On what satellite/cable system are you on? The closest thing I could ever find by me is only the Anime Network, and that isn`t exactly what I`m looking for. Don`t want to have to watch the countless boring all morning news programs either, but definitely want to be able to get more Japanese media on my TV.
It's available on Dish Network, but you have to buy a two sat dishes (or one of those huge oval "superdish" rigs) if you want to get regular programming along with TV Japan. It's $25 a month beyond your regular charges. You can check it out on their website: http://www.dishnetwork.com/ I heard it's also available on a few select cable systems, like Manhattan Cable. The main TV Japan website is here: http://www.tvjapan.net/ Note: this is real Japanese TV, not an anime channel. Otaku will hate it.
All we can get here in the UK is JSTV. My wife was desperate to hear Japanese news when she first came to the UK. It costs an arm and a leg over here and you only get ONE friggin channel.
We had it for awhile via comcast cable, but didn't find any value in it. It mainly consisted of televisions shows I suspect my grandmother would enjoy if she spoke the language. Additionally, if you are in the states, you can watch Japanese news on both the International Channel and on NWI. However, if you want to watch pictures of forest while classical music is playing after 7pm, then go for it!
It had the sumo matches, that's worth the whole price to me. Plus at night they have a lot of drama, lots of enka, and pop stuff in the afternoon. the key to enjoying tv-japan/NHK is tivo or something. It's better then the NHK you get in Japan by far. (Which is like saying there's a 50% off sale at Harrods)
It is cool you can now watch the JTV. My mom has had her dish for over three years now. All her friends had her video tape programs, but now they are buying their own subsription.
Yes, the sumo coverage was great. And yes, sometimes it is very boring. Mom also video tapes Fuji News off the international channel.
I am surprised to hear that dish network was only allowing Japanese to get subsriptions in the past....baka da ne. That would irritate the hell out of me too. I can see that happening with some idiot japanese guy on the phone....glad the person who called in could speak japanese and tell him off. Sometimes those things happen because there are jerks everywhere you go.