# Mainichi Broadcasting System

JOOY-DTV (channel 4), branded as MBS TV (MBS（エムビーエス）テレビ, Emubīesu Terebī) or Mainichi Broadcasting System (毎日放送, Mainichi Hōsō) (formerly known as Mainichi Broadcasting System Television from 1959 to 2011), is a Japanese television station serving as the Kansai region key station of the Japan News Network, owned-and-operated by Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. a subsidiary of MBS Media Holdings with its studios being based in the Kita-ku ward of Osaka.
From its sign on in 1959 to 2021, MBS operated as a unified broadcaster, with its radio and television operations being intact until 2017 when a major restructuring caused the operations to be held under the second incarnation of MBS. In 2021, the radio division was spun-off as a separate wholly-owned subsidiary.

## Overview

MBS is a core station of the Japan News Network (JNN), with TBS TV as its key station. MBS is a member of the "Five Company Federation" (comprising it, TBS, HBC, CBC and RKB) and is also a major shareholder of TBS Holdings. It distributes G-Guide EPG data, and used to distribute analog G-Guide program data to Tokushima Prefecture, where the only commercial TV station is affiliated to NNN/NNS.
During the 16 years and one month from the start of TV broadcasting until the network affair was resolved, it was a key station of NET (now TV Asahi) and was subsequently affiliated to the All-Nippon News Network (ANN) upon its opening. At the same time, Tokyo Channel 12 (currently TV Tokyo) was also connected to the station.
With the complete transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting on July 24, 2011, the notation of newspapers and TV information magazines on the same date changed from "Mainichi TV" (or "Mainichi"), which has been used since the start of television broadcasting), to "MBS TV" (or "MBS"). In the terrestrial digital TV G-Guide, it is written as "MBS Mainichi Broadcasting". Until July 23, 2011, the general name was Mainichi Broadcasting Television , and when it was simply called MBS, in the analog era, it was written as Mainichi TV in the radio and television columns of newspapers.
On April 1, 2017, the trade name was changed to "MBS Media Holdings", and both TV and radio broadcasting businesses were taken over by "(New) Mainichi Broadcasting". After that, on April 1, 2021, "MBS Radio Co., Ltd.", which was newly established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of MBS Media Holdings, took over the radio broadcasting license and business that Mainichi Broadcasting had held, and moved exclusively to television (JOOR-DTV changed to JOOY-DTV).
Among the broadcasting stations in Osaka, the company, Asahi Broadcasting Television, and Kansai Television are three companies that opened earlier than their respective key stations in Tokyo (TBS Television, TV Asahi, Fuji Television). This is because these three companies and the three key stations had nothing to do with each other at the time of their establishment. However, despite being the oldest station in Japan to start radio broadcasting, it was the fourth station in Osaka to start TV broadcasting. It was almost the same time as Asahi (Nippon Educational Television (NET TV) at that time), but it was one month behind. On the other hand, Yomiuri TV and TV Osaka were established with the intention of their respective key stations, so they opened later than the key stations.
It has a strong connection with RKB Mainichi Broadcasting, co-produced and co-sold radio programs, and on television, even during the pre-1975 affair era, Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting (KBC) sold in-house programs that were not organized or sponsored net, and jointly established a health insurance union, and are presenting aspects of sister companies. In addition, the remote control key ID for analog master stations and digital broadcasting is also "4". It has a close relationship with Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Resona Bank.
MBS was involved in the establishment of FM802 as a major shareholder along with Nippon Broadcasting System. At the time of its establishment, it was organized by Nippon Broadcasting System, and the person in charge of sales was seconded from Mainichi Broadcasting System. Even now, we often co-host events. In July 2019, a disaster information sharing partnership agreement was signed between FM802 and FM COCOLO operated by the company.

## Corporate information
### Main office

* Location: 17-1 Chayamachi , Kita Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 530-8304
* Transportation: About 5 minutes on foot from Osaka Umeda Station (Hankyu) Chayamachi Exit. About a 10-minute walk from JR West Osaka Station , Osaka-Umeda Station (Hanshin) , and Osaka Municipal Rapid Transit Umeda Station , Nakatsu Station , Higashi-Umeda Station , and Nishi-Umeda Station .
* Some programs have a "program-only zip code" (MBS Baseball Park (radio program), Chichin Puipui, etc.).
Among the TV stations in Osaka, it is located in a busy area, and the front of the head office is also used by commuters on weekdays. In the neighborhood, there are business and commercial facilities such as "Chayamachi Applause" where the Umeda Arts Theater is located , Hankyu Corporation headquarters building, Umeda Loft, NU Chayamachi, etc. The current office building can be seen from inside the trains running between stations and between Osaka Station and Shin-Osaka Station on the JR Kyoto Line. The upper part is shaped like the letter "M". There are some documents that say that the building was modeled on the image of "Mainichi", but at the time NTT's radio frequencies were being transmitted in this airspace, and there were restrictions on the height of the building, this design was chosen.

## History
### Early history

On June 1, 1958, New Japan Broadcasting changed the company name to Mainichi Broadcasting. At the same time, Mainichi Broadcasting set up a television studio on the 8th and 9th floors of the south building of the Mainichi Osaka Kaikan under construction, and built a signal transmitting station on the top of Ikoma Mountain.$^{:99}$ "Kansai Education and Culture Broadcasting", which applied for an educational television license, also merged with MBS.$^{:99}$ Osaka Television Broadcasting has 88 employees participating at MBS.$^{:99}$ At the same time, due to the decision of Radio Tokyo TV to maintain the network relationship with Osaka Television Broadcasting, Mainichi Broadcasting was faced with the dilemma of insufficient broadcast programs and had to change the broadcast date from December 1, 1958 to March 1959. On March 1, it established a network relationship with Nippon Educational Television (later renamed NET Television, now TV Asahi).$^{:100–101}$ At 10 a.m. on March 1, 1959, the MBS TV broadcast was officially launched.$^{:100–101}$
In the early days of Mainichi Broadcasting, most of the entertainment programs came from NET stations, while most of the self-produced programs were educational programs.$^{:103–104}$ In 1963, the daily ratings of Mainichi Broadcasting were 7.5%, second only to NHK and Asahi Broadcasting's 8.1%. The average ratings in the evening period are 14.6%, second only to Asahi Broadcasting's 15.9%.$^{:164}$ In the mid-1960s, Mainichi Broadcasting participated in the establishment of Tokyo Channel 12 by the Japan Science and Technology Foundation.$^{:127}$ As Tokyo Channel 12 quickly fell into operating difficulties after its launch, Mainichi Broadcasting began to broadcast some self-produced programs on Tokyo Channel 12 in 1967, but the situation has not improved. Therefore, the financial circle once had the idea of merging Tokyo Channel 12 with Mainichi Broadcasting. However, due to opposition from the Mainichi Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun's decision to rebuild Tokyo Channel 12, this idea could not be realized. However, Mainichi Broadcasting still has a cooperative relationship with Tokyo Channel 12 and broadcasts its own programs on Tokyo Channel 12.$^{:128–129}$ In 1967, the MBS TV license was changed from a quasi-educational station to a general comprehensive station, which could broadcast more entertainment programs.$^{:115}$ On April 1 of the same year, MBS began to broadcast color programs.$^{:115}$ In October 1970, all in-house MBS programs were in color.$^{:146}$ During the 1970 World Expo, Mainichi Broadcasting broadcast "Good Morning Expo" every day and produced and broadcast a series of special programs.$^{:149–152}$ In 1971, Mainichi Broadcasting Corporation stopped airing NET TV's "23rd Show" on the grounds that the program content was too vulgar, causing a sensation in the Japanese television industry.$^{:152–153}$ In the same year, the daily average viewership rating was 8.8%, ranking first for the first time.$^{:167}$ In the same year, MBS's TV division revenue also exceeded Asahi Broadcasting.$^{:343–344}$
Mainichi Broadcasting began to strengthen international cooperation in the 1960s. It became an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union in 1969 and signed cooperation agreements with foreign television stations such as WGN-TV in the United States, CBLT-DT in Canada, Czechoslovak Television, ZDF in West Germany and TF1 in France.$^{:135–136}$ In 1962, Mainichi Broadcasting opened a North American branch in New York, becoming the third Japanese television station to open a base in there.$^{:136–137}$ Mainichi Broadcasting attaches great importance to international cultural cooperation and hosted the Kansai Performance of the Vienna Boys' Choir in 1964.$^{:261–262}$

### Transition from NET to TBS

When Mainichi Broadcasting withdrew from Osaka Television in 1958, Osaka Television's successor, Asahi Broadcasting, inherited the network relationship between Osaka Television and TBS. This resulted in the fact that the Kansai region TBS affiliate is the channel 6 controlled by the Asahi Shinbun. There is a reversal in the relationship between Tokyo and Osaka TV station networks.$^{:341–342}$ In the early 1970s, Japan's four national newspapers conducted an exchange of shares in television stations. The Asahi Shimbun and the Yomiuri Shimbun handed over their shares in TBS to the Mainichi Shimbun; the Asahi and the Mainichi Shimbun handed over their shares in Nippon Television to the Yomiuri; the Nikkei. The equity of NET TV was transferred to the Asahi Shimbun.$^{:344}$ The Asahi Shimbun also requested ABC to join the NET/ANN network. After TBS learned of this news, it invited Mainichi Broadcasting to join TBS's network in the summer of 1974, and obtained Mainichi Broadcasting's consent. On November 19, 1974, TBS and Mainichi Broadcasting jointly announced that Mainichi Broadcasting would join the Japan News Network starting from April 1, 1975.$^{:345}$ Compared with the ANN period, MBS's broadcasts are broadcast every week during prime time, the duration of the program broadcast nationwide in Japan was reduced from 5 hours and 50 minutes to 3 hours and 50 minutes. National broadcast programs outside prime time were also reduced from 6 hours and 35 minutes to 4 hours and 55 minutes.$^{:368}$ At the same time, Mainichi Broadcasting will no longer broadcast Tokyo Channel 12 programs.$^{:348}$ Mainichi Broadcasting and Asahi Broadcasting also conducted large-scale program exchanges.$^{:365–366}$
In the 1970s, TBS was known as the "hero of private broadcasting" and held a leading position in Japan's private television industry. As a result, MBS's ratings increased after switching networks. From October 1975 to March 1980, the MBS won the triple crown of ratings.$^{:373}$ High ratings also boosted advertising performance. Mainichi Broadcasting ranked first in prime time ratings for 26 consecutive weeks in the first half of 1978. In the same year, MBS's revenue reached 30.15 billion yen, and the profit reached 5.12 billion yen. The revenue of both the television division and the radio division ranked first among Osaka stations.$^{:353}$ Beginning in the late 1970s, Mainichi Broadcasting took the lead in introducing electronic news gathering (ENG) among private stations in Osaka, which greatly improved its news gathering and editing capabilities.$^{:404–405}$ In 1978, Mainichi Broadcasting opened the Bonn branch, JNN's 11th overseas branch.$^{:406–407}$ In 1986, Mainichi Broadcasting opened its second overseas branch, the Manila branch.$^{:406–407}$ In terms of technological innovation, Mainichi Broadcasting began broadcasting stereo TV in 1982,$^{:505–506}$ and began broadcasting data information in 1986.$^{:506–508}$ In 1989, MBS introduced the Satellite News Relay (SNG) System.$^{:582–583}$
In 1986, Mainichi Broadcasting regained the top position in advertising revenue among Osaka stations.$^{:591}$ In 1987, Mainichi Broadcasting's turnover reached 53.518 billion yen and profit reached 6.233 billion yen, both setting high records at the time.$^{:551}$ Relying on the good times of Japan's bubble economy, Mainichi Broadcasting's revenue increased to 64.949 billion yen in 1990, with profits reaching 9.489 billion yen.$^{:553}$ Taking advantage of the introduction of satellite and cable TV in Japan, Mainichi Broadcasting participated in investing in Japan Satellite Broadcasting in 1983.$^{:674–675}$ In 1989, Mainichi Broadcasting joined with Sumitomo Corporation to invest in the establishment of SVN (Space Vision Network) company and began to establish their own satellite TV channels.$^{:670–672}$ In 1993, SVN changed its name to GAORA and became a sports-oriented satellite TV channel.$^{:413–416}$

### Move to Chayamachi

The current company building was completed on September 1, 1990 on the site of the Hankyu Department Store Distribution Center in Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka. Headquarter functions such as sales and accounting at Mainichi Osaka Kaikan, departments such as the news department at Senrioka Broadcasting Center, and some television and radio programs produced at Senrioka were moved to the new company building in Chayamachi. From the same day, a special program was produced and broadcast for two days on television and five days on radio to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the station and the start of broadcasting in the new building.
Since the grand opening on the same day, most of the first floor has been used as an "atrium" (open space) for live broadcasting and recording of TV and radio programs and various events. "MBS Goods Shop" (former name was "Mzono Shop" → "Nebula") and a branch of Tully's Coffee (when it opened in 1990, it was a restaurant called "Starship") were also occupied. On the second floor, when it first opened, it was given the function of a concert hall under the name "Galaxy Hall". Later, it was diverted to "Galaxy Studio". It was used for live TV programs, public recordings, and events.
On March 31, 2001 a broadcasting studio called "MBS Studio in USJ" was opened at Universal Studios Japan.

### Later history

On December 1, 2003, MBS alongside ABC, KTV, YTV and TVO started their digital broadcasts signals. In July 2010, the company announced that it would construct a new building with a base isolation structure of 15 floors above ground and 1 floor below ground on the north side of the head office . Osaka City applied the "Business/University Location Promotion Subsidy Program", and construction began in April 2011. On July 24, 2011, at noon, MBS, along with other television stations in the Kansai region, turned off its analog broadcast, as part of the digital television transition in most prefectures of Japan.
The MBS building expansion was completed on September 4, 2013. Along with the new building being named the "B Building", the main building was named the "M building". The names "M Building" and "B Building" are derived from the initials MBS. At the time of the start of operation of the B Building, there is no actual facility or building officially named "S Building".
The B Building had its grand opening on April 4, 2014 at 11:07:09, named after MBS TV's channel number (4) and MBS Radio's frequency (1179).
In the B building, there are two studios for TV programs, offices, heliport, height of about 36m (about 117m above ground), radio towers, etc. In addition, the relay truck depot in Senrioka was also consolidated, and the conventional office building (named "M Building" after the completion of the "B Building") is replaced by connecting corridors on the 2nd, 12th and 13th floors. On April 20, 2015, the main control room (master) was updated to the new master in the B Building.
In 2017, the television and radio operations of MBS were taken over by the second incarnation of Mainichi Broadcasting after the company restructured into MBS Media Holdings.
From 2018, with the 60th anniversary of MBS TV, the second floor of the M Building was renovated as a "live center" for the purpose of responding to live broadcasting and strengthening cooperation between news and production stations . Start construction. After remodeling the space including Studio C (Galaxy Studio) into an "Information Floor" linked to live information programs, it was operated from January 28, 2019. In addition, the "Chapla Stage" on the 1st floor of the M Building was also renovated on the premise of incorporating it into the "Live Center".

### Spin-off of radio operations

On May 28, 2020, MBS announced that it would spin off its radio division, under a separate company known as MBS Radio with the MBS entity now being a sole television broadcaster. The split was completed by April 1st of the following year and as a result, the TV callsign was changed to JOOY-DTV.

## Programming

* Animeism
* Dramaism [ja]
* Drama Tokku [ja]
* Drama Shower

## Availability
### Digital
#### JOOY-DTV (previously JOOR-DTV)

* Mt. Ikoma: Channel 16 (Remote controller button: 4)

### Analog

    Data as of the time of the shutdown of analog signals in Japan (July 24, 2011).

#### JOOR-TV

* Mt. Ikoma: Channel 4

### About the channel frequency

VHF channel 4 of analog television broadcasting in the Osaka area was originally used by the NHK General station in Osaka. Osaka Television Broadcasting (OTV) (currently Asahi Broadcasting Television, channel 6), which had already been established, and Daikansai Television Broadcasting (currently Kansai Television Broadcasting, channel 8), which had already been established, followed followed the NHK station between 1956 and 1958. Over channel 4, New Osaka Television Broadcasting (NOTV) of Osaka Yomiuri Newspaper (renamed to Yomiuri Television Broadcasting (YTV) just before the opening of the station), Kinki Educational Culture Television and Kansai Educational Culture Broadcasting competed and the situation deteriorated. When it got stiff, NOTV suggested bringing channel 2, which had been assigned to NHK in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, to the Osaka area. As a result of this, channel 2 was assigned to NHK Osaka (analog General Television), and in the Osaka area, 2 frequencies, channel 4 and channel 10 were licensed as a quasi-educational station.
However, regarding the treatment of the two educational bureaus, Kakuei Tanaka, then Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, suggested that MBS and NOTV merge, respectively, but NOTV firmly refused. Next, the two education companies merged and merged with either MBS or NOTV) (Kanto wide area including Tokyo area), instead of abandoning the same channel 4, chose the path of independent opening. This caused the channel numbers of the NTV and NET series to be reversed on a series basis in the Tokyo and Osaka areas until the network affair was resolved. After that, the TBS affiliate also had different channel numbers (TBS is 6 and MBS is 4), and only the Fuji TV system had the same channel number in the Tokyo and Osaka areas.
The reason why MBS chose channel 4 was that many TV receivers at that time had only 6-channel tuners, and channel 10, which was the end number, was said to be disadvantageous in terms of sales policy, and that NHK TV had not used it before.
Since its opening, MBS has emphasized 4 by introducing the "4 mark". In the April 1975 reorganization when the network affair was dissolved, The Drifters used the catchphrase "Channel 4 from April!". In this way, "Channel 4" was established, and the remote control key ID for digital TV broadcasting became "4" (all other Osaka wide area stations also used the same remote control key ID as analog).
In addition to the remote control key ID "4", RKB Mainichi Broadcasting in Fukuoka Prefecture uses "4" for the same reason.
In principle, the remote control key ID "4" is used by many Nippon Television affiliates , but the remote control key ID for Yomiuri TV broadcasting of the same Osaka wide area station and Nippon Television affiliated quasi-key station is the parent of the analog broadcasting channel. The same "10" as the analog station is used.