Nippon TV, Japan's entertainment powerhouse, announced that Hiroyuki Fukuda, former Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, has been promoted to Representative Director, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Nippon TV as of January 1, 2025. Fukuda succeeds Akira Ishizawa, who will assume the role of Representative Director of the newly established Yomiuri Chukyo FS Broadcasting Holdings Corporation from the same date.
Fukuda expressed gratitude for the opportunity and the challenge: “I am extremely honored to be appointed as Representative Director, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Nippon TV effective January 1, 2025, coinciding with the establishment of Yomiuri Chukyo FS Broadcasting Holdings Corporation," commented.
He went on to highlight his long tenure with Nippon TV, beginning in 1985 in the On-Air Commercial Operations Department of the Sales Division, and his progression through roles in Programming, Sales, and Production:“Until June of this year, I will continue to oversee my current responsibilities as Board Director and Chief Content Officer, focusing on Content Strategy and Corporate Strategy,” he added.
Fukuda reflected on Nippon TV's accomplishments in 2024, noting that the company maintained its leadership in individual viewer ratings during the Golden Time category, albeit tied with a competitor. While the broadcaster excelled in targeting viewers aged 13 to 49, contributing to strong advertising sales, he acknowledged the competitive landscape and the industry's challenges, including a declining number of television viewers. He stressed the need to address this downward trend and emphasized the importance of revamping the company’s strategy for viewer ratings, improving broadcasting schedules, and expanding revenue sources beyond broadcasting.
The president further highlighted Nippon TV's "content-centric strategy" as the backbone of its newly devised Medium-Term Management Plan for 2025–2027. He emphasized the company’s goal to reduce its dependency on broadcasting revenue by transforming its business portfolio and enhancing its global presence through powerful intellectual property and innovative content. Fukuda pointed out that departments and group companies were already submitting proposals to achieve these goals.
Additionally, Fukuda discussed Nippon TV's efforts to integrate technology into its operations, such as employing AI concierges to streamline content creation and leveraging Ad Reach Max, the company’s proprietary advertising platform, to innovate ad sales.
The president revealed that the guiding character for 2025 would be 動 (Movement), symbolizing the company’s determination to adapt and pursue new goals outlined in the management plan. "In these challenging times, our survival depends on visualizing our goals and immediately moving towards achieving them. If we stand still, we will simply be swallowed by the flow of time and inevitability. It is time to fight back,” Fukuda stated.
He also shared inspiring messages from his role models, which he received at the start of the year. These messages emphasized the duty of television stations to provide reliable information, achieve high ratings, and expand business domains while exploring new possibilities.
Fukuda concluded by acknowledging the challenges facing the media industry and expressing his resolve to lead Nippon TV and its approximately 10,000 employees across 60 subsidiaries. He noted that the company was at a critical juncture in its history, requiring bold action to ensure its survival and future success.
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