Desperate NHK

[Netherlander]

I don't want to sound like a dick, but why not simply pay like most other people. I've been paying for NHK through my cable television bill for the past 10 years. I never watch NHK but always pay for it because, it's a "television tax", I think it's called "television licensing" in some countries.

Perhaps the naming of the fee as an "NHK fee" is the problem, since the fee doesn't depend on whether you one actually watches the NHK channels or not.

[yanpa]

Basically we need a champion freelance journalist to take them down!

In Japan? Ha ha, only to be read by the likes of Debito readers.

Maybe an enterprising gaijin journalist with warzone experience who is eager to sample the delights of the NHK basement dungeon gulag and its resident violent video game actor Greji.

[CrankyBastard]

I don't want to sound like a dick, but why not simply pay like most other people. I've been paying for NHK through my cable television bill for the past 10 years. I never watch NHK but always pay for it because, it's a "television tax", I think it's called "television licensing" in some countries.

Perhaps the naming of the fee as an "NHK fee" is the problem, since the fee doesn't depend on whether you one actually watches the NHK channels or not.

Why not simply pay?
Because I don't want to pay for heavily government influenced broadcasting that i choose not to receive.

[FG Lurker]

I don't want to sound like a dick, but why not simply pay like most other people. I've been paying for NHK through my cable television bill for the past 10 years.

Unless you are specifically paying an extra charge for NHK then you're not paying it. It is not included in the standard cable charges.

As for why I have no contract with NHK, I choose not to pay for government propaganda, thank you very much.

[Coligny]

Unless you are specifically paying an extra charge for NHK then you're not paying it. It is not included in the standard cable charges.

As for why I have no contract with NHK, I choose not to pay for government propaganda, thank you very much.

Your not even paying for this... last scandal was for titty bars and hostess if I remember well...

[FG Lurker]

Your not even paying for this... last scandal was for titty bars and hostess if I remember well...

I'd actually sooner my money went to tiitty bars and hostesses than feeding the propaganda machine...

[Netherlander]

[Coligny]

[FG Lurker]

I suppose in that case NHK will argue for you to throw out your tv set. Don't get me wrong I do agree with you for the most part.

I have a ~12 year old square tube 29" TV. NHK can have the damn thing*, I watch at most 1 or 2 hours of TV per month. (None of it NHK.)

Why do say it's government propaganda.

Media in general in Japan is kept on a tight leash by the government, but NHK is useless even by Japanese standards.

Would you make the same arguement regarding the BBC?

Not British so I only see the BBC from the outside. As best I can tell they are far more independent of the government than NHK. I may just not know enough about them though. The BBC also makes some truly excellent non-news programs, something that most definitely can not be said of the absolute trash produced by NHK.

* I'll even insert it rectally into their bill collector for no charge.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Media in general in Japan is kept on a tight leash by the government, but NHK is useless even by Japanese standards.

Agree with everything in the above post except the quoted statement.

Actually, the situation with the media in Japan is far worse and insidious than being under government control. It's self-censorship. The government doesn't so much as control the media (it certainly manipulates it), but that's because it doesn't need to control it as the mainstream media in this cuntry regulates itself to sustain its role in, rather than shape, the establishment.

[gaijinpunch]

As for why I have no contract with NHK, I choose not to pay for government propaganda, thank you very much.

Or for it to simply be swindled by some J-ackass.

[FG Lurker]

Actually, the situation with the media in Japan is far worse and insidious than being under government control. It's self-censorship. The government doesn't so much as control the media (it certainly manipulates it), but that's because it doesn't need to control it as the mainstream media in this cuntry regulates itself to sustain its role in, rather than shape, the establishment.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply there is an active "department of censorship" a-la China. Everyone knows there will be "consequences" if they get too far out of line though so everyone toes the line.

[canman]

Anyway, back to our situation, my wife received a call from the supervisor for the Yokohama area apologizing for the incident, saying that the collector has been suspended and they will not go to my daughters apartment again.
Now I think this is a load of BS but I guess I have to take the guy at his word. And even though I am against paying NHK, my wife does regularly.
Thanks for all the advice, and suggestions. I was thinking I should have contacted CJ, he would have had all the inside scoop for me. Damn, what was I thinking!

[TennoChinko]

It's good that you got an apology. Often, NHK will NOT apologize as they'll cleverly point out that the collectors are not staff. While they did apologize in the murder case below, they made the extra effort to point out the murderous NHK collector was not an actual NHK employee (however, they'll gladly take your money and bank account details, thank you very much)


http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070614p2a00m0na013000c.html (dead link)

NHK fee collector arrested for chopping up ex-wife's body

Thursday, June 14

A fee collector for public broadcaster NHK who turned himself in to police, saying he had chopped up his former wife's body, was arrested Thursday along with a female roommate on suspicion of mutilating a corpse, police said.

Investigators said the fee collector, Koji Shiga, 47, turned himself in at Takenotsuka Police Station at about 1:50 a.m. on Monday, saying, "I've cut up my former wife's corpse."

When police rushed to his home, they found the dismembered body of a woman in several plastic bags, and immediately arrested Shiga and a 34-year-old woman, Tomoko Hitomi, who was also living at the same address, on suspicion of mutilating a corpse.

Investigators accuse the pair of cutting off the head and limbs of Shiga's 40-year-old former wife, Miho Shiga, at their home in Tokyo's Adachi-ku at the beginning of June.

When questioned by investigators over the death, one of the suspects reportedly told police the former wife had died after they beat her.

Koji Shiga, who worked as a collector of NHK's television broadcasting fees, divorced Miho Shiga four years ago, but had been living in the same home as her and Hitomi. Koji Shiga and Hitomi reportedly lived on the second floor of the home, while Miho Shiga shared the ground floor with two junior high school children.

An NHK public relations office representative apologized over the arrest.

"Although he was not a staff member, it is extremely regrettable that a business worker entrusted to collect television reception fees has been arrested, and we sincerely apologize," the representative said. (Mainichi)

[gaijinpunch]

Koji Shiga, who worked as a collector of NHK's television broadcasting fees, divorced Miho Shiga four years ago, but had been living in the same home as her and Hitomi.

What an ideal set up.

[Coligny]

What an ideal set up.

My thought exactly. no need for adaptation before starting to tape it... awesum...

[TennoChinko]

Well, on the "bright side" (from the NHK point of view), Miho Shiga will never re-offend again by refusing to pay NHK fees! Rules are rules are rules.. and are meant to be followed!

[s4bzzz]

@OP

Teach your daughter to never sign anything! And to never forget my favorite tla: CYA!

[Mike Oxlong]

Now canman's daughter needs to catch the _suspended_ collector out and about on the job, and make a vid of her own. Then you can go shove it those lying bastards faces.

[Catoneinutica]

It's good that you got an apology. Often, NHK will NOT apologize as they'll cleverly point out that the collectors are not staff. While they did apologize in the murder case below, they made the extra effort to point out the murderous NHK collector was not an actual NHK employee (however, they'll gladly take your money and bank account details, thank you very much)


http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070614p2a00m0na013000c.html (dead link)

Couldn't that cut both ways, then? "You're not a true NHK staff member. That means I pay nothing and I sign nothing. Now, fuck off, do."

[IparryU]

I wasn't saying to start a fight with the d00d, I was saying to send the fucker rolling down the stairs IF they attempted to physically force their way into your apartment or physically block you from closing your door.

just walk up and do a stare down like Wanderlei Silva vs Rampage Jackson
[YT]jyoSMbSU_Bs[/YT]
skip to 1:46

Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson

[GomiGirl]

I wonder if NHK collectors are the same sort of social pariahs as the parking meter attendants in Aus?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I wonder if NHK collectors are the same sort of social pariahs as the parking meter attendants in Aus?

What, you mean the meter maids at Sufferer's Paradise?

[canman]

Yesterday my wife received a phone call from some NHK representative from Tokyo, who apologized profusely, said that they would rip up the contract that the collector forced my daughter to sign, and that they would do everything in their power to make sure that this type of collection never happens again.
But then he went on to say, that the collectors change every two months, and while they can tell the current collectors not to visit my daughter's apartment, that he can't guarantee that someone won't visit again!

[GomiGirl]

But at least your daughter will not let any strangers in again.

[canman]

You got that right!

[Coligny]

But then he went on to say, that the collectors change every two months, and while they can tell the current collectors not to visit my daughter's apartment, that he can't guarantee that someone won't visit again!

That's not even a hidden threat...

That's nearly an open "FUCK YOU"

Time to stock on bear repellant...

[IparryU]

That's not even a hidden threat...

That's nearly an open "FUCK YOU"

Time to stock on bear repellant...

can you have pepper spray or mace in this kuntry? they get aggressive.. reach in the purse and spray 'em...

[Mike Oxlong]

can you have pepper spray or mace in this kuntry? they get aggressive.. reach in the purse and spray 'em...

Not sure about that, but I doubt it. If I were Canman, I'd make sure my daughter had some anyway. Then when the next collector-type-of-scumbag was hanging out in her building and following her, she could spray first and ask questions later. A pretty good case could be made that she feared for her life as NHK has hired psycho-killers in the past.

[Coligny]

I'm pretty sure milsurplus et-al sell defensive spray... (not to gaijin though)...

And I hope they can buy bear repellant sprays in hokkaido...