From Mass Media to Targeted Media

Tomoki MatsudaMatsuda: How did you get involved in television after working in magazines?

Jiro IshikawaIshikawa: To be perfectly honest, I wasn't keen on hosting the TV show 'Tonight 2' at first. I reluctantly agreed after being egged on by people around me. I thought, 'If it doesn't work out, they can replace me anytime.'
But it turned out to be so interesting that I ended up doing it for eight years (laughs). Even so, what I was always thinking about in the studio was magazines.

Television is a medium that broadcasts to an unspecified, mass audience, so there was no way we could compete with magazines by doing the same thing. Television was a threat, an enemy, to magazines. I entered the TV station with the intention of observing the enemy's territory.


But I felt relieved on the first day. What was everyone doing in the staff room? They were looking at magazines to find story ideas (laughs). Television can't beat magazines in terms of the speed and detail of its content. All the staff were aware of this. Of course, television has its own unique fun in how it presents those ideas in an engaging way for a program, but still...

Going back in time, our answer to competing with television was actually 'Popeye' and 'Brutus'. While 'Heibon Punch' had a circulation of one million, 'Brutus' was initially set at 200,000 copies. In other words, we created a targeted medium, not one aimed at the masses, but one that narrowed down to readers who would be interested.

For television, having a large viewership is an absolute value. There's no way they can set a small target audience. Nowadays, there are various issues being discussed, such as staged events and fabrication, but I believe these are caused by the very structure of television itself.

MatsudaIn that regard, BS broadcasting has a clearer target audience than terrestrial broadcasting. I watch it often too.

IshikawaBS is becoming increasingly interesting. Many adults who have given up on terrestrial TV are tuning in, and I sense that sponsors are starting to pay attention. The people who probably understand its appeal the least are the station staff themselves. They still seem to think terrestrial TV is the glamorous option (laughs). It's quite absurd, considering they are involved with the most interesting medium right now.

I Want to Entrust the Future to Energetic Young Editors

MatsudaThe magazines you've worked on still carry the distinct atmosphere of that time.

IshikawaThat's very kind of you to say. However, I feel that the travel magazine 'Gulliver' was an unfinished project. While high-quality travel magazines exist in every country, one hasn't truly taken root in Japan yet. This is precisely because I sense its great potential. I'm hoping some energetic young editor will take it on.

MatsudaDo you have any plans to create one yourself again?

IshikawaNo, I don't think I should be the one to create it. It will definitely be more interesting if a younger person makes it. Just as I was a bit audacious when I was young, and had seniors who let me do as I pleased, we shouldn't take opportunities away from younger people.

The special issue of 'Casa Brutus' in '84, which I created somewhat on a whim, has now become a monthly magazine thanks to the efforts of young editors. Because I didn't cling to it, the current editor-in-chief is active today. That makes me happy.

Therefore, I believe there will come a time when I will hand over the work I'm currently doing to someone else and step aside.

MatsudaSeveral men's luxury magazines have launched recently. Do you have any thoughts on this?

IshikawaI feel that times have changed. I couldn't create something like that myself. If I have one request, it's that magazines should convey more about the depth behind men's interests, rather than just the superficial aspects. For example, with John Lobb shoes, it's not just about the product itself, but rather, 'What kind of craftsman made these beautiful shoes?' or 'What kind of gentleman wears them?' That's what sparks interest, isn't it? I wish they would focus more on that.
That might sound a bit critical, so please write it gently so it doesn't come across that way (laughs).
Concluding the Conversation

The conversation with Jiro Ishikawa, a man I admire, was a moment of pure bliss.
His ideal lifestyle of constantly traveling the world.
Ishikawa, whose very being emanates this way of life,
truly struck me as a captivating 'man of the world' in every respect.
Please let me accompany you on a trip to Asia sometime! (Matsuda)