TV coverage of Sakai lacked warning about drug use, says ethics panel

Tuesday 03rd November, 09:02 AM JST

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larguero at 04:04 PM JST - 3rd November

I dont know if with other things they do it. Does NHK say, when reporting a murder, "And remember, killing is bad"?
Beelzebub at 04:51 PM JST - 3rd November

Just the facts, please. I trust my own belief system to tell right from wrong. If I catch a network preaching to me I zap it with the remote control and go back to ogling at models in informercials for weight-reduction supplements.
PepinGalarga at 05:46 PM JST - 3rd November

It's not to the media to make moral judgements. This is journalism 101.

Yeah, maybe the quality of the coverage could be better, but as long as they are raking in the big bucks no one cares.
Sarge at 06:31 PM JST - 3rd November

Hey, they didn't encourage viewers to use drugs, did they? Is it a requirement for them to issue warnings against it? Their job was to report on the Sakai case and they did that.
Gregebre at 06:44 PM JST - 3rd November

They jumped on poor Sakai s case because The other guy, Manabu, was caught with a dead girl due to drug use. Problem is this dude s dad is high up in Jiminto, right before the election, so Jiminto was not ready to let this out big. So poor Sakai got all the s$#t for nothing to cover up the jiminto kid.
Valmain at 10:35 PM JST - 3rd November

I'm with Sarge on this one. No matter how anyone feels about it, this is the news and their job is only to report facts. As soon as they start giving the "drugs are bad, do you want to ruin your life??" BS, they've stepped out of the news realm and into opinion/ government mouthpiece.
usaexpat at 11:42 PM JST - 3rd November

Uh, dragging her through the mud wasn't a sufficient warning against drug use? The whole thing is just plain stupid. She admitted to a few toots and was caught with next to nothing. When is Japan going to grow up and admit that it has a drug problem just like every other country?
mnemosyne23 at 04:23 AM JST - 4th November

I agree that the press should be allowed to function as a FREE press, but at the same time I think they have to learn to exercise a little freaking restraint. They've been treating this Sakai case like it's the Nuremberg trials, with wall to wall coverage morning, noon and night. Yet nowhere in all of that -- nowhere -- has there been anything about WHY the use, manufacture, and distribution of drugs is BAD. "Noriko Sakai has deceived the public with her use of stimulants! Her image is ruined! Her career is over! SO FALL ALL TYRANTS!" That's been the basic gist of every news story I've seen about the case. Yeah, okay, fine. I get that she's famous, and I get that the Japanese media is OBSESSED with overblown coverage of what would constitute as minor drug offenses in much of the modern world. But if you're going to wallpaper your studios with Sakai's tearful visage, the least you could do is say explain just what the heck is wrong with doing drugs. It gives the story a new angle if nothing else.
kirakira25 at 08:37 AM JST - 4th November

I agree with Sarge et al - otherwise as others have said the media becomes nothing mroe than a government mouthpiece for manipulation.

On the other hand, whilst the ignorance surrounding drugs in Japan amazes me sometimes (eg MILs recent question...."Do you know anyone who has ever tried marujuana????" asked in hushed tones. I took great pleasure in my answer - "Yeah, just about everyone INCLUDING YOUR SON and no, that was BEFORE he met me!") I have to admit I dont disagree with ths strictness of the government approach to it.

I am with neverknow2 in that I like the idea of raising my kids in a (relatviely) drug-free environment - unlike at my local UK high school where the corridor between the scicence block and the cafeteria was like a pharmacy market. I get to control the information they receive to an extent anyway, rather than some 12 year old they sit next to in Maths class!
as_the_crow_flies at 08:42 AM JST - 4th November

It advised the broadcasters to ‘‘produce programs that correctly convey the reality of the serious harm that drugs can cause and to guide young people to think and choose not to use drugs.’‘

What they mean is that there should have been images of Kitty-chan plastered all over our screens to help guide and educate those young folk.
sfjp330 at 10:56 AM JST - 4th November

With creative people in general, there is more of a tendency to gravitate toward substance abuse. They push the envelope, and there's no net. They live on the edge and that's risky. They live in a world surrounded by people who adore them and enable them. No one telling them no. They live privileged lives and they don't play by the same rules as the rest of the world. They are crying out for someone to say no to them.
kirakira25 at 12:19 PM JST - 4th November

What they mean is that there should have been images of Kitty-chan plastered all over our screens to help guide and educate those young folk.

Would LOVE to see Kitty-chan on screen with a spliff in hand, bloodshot eyes and a "Just Say No!" message for the kids! Would DEFINITELY pay good licence fee money for that!
Valmain at 02:24 PM JST - 4th November

With creative people in general, there is more of a tendency to gravitate toward substance abuse. They push the envelope, and there's no net. They live on the edge and that's risky. They live in a world surrounded by people who adore them and enable them. No one telling them no. They live privileged lives and they don't play by the same rules as the rest of the world. They are crying out for someone to say no to them.

I would like to respectfully disagree with a few points here.

First, not all users are abusers. Plenty of creative people in media/art are moderate users and live healthy lives. I would say that many creative types do gravitate towards substance use, but some do go overboard and those ones just tend to stick out more (moderate users rarely get TV interviews pertaining to their moderate use).

Next, I would hardly call Nori-P "creative." As far as I know she never wrote one song herself or drafted one script. She's a performer with a semi-cute face who wows crowds.

Third, it seems to me that you're implying that creative people are all rich and spoiled and I hardly think so. Nori-P-esque performer types would be the ones that I would say it that bill. I imagine the creative ones are behind the scenes coming up with the actual content and I know that these people get paid nowhere near as much. I'm sure Nori-P got paid more than those who wrote her music way back when. My friends work at a TV production company and they get paid jack squat for their long hours.

I agree that creative types are typically more drawn to mind-expanding substances. I don't know if it's a desire to live on the edge, or just a curiosity, but it's generally been true among the people that I know. I'm talking about back home and not in Japan, of course.
Patrick Smash at 03:15 PM JST - 4th November

They clearly need a new cute anti-drugs character to convey the full horror of drugs to the average Japanese who cannot understand why "drug is bad". Maybe it should make a quick appearance before and after every TV show, not just on ones about Noriko Sakai.
Yelnats at 03:48 PM JST - 4th November

I agree. A cute dumb mini skirted bimbo would be ideal to talk about how drugs are bad and then give that sideways peace sign.