-
1 The Representation of Femininity in Japanese Television Dramas of the 1990s
- Hong Kong University Press, HKU
- Chapter
- Additional Information
\ The Representatio n o f Femininity i n Japanes e Television Drama s o f the 1990 s ITOMamoru (TranslatedbyTSURUMOTOKaori) Image o f Woman , Powe r o f Representatio n In the 1990s , the Japanese media industry grew rapidly, both in term s of th e range o f consumable medi a an d th e number o f choice s withi n these media products. Within this development of Japan's informatio n environment, ther e wa s a downwar d tren d i n th e audienc e rating s television programs received, to the extent that the number of so-called "mega hit " program s tha t attaine d hig h rating s decline d i n number s (See Tomura 1991 ; Ito and Fujita 1999) . Due to the diversification o f viewer lifestyles , taste s an d interests , and , abov e all , t o th e multiplication of media products, the audience became segmented an d fragmented. Program s tha t transcended gende r o r age differences an d were consume d b y man y viewer s becam e mor e rar e (se e McQuai l 1997). However , i t must b e note d tha t eve n withi n thi s trend , man y of th e televisio n dram a programs , lov e stor y drama s i n particular , which were made for and shown during the primetime — i.e., the time slot beginning a t 8 P M over whic h th e fierces t rating s wa r ar e wage d 26IT OMamoru — continue d t o maintain high audience ratings (althoug h ther e were some differences , o f course , accordin g t o eac h individua l program). 1 Under thes e circumstances , th e relativ e importanc e o f th e lov e stor y drama genr e gre w t o th e exten t tha t i t determine d th e imag e o f th e television statio n an d hel d swa y over it s economi c wellbeing . The backdrop of this development was provided by the marketin g strategies of the television stations in the 1990s , which undertook th e production o f youth-oriente d televisio n drama s t o targe t second generation baby-boomers born in the mid 1970s . Each station poure d concerted effor t int o th e production o f television dramas, by carryin g out research into the desires and wishes of viewers, signing on popular actors and actresses , and hiring popular scriptwriter s and contractin g original projects , i n orde r t o acquir e a s man y viewer s a s possible . Generically referre d t o a s "trend y dramas, " thes e "youth-oriented " drama program s wer e considere d t o be th e mos t importan t strategi c assets of the television stations, and it may even be said that the trend y drama's popularit y wa s guarantee d fro m th e outset . Wha t i s more , interestingly enough , agains t th e backdrop o f th e global cooperatio n of medi a capita l seekin g a n ever-growin g market , thes e Japanes e dramas attaine d widesprea d popularit y durin g th e 1990s , an d wer e consumed by many viewers among South and Southeast Asian youth s in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and other markets (Iwabuchi 2002). However, i t woul d b e a mistak e t o see k th e reason s fo r thes e programs' successe s jus t i n th e broadcastin g companies ' marketin g strategies. Rather , i n understandin g ho w thes e program s cam e t o b e accepted b y man y viewers , emphasi s shoul d b e pu t o n th e cultura l aspects relate d t o program productio n an d reception/consumption . If one were to consider this within the context of Japanese society, the perio d spannin g th e 1980 s an d th e 1990 s wa s a tim e o f rapi d growth i n term s of the society's consumption o f consumer good s an d its acces s t o information ; Japan' s societ y becam e...