No Escape From The NHK Man?

[Coligny]

Damn, I wasn't sure if it was you or Canman... Just remembered it was one of our Jurassic Park VOPs...

[Wage Slave]

Just out of interest, I am I the only one on here who pays his NHK fees because, well, we do watch it and I am not a university student?

[Coligny]

Just out of interest, I am I the only one on here who pays his NHK fees because, well, we do watch it and I am not a university student?

Dad pay for the bunker, but seems the NHK man was not happy last year when he had to change the fee from public establishment to single family home... Or sumthing...

[Taro Toporific]

Just out of interest, I am I the only one on here who pays his NHK fees...?

Several times in the past I have had the NHK fee paid for me by my condo association fees and I never knew why the NHK man never visited. Often companies that provide free or subsidized housing to gaijin employees pay (or secretly deduct) NHK fees.
The only time I ever quarreled with the NHK guy was when I was living in Toshima-ku which provides the handicapped with free NHK (and he didn't believe a gaijin could have a valid, official, Japanese Handicap ID).

[Yokohammer]

Just out of interest, I am I the only one on here who pays his NHK fees because, well, we do watch it and I am not a university student?

I'd venture a guess that you're in the minority.

The whole thing about NHK fees is that, if they were handled and collected properly most people probably wouldn't have any qualms about paying. But if you've been subjected to the thuggish harassment and out-and-out lies that some of these collectors dole out before even bothering to ask nicely, you're not likely to feel inclined to pay. NHK shoots themselves in the foot big time with their collectors. There are still constant problems, even after it became an issue many years ago. They promised to clean up their act, but have been altogether lax about actually getting anything done. As mentioned above, the daughter of one of our members was harassed late at night just last year by one of those stooges inside the supposedly securely locked area of her "mansion". Apparently the guy was actually yelling at her and berating her in the hallway. I had a guy force his way into our genkan here getting all in my face about the "law," just a day or two after we had moved in and before we had even set up a TV. Of course I sent him packing.

And then, if you do sign the contract (as you have obviously done) you're screwed if you ever do decide to give up on TV. There was at least one case where a guy who decided to do just that, and notified NHK to that effect, was actually sued for payment by NHK even though he didn't even have the receiving equipment. They can't sue you if you don't have a contract (yet).

As soon as NHK get their act together they'll start receiving a lot more income from fees.

[Wage Slave]

But if you've been subjected to the thuggish harassment and out-and-out lies that some of these collectors dole out before even bothering to ask nicely, you're not likely to feel inclined to pay.

I haven't, it's true. I have had absolutely zero contact with them in over eight years. I wouldn't say paying it is the first thing we did when moving and in fact I seem to remember getting a reminder in the post last time we moved. Perhaps it is worse in some areas than others.

[wagyl]

If i were going to admit whether I pay or not, I would probably point to my opinions as expressed here and here. I get the feeling that Wage Slave comes from a licence fee model country himself, which might make him more predisposed to making the payments. By the time I knew how it all worked, my country had abandoned making every household pay inconvenient sums at the post office and instead funded public broadcasting from taxes, so the system is unfamiliar to me. That is not a reason to avoid paying. Some may say that there are plenty of other reasons to avoid paying, though.

[Wage Slave]

I get the feeling that Wage Slave comes from a licence fee model country himself, which might make him more predisposed to making the payments.

Yeah I do but the vast majority of my life has been spent in other countries including The Lucky Country where everything is The Best in the World. About 7 or 8 countries in all depending how you count them so I dispute that I am blinded by parochialism. I just can't get a hard on over the license fee and certainly not enough of a hard on to start battling over it on my doorstep. I mean, yes, NHK clearly needs reform and is clearly underperforming. But ....

1. The annual fee is 13,600 a year. A bit over a 1,000 a month.

2. We have it on every morning for a couple of hours.

3. They make some nice looking costume dramas.

4. It's on every holiday time for hours and though it's not my taste it clearly entertains the other members of my tribe. Even I have to concede there are some great Enka performances, high production values and plenty of pretty girls.

5. Sumo

6. I have seen some really good classical concerts broadcast to a very high standard. Try connecting a decent hifi to the sound signal. (See Enka performances above)

7. Life's too short. If that's how they organise their public broadcasting then so be it.

[IparryU]

I get the feeling that Wage Slave comes from a licence fee model country himself, which might make him more predisposed to making the payments.

Yeah I do but the vast majority of my life has been spent in other countries including The Lucky Country where everything is The Best in the World. About 7 or 8 countries in all depending how you count them so I dispute that I am blinded by parochialism. I just can't get a hard on over the license fee and certainly not enough of a hard on to start battling over it on my doorstep. I mean, yes, NHK clearly needs reform and is clearly underperforming. But ....

1. The annual fee is 13,600 a year. A bit over a 1,000 a month.

2. We have it on every morning for a couple of hours.

3. They make some nice looking costume dramas.

4. It's on every holiday time for hours and though it's not my taste it clearly entertains the other members of my tribe. Even I have to concede there are some great Enka performances, high production values and plenty of pretty girls.

5. Sumo

6. I have seen some really good classical concerts broadcast to a very high standard. Try connecting a decent hifi to the sound signal. (See Enka performances above)

7. Life's too short. If that's how they organise their public broadcasting then so be it.

If you gonna pay 1k a month invest in a sky perfect box and stop there... Gots all the shit you mentioned and some.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[matsuki]

yes, NHK clearly needs reform and is clearly underperforming.

Guys forcing their way into homes, stalking, harassing their "customers."

yakuza-baby[1].jpg

What kind of business model is that son?

[IparryU]

yes, NHK clearly needs reform and is clearly underperforming.

Guys forcing their way into homes, stalking, harassing their "customers."



What kind of business model is that son?

I am still waiting the day that they come to our place...

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[matsuki]

...you missed the chinpira lookin' d00d last weekend

[Wage Slave]

Guys forcing their way into homes, stalking, harassing their "customers."

Agreed. It would be far better if people were just taken to court and it was sorted out there.

[Wage Slave]

If you gonna pay 1k a month invest in a sky perfect box and stop there... Gots all the shit you mentioned and some.

I don't need the other stuff. I don't even need the stuff I mentioned, but others do. I'd rather just answer the door without hesitation, repetition or deviation for my 1k a month.

But each to his own - of course.

[matsuki]

Guys forcing their way into homes, stalking, harassing their "customers."

Agreed. It would be far better if people were just taken to court and it was sorted out there.

...or save the trouble and just include it everyone's taxes??

[yanpa]

I'd rather just answer the door without hesitation, repetition or deviation

And as the Minute Waltz fades away, I agree with you on that one. If I were single and apartment-dwelling I'd probably be keeping up the evasive action, but with an actual house with an antenna visible from the street it's not worth the hassle, and the two dudes who did call round (one 9 months after the first) were as civilised as one could hope for, and one does actually make use of the service provided, so so be it.

[Wage Slave]

Guys forcing their way into homes, stalking, harassing their "customers."

Agreed. It would be far better if people were just taken to court and it was sorted out there.

...or save the trouble and just include it everyone's taxes??

Well, agree with it or not, or working well in Japan or not, there is a rationale. It starts with the proposition that an independent and impartial public service broadcasting service is a vital part of the democratic and social fabric. If it is funded directly from taxation then the government of the day can exert life threatening financial pressure every year come budget day. Either you play ball with us or you see your budget cut etc ...

A licence fee system means that the broadcaster gets its money directly from the viewers/listeners/readers rather than from the government. This gives it more independence from the government of the day and increases its accountability to the licence payers.

In any case, a decision has been taken in a number of countries to go the license fee route. And that's that, until such time as it changes. Personally, I think public service broadcasting is important enough to justify the extra independence and freedom granted by a license funding system. Unfortunately, NHK has woefully underperformed and that needs to be sorted. But, beware of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The simple fact Rupert Murdoch hates the BBC so much is enough to convince me it must be doing something fundamentally right and good.

[Russell]

The simple fact Rupert Murdoch hates the BBC so much is enough to convince me it must be doing something fundamentally right and good.

Rupert Murdoch hates Tony Blair too, because Tony fucked Rupert's (now)ex-wife. That does not make Tony fundamentally right and good...

[Wage Slave]

The simple fact Rupert Murdoch hates the BBC so much is enough to convince me it must be doing something fundamentally right and good.

Rupert Murdoch hates Tony Blair too, because Tony fucked Rupert's (now)ex-wife. That does not make Tony fundamentally right and good...

[yanpa]

The simple fact Rupert Murdoch hates the BBC so much is enough to convince me it must be doing something fundamentally right and good.

Rupert Murdoch hates Tony Blair too, because Tony fucked Rupert's (now)ex-wife. That does not make Tony fundamentally right and good...

I suppose it's statistically possible that a BBC DJ or presenter had illicit carnal relations with a member of Rupert's family

[matsuki]

Well, agree with it or not, or working well in Japan or not, there is a rationale. It starts with the proposition that an independent and impartial public service broadcasting service is a vital part of the democratic and social fabric. If it is funded directly from taxation then the government of the day can exert life threatening financial pressure every year come budget day. Either you play ball with us or you see your budget cut etc ...

A licence fee system means that the broadcaster gets its money directly from the viewers/listeners/readers rather than from the government. This gives it more independence from the government of the day and increases its accountability to the licence payers.

In any case, a decision has been taken in a number of countries to go the license fee route. And that's that, until such time as it changes. Personally, I think public service broadcasting is important enough to justify the extra independence and freedom granted by a license funding system.

Maybe 30 years ago I would agree...but in 2014, those reliant on independent "broadcasting" for extra independence and freedom are the ones who have yet to discover the inter-web.

[Wage Slave]

Well, agree with it or not, or working well in Japan or not, there is a rationale. It starts with the proposition that an independent and impartial public service broadcasting service is a vital part of the democratic and social fabric. If it is funded directly from taxation then the government of the day can exert life threatening financial pressure every year come budget day. Either you play ball with us or you see your budget cut etc ...

A licence fee system means that the broadcaster gets its money directly from the viewers/listeners/readers rather than from the government. This gives it more independence from the government of the day and increases its accountability to the licence payers.

In any case, a decision has been taken in a number of countries to go the license fee route. And that's that, until such time as it changes. Personally, I think public service broadcasting is important enough to justify the extra independence and freedom granted by a license funding system.

Maybe 30 years ago I would agree...but in 2014, those reliant on independent "broadcasting" for extra independence and freedom are the ones who have yet to discover the inter-web.

Like Infowars for example? Or Fox? Independent (ie run in the commercial, political and social interests of the proprietor, as always) and lots of rhetoric about freedom but let's face it ........

[Yokohammer]

NHK is already totally in the government's pocket.

Vacuous pap and a few decent documentaries, most produced overseas: there's very little to suggest that NHK has the public interest at heart, other than what the government sees as public interest. News programming is reserved, stepping gingerly around controversial topics that might throw a negative light on the government or bureaucracy. The public voice is not represented in the way that it should be via a truly public broadcasting arm. It's a sham. NHK wouldn't have a hope of surviving competitively.

The commercial stations are doing a far better job when it comes to presenting and discussing issues that really matter. So much so, IMHO, that they can almost be forgiven for the stupidity that gets broadcast in between the good stuff.

[IparryU]

Despite all the shit talking, their children's morning shows are great.

It is about the only Japanese programming I let my kids watch.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Despite all the shit talking, their children's morning shows are great.

It is about the only Japanese programming I let my kids watch.

It's because all of their programming is targeted at 3 or 83 year olds.

[Wibble]

Despite all the shit talking, their children's morning shows are great.

It is about the only Japanese programming I let my kids watch.

The kids stuff is great and does keep mine quiet of a morning. I can't stand the engrish slot though - tempted to ask for my licence fee back for making that travesty.

[Russell]

Did anyone notice that those NHK kiddy programs never change.

Same songs, same movements, and same acts as 20 years ago.
Only the faces change.

I would not call this conductive to the kid's development of a flexible attitude and creativity...

[FG Lurker]

We don't pay the NHK fee. Never signed a contract and after all the shit hit the fan with NHK's spending issues I see no reason to support them.

We also don't watch NHK though, or much TV at all for that matter. Still have an ancient 29" 4:3 tube TV. It's just not a priority, I watch at most an hour a month of TV, probably closer to an hour in three months these days...

[IparryU]

Despite all the shit talking, their children's morning shows are great.

It is about the only Japanese programming I let my kids watch.

The kids stuff is great and does keep mine quiet of a morning. I can't stand the engrish slot though - tempted to ask for my licence fee back for making that travesty.

fuckin horrible isn't it. and they always have to laugh... WTF is so funny??!?!!?!?

[IparryU]

Did anyone notice that those NHK kiddy programs never change.

Same songs, same movements, and same acts as 20 years ago.
Only the faces change.

I would not call this conductive to the kid's development of a flexible attitude and creativity...

Yes, you cant change the robots up now, it makes all the other robots watching hard to conform in to the square peg and square hole society.