and most people do not bother buying or reading them despite the outrageous headlines staring at you at the supermarket checkout line. Some people do read them, of course, but those who do are a different breed, to be polite let's call them low class.

But if those stories were translated in Japanese in a reputable newspaper, even if it does mention the source as being from Star or Globe or whatever, the Japanese don't know the quality of those newspapers and might believe that some folks in Texas do actually have babies with extraterrestrials. The fact that Wai Wai names the source magazine does little if you don't know the magazines. In the story then you would have to tell the reader that the Shukan Post is the equivalent of the National Enquirer or something like that for people to have a reference point.

It's a wise move by Mainichi to discontinue the column because many of the stories may reflect negatively on it and tarnish its brand.

This has nothing to do with being a sad day for journalism or anything like that. Translating those stories for all to see under the Mainichi banner was a mistake in the first place.

Jackson my man, youse has stepped on your swantz again. These stories on Wai Wai are summary translations from the Japanese media that have already appeared in Japan. Granted they are from gazettes and the like, but they originated in the Japanese print.

Do you hold this opinion that good, bad, or indifferent news from the Japanese media shouldn't be translated and reported in the western press? That's what your post sounds like and in othe words, it's censorship you that espousing. Mainichi is on a cut and run from the 2channel assholes on this like a democrat running from Iraq and it's bullshit.

Worse yet, it will probably empower the 2chanellers to bigger and worse things.

[Kuang_Grade]

It is one thing for the paper to step back and look at previous work and decide, 'you know, I don't know if this something we should be really focusing on' or even the publisher to step up and say 'I'm not a big fan of this and we going to stop this and do something else' (which is something Ruppert Murdock has probably done no shortage of times).

It is something completely else for the Mainichi to take work that has been going on for years and then act like this someone on staff created Pulitzer prize winning piece about some 8 year old heroin addict that turned out to be completely made up ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Cooke ) and tosses the entire staff under a bus while higher ups (whose job was supposedly to keep their eyes open for problems) just stand around talking about how shocked they are about this and then seek to toss all of the previous work down an internet memory hole Orwell style.

If they are this lackluster in their support of their own product (even if reprinted from somewhere else), I can only imagine how completely feeble their overall reporting is. If they clearly don't trust their staff, why should anyone trust anything they publish.

[Takechanpoo]

After all he should resign Mainichi and propose Zakzak(夕刊フジ) to start its English version with him.
And he can report J-gossips to his heart's content.

[Jack]

Jackson my man, youse has stepped on your swantz again. These stories on Wai Wai are summary translations from the Japanese media that have already appeared in Japan. Granted they are from gazettes and the like, but they originated in the Japanese print.

Do you hold this opinion that good, bad, or indifferent news from the Japanese media shouldn't be translated and reported in the western press? That's what your post sounds like and in othe words, it's censorship you that espousing. Mainichi is on a cut and run from the 2channel assholes on this like a democrat running from Iraq and it's bullshit.

Worse yet, it will probably empower the 2chanellers to bigger and worse things.

I disagree with you on all counts. It's just bad business practice for Mainichi to continue publishing those sleezy untrue fabrications and if some readers have complained then the paper is reacting to consumer complaints by ditching it. They are doing what every other consumer-oriented business would do. There is a consumer backlash so they backtrack. Coke does it, McDonald's does it, Wal-Mart does it, everyone else does it. But it is true that all those are American or western companies. They can backtrack but god forbid if a Japanese company does it. Call it censorship, communism, biggotry or whatever, I call it good business.