NHK Central Program Council. I took office as Vice Chair today (*^^*)
. I’m probably the youngest member, and since I’ve always spoken my mind freely, my honest reaction when I was nominated was, “Why me???” But I’ll do my best, however modestly, to be of service.

Today, we featured “Digital Hunter” and “Virtual Singing Contest.”
“Digital Hunter” is a program about open-source investigations that uncover facts concealed by those in power by sifting through the vast amount of information—such as images and videos—uploaded daily by people around the world.I was amazed by their analytical skills—which rely on
digital information to uncover the truth—and their investigative methods, which involve building and collaborating with a global network of colleagues. It was also very interesting to see how they collaborate with media outlets such as the BBC and The New York Times.We live in an era where even
state secrets can be exposed through data. Of course, it’s not just journalism—entertainment and other fields are also becoming part of the data-driven world. I’ve heard that Netflix’s CEO earned a master’s degree in computer science from Stanford University through his research on artificial intelligence, and this makes me feel that the very nature of news organizations and the media may be in need of significant change.It
suddenly occurred to me: I wonder how many people like that—data scientists and the like—work at NHK? (*^^*)
https://www.nhk.jp/p/bs1sp/ts/YMKV7LM62W/episode/te/KNRKK711JY/

As for “Virtual Singing Contest,” I assumed they’d switched to a virtual format because the show couldn’t be held in person under the current circumstances—but I was surprised to find out it was actually a rerun of last year’s New Year’s broadcast.
A step ahead of its time?!?! I think this shows that their consistent, proactive approach to taking on new challenges in content creation is paying off, even in an emergency like this.
I’m curious to see the reaction when they air this somewhat experimental program during the original show’s Sunday afternoon time slot.Contrary to the generally positive reception “AI Misora Hibari” received when it aired on *NHK Special*, it’s said that negative reactions increased when it was featured on *Kohaku*. I’m curious to know how the regular *Nodo Jiman* audience perceived it, and whether such initiatives will help expand the show’s viewership.In any case, will “Virtual Grandmother” Sachiko Kobayashi be appearing on the “Kohaku” next year?

Also, since there was an explanation regarding the much-discussed CG animation, I told them that instead of offering a
vague apology, I wanted them to clearly outline exactly what went wrong. My biggest concern is that they might decide to avoid handling sensitive issues that are highly likely to spark controversy.