Summary

Speaker Kaori Hayashi
Professor, Media and Journalism Studies, The University of Tokyo /Abe Fellow (2014)
Commentator Tetsuo Jimbo
Journalist, Founder and CEO/Editor-in-Chief of Internet TV VIDEONEWS.COM
Moderator Hiroki Sugita
Columnist, Kyodo News Agency
When Tuesday, November 27, 2018, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Where Sakura Hall, 2nd Floor, The Japan Foundation Headquarters Main Building Access
4-4-1 Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Outline In many developed western countries, the increase in digital media use has been accompanied by mass ideological polarization, which has given rise to discussions of "distrust in the media." Matters have only worsened with the spread of "fake news" on social media platforms. This has recently garnered attention as a pressing social issue. So, what is the situation in Japan?
Compared to western nations, polarization of views and/or a distrust in the media is not as observable among the general populace. The general public of Japan appear to believe that Japanese media, in the midst of a high growth period, is overall "unbiased, non-partisan journalism," and do not take a critical stance toward its methods of expression or political nature. On the other hand, there is an observable right-wing shift and radicalization of certain segments of the media. The indifference of average citizens to these segments has created a disconnect between the media and the general populace that only deepens as, in a vicious cycle, the media attempts to bridge the disconnect by radicalizing further. In this presentation, The speaker will review comparative global data on these issues, and see what we may discern about the present, and the future, of Japanese media in the digitalization generation.
Language Presentation in Japanese with English questions accepted.
Admission Admission free. Booking required.
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Speaker Profile

Kaori Hayashi: Professor at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies at the University of Tokyo, specializing in Journalism and Media. Previous experiences include work as a correspondent for Reuters Tokyo Branch Office, Research Assistant at the Institute of Socio-Information and Communication Studies, the University of Tokyo, and visiting researcher (A.v. Humboldt-Fellow) at University of Bamberg in Germany. From April 2016 to March 2017 under the Abe Fellowship Program, Hayashi joined Free University of Berlin (Germany), Northwestern University U.S.A.), and University of London (U.K.) as a visiting researcher. In 2017, she published “medeia fushin (Media Distrust)” via Iwanami Shinsho Publishing. Other publications include “onna・kodomo no jyaanarizumu-kea no rinri totomoni (Journalism about Women and Children- With the perspectives of “care” ethics) which was awarded the 4th Uchikawa Yoshimi Memorial Mass Communication academic society award. For more information, please see her homepage: http://www.hayashik.iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp/External link

Photo of Kaori Hayashi

Commentator: Tetsuo Jimbo

Photo of Tetsuo Jimbo

Moderator: Hiroki Sugita

Photo of Hiroki Sugita

Contact

Abe Fellowship Program
Social Science Research Council Tokyo Office
C/O The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership
4-16-3 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0004, Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-5369-6085 / Fax: +81-(0)3-5369-6042