ABS N24

ABS N24 is a 24-hour news channel owned and operated by Kabushiki Gaisha ABS.
== History ==
ABS N24 was established as an around-the-clock news channel in 1999 by the then-newly formed Kabushiki Gaisha ABS. It was originally scheduled to launch on April 1, 1999 on BS Channel 24, but since the concept of a free-to-air satellite news channel was uncommon at the time, many people thought that the channel would never launch at all, and would be bait for an April Fools joke. ABS N24 responded on March 1st of that year by launching the service 1 month earlier than scheduled.
The channel became an instant success, and is now one of the leading news outlets in Japan.
== N24 Today ==
ABS N24 is one of Japan's most popular foreign-language news channels, and has been dubbed "the Al Jazeera of the East" with its in-depth coverage of unfolding developments in Japan.
Their local rivals include TBS News Bird and Nittele News 24 (it is worth noting that the latter is owned by one of ABS' partners). TV Asahi's NewsStar channel contended fiercely with N24 before it shut down to make way for Tele-Asa Channel 2 (a premium sports/news channel). International pressure upon ABS N24 comes from services such as BBC World News, NHK World and RT. In 2009, ABS N24 occupied NDTV 24x7's Sky EPG slot in the UK and Ireland, marking the channel's debut in Europe. A year later, ABS N24 became available on free-to-air DTT in the UK, when it appeared on the FreeView platform alongside the main ABS International channel.
In 2011, ABS N24 was placed under additional pressure with the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, and subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster. Despite the demands of the situation, ABS N24's coverage of the events was well-received by Japanese domestically and abroad, and by journalists and viewers from all over the world.
In 2014, ABS N24 celebrated its 15th year of operation, and moved into a new studio within the then-recently enlarged ABS Broadcasting Center. The anchors and staff welcomed this change very openly, noting ABS' "Never Looking Back" philosophy.
ABS N24 timeshares with the ABS Television Network's key stations, running as a simulcast when said stations are off the air, in similar fashion to Nippon TV/Nittele News 24.Category:Aso Broadcasting System
Category:News channels