Japan’s Nippon TV announced the appointment of Satoru Hiramatsu to the position of Managing Director of Global Content Business. Hiramatsu, previously from Nippon TV’s linear and streaming programming division, will now report directly to Yuzo Kuwahara, Operating Officer and President of Content Business, and replaces Mikiko Nishiyama who is now Executive Advisor of Global Strategy Headquarters.
In his new position, Hiramatsu will oversee the global content sales and promotion team that is responsible for the company's success of its internationally acclaimed formats led by “Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank,” “Old Enough!” and “Mother,” and further expand Nippon TV’s presence in the industry.
“Nippon TV is one of Japan's leading content companies, with the longest history among private television networks and consistently earning the highest ratings in the country. Several of our formats, including ‘Dragons' Den/Shark Tank,’ ‘Old Enough!’ and ‘Mother,’ have already garnered international acclaim. However, Nippon TV still holds a wealth of equally creative formats and ideas that have yet to be fully introduced to the world,” commented Hiramatsu. “My goal is to promote these new IPs in a timely and compelling manner. I believe that the global content market is witnessing a rising wave of interest in Japanese-origin content, not only in anime but also in live-action formats. At Nippon TV, we aim to play a pivotal role in amplifying this wave by working closely with our global partners.”
Hiramatsu began his career at Nippon TV’s news department, where he covered national and international news, including the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. in 2001 and the East Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011. He played a key role in the launch of “News Zero,” the most famous and popular nightly news program on Japanese commercial network, which he produced and helped grow into the ongoing success it is today. After his time in the news, Hiramatsu transitioned to Nippon TV’s advertising sales division and content marketing division. Prior to this new position as Managing Director of Global Content Business, he was responsible for determining Nippon TV’s broadcast schedule at the programming division, including the programming and launch of new programs.