Japanese People’s High Dependence on the Mass Media
It’s been over 10 years since I last watched TV or newspapers.
As a child, I used to watch anime and other TV shows, but I grew tired of the media’s biased reporting and completely stopped watching.
Japan’s media is unique compared to other countries. All TV stations report major news stories in the same, scripted manner.
While other countries have independent reporters who report alternative news from multiple angles, Japan only reports from one perspective.
When major news stories are reported by the government or other organizations, I investigate them from multiple angles to see if there’s something behind them.
Many Japanese people believe exactly what the media reports and never question it.
The coronavirus pandemic was a particularly symbolic example of this recently.
When the media stoked fears about the coronavirus, the majority of citizens followed their instructions.
I’ve always been skeptical of the media, researching extensively and acting in a way that goes against the majority.
I came across a report on the degree of media dependence around the world on an overseas website.
As expected, Japan came in first place by a long way. The report said that over 70% of the population relies on the media.
I have no idea why they can trust the media so readily.
