Mar 21, 2011 In Japan, no TV is safe
After the quake, Japan’s major TV networks stopped running regular programming and instead focused on covering news of the disaster 24/7. Advertisers, meanwhile, withdrew their commercials so as not to give the impression that they’re seeking to hawk their products and make money during the crisis.
As a result, viewers have ended up repeatedly watching commercials run by a private nonprofit organization called the Advertising Council Japan—better known as “AC”—to fill in the blank slots. The AC commercials have run in every commercial slot since the quake, and they close with a chorus of people singing the logo: “A Sheeeee!” This repetitive jingle has permeated the consciousness of those watching TV in Japan.
–Atsuko Fukase for the Wall Street Journal
Click here to read the rest of the story, which includes a sample of the AC’s commercials and reveals the NPO’s plan for being less annoying, or just click play above for a five-minute taste of what the past week (minus the bad parts) has been like for TV viewers in Japan.