Paper short abstract:

In times of a changing media landscape, Japan's public broadcaster NHK has to reposition itself. One key factor in this context is the morning drama (asadora), which is closely tied to the concept of the  nation and to 'traditional TV'.

Paper long abstract:

Traditional, nationally oriented television is increasingly dissolving: Audiences today consume media productions independent of time and geographical space. Public broadcasters must reorient themselves and find other ways to address their audience. A particularly interesting example in this context is the Japanese morning drama (asadora), which has been broadcast on NHK since 1961 and is very closely tied to the concept of the nation. The presentation will show how NHK conceptualizes its audience and which strategies the broadcaster uses to reposition asadora in the changing media landscape. With the asadora, it is not only a long-running, quasi-institutionalized TV series that is at stake, but also NHK's role as a public broadcaster and the role of television as a national institution.