Ask John: What Are Japanese TV Channels Like?

Question:
I wonder what television stations in Japan look like. I have heard of TV channels like NHK, TBS, TV Tokyo, TV Fuji and so on. Are there anime on all of these channels or can one find channels in Japan which do not have anime at all in their programing? And what about satellite channels like WOWOW?

Answer:
I’m not familiar enough with Japanese TV to say conclusively, but I have watched enough Japanese TV to be able to tell you that generally all of the Japanese TV stations and broadcasters seem identical to American channels like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. The only real difference is that, typically, Japanese programs have fewer commercial breaks during programs and make up for it by running more commercials between the end of one program and the beginning of the next. Even WOWWOW, which is a pay TV satellite network, is actually no different than any other broadcast channel in terms of its programming and airing of TV commercials. I’m not sure if there are stations that don’t run anime at all, but typically most of the major TV networks in Japan run anime in their regular schedules similar to the way Fox mixes The Simpsons into its regular line-up. Contrary to what many American fans may assume, there is no all-anime TV station even in Japan.