Asahi Shimbun Reforms Structure, Abolishes Division System

The Asahi Shimbun on Dec. 1 made a drastic organizational reform, abolishing the conventional division-based structure of editorial departments at its Tokyo and Osaka head offices. Former divisions have been reorganized into groups and centers. The company also adopted a new code of conduct for reporters. The changes are part of editorial reforms prompted by the scandal over fabricated news reports filed by a reporter at its Nagano branch during the 2005 general election.

All staff members in editorial departments in the four head offices, including Nagoya and Seibu (West Japan), are now assigned either to groups or centers, instead of to conventional divisions. The division-based setup was earlier abolished in Nagoya and Seibu.

In the Tokyo and Osaka editorial departments, editors are now assigned to supervise news reporting on certain fields of subjects in collaboration with general editors and to direct the operation of each group of reporters.

The editorial department at the Tokyo head office has been reorganized into 12 groups- foreign news, political affairs, business, city news, education, community-based news, culture, living, labor, medical care, science and sports. Of the 12, the three groups in charge of foreign news, political affairs and business are to be further reorganized into four groups - foreign policy/international affairs, political affairs, economic policy, and industry/finance- on Sept. 1. In addition, three editorial groups are to handle opinion/commentary, the weekend supplement “be,” and letters from readers. The editorial department at the Osaka head office is separated into six groups - business, city news, community news, living/culture, science/medical care and sports.

Expert staff are being reorganized into centers with managers or center chiefs supervising each center. The editorial department in Tokyo now has six centers - page-makeup/copy-reading, photo, design, opinion polls, proofreading and aviation. Osaka has three-- page-makeup/copy-reading, photo and proofreading. The news division at the Hokkaido branch office is now a news center.

Asahi officials said the reforms are aimed at (1) creating a flexible organization that swiftly responds to changes in the times and readers’ interest, (2) reinforcing the editors, and (3) ending the sense of belonging to a division to create higher-quality editorial content that meets readers’ expectations.

The new code of conduct for reporters was formulated in consultation with editors and reporters in the field and by learning lessons from the past, including the fabricated news scandal. The new editorial guidelines apply to all reporters as well as contract-based and non-regular staff members involved in editing and reporting at any Asahi Shimbun publication.

The new code of conduct refers to a “basic posture,” a “method of newsgathering,” “fair and just reporting,” “relations with news sources,” a “ban on use of information for purposes other than news-reporting,” “external activities,” “management of information/reference materials” and other areas. The “basic posture” defines a reporter’ responsibility, independence/impartiality, respect for human rights and accountability to readers.

The full Japanese text of the code of conduct is available at the Asahi Web site. The Asahi Shimbun said that although the new code of conduct is for in-house regulations and rules, it decided to publicize it to demonstrate its commitment to society. A spokesman for the Asahi said the new code of conduct is not designed to tighten regulations on reporters, but is to ensure their freedom of activity by enhancing reader trust in the newspaper.

Nikkei Shifts to Holding Company, Separates Publishing, Digital Media

Nikkei Inc., which publishes Japan’s leading business daily, on Dec. 20 announced a drastic management reform, spinning off of its publishing and digital media operations and transforming its head office into a holding company operating a newspaper business. The changes took effect on Jan. 1.

The newspaper company, better known as the Nikkei, said the changes are aimed at enhancing management operations and consolidating the management's base as a media organization.

Under the changes, the Digital Media Department became Nikkei Digital Media Inc., a separate company. That company, capitalized at 400 million yen with about 160 employees, took over the operation of “Nikkei Net” and other digital media. The Publishing Department became Nikkei Publishing Inc. with capital of 100 million yen and a staff of about 60. Both companies are wholly owned Nikkei subsidiaries and their employees are on loan from Nikkei. The new companies are to be financially self-sufficient.

Nikkei’s head company is now an operations holding company, running the newspaper, overseeing business strategy and adjusting the turfs for group companies. About 70 group companies and the two new companies have been reorganized into four categories- newspaper, digital media, publishing and broadcasting for efficient collaboration and planning.

The authority and responsibility over group firms in publishing and digital media sits with the “group representative” at each of the two new companies.

Nikkei’s head company directly operates the newspaper, while assigning all holding company activities to a corporate planning division.


A Nikkei spokesman said the changes are aimed at eliminating duplication of management resources among group companies and ensuring survival amid heavy competition in the media field. The corporate division will formulate strategies for the entire group and balance group businesses for more synergy under the corporate division at the holding company, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the head company did not split off the newspaper business because the newspaper is Nikkei’s core operation as a media enterprise and that function belongs with the head company.

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