History
TV Asahi began as "Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd." (NET) (株式会社日本教育テレビ, Kabushiki-gaisha Nihon Kyōiku Terebi?, "The Japanese Educational Television Company") on November 1, 1957. It was established as a for-profit educational television channel, which was (and still is) quite rare in the world television industry. At the time, its broadcasting license dictates that the network is required to devote at least 50% of its airtime to educational programming, and at least 30% of its airtime to children's educational programming. The station was owned by Asahi Shimbun, Toei Company, Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Obunsha.
However, the for-profit educational television model eventually proved to be a failure. In 1960, NET began its transformation into a general-purpose television station. It began to broadcast anime and foreign movies. So as not to run afoul of the educational TV license requirements, NET justified the airing of these programs under the pretext of "nurturing a child's emotional range" (子供の情操教育のため) and "introduction of foreign cultures" (外国文化の紹介). At the same time, NET also changed its common name from "Nihon Educational Television" to "NET TV" (NETテレビ).
Seven years later, in 1967, NET aired its first colour broadcast programme.
NET's transformation into a general-purpose television station was complete by November 1973, when NET, along with educational channel "Tokyo Channel 12" (now TV Tokyo) in Tokyo applied and received a general purpose television station license. At the same time, NET renamed itself to NET General Television (総合局NET), and was renamed as "Asahi National Broadcasting Company, Limited" (全国朝日放送株式会社, Zenkoku Asahi Hōsō Kabushiki-gaisha?, commonly named "TV Asahi") on April 1, 1977.
In 1996, TV Asahi established the All-Nippon News Network (ANN) (オールニッポンニュース・ネットワーク, Ōru Nippon Nyūsu Nettowāku?), and began a number of reforms, including the unification of all presentation styles on its regional networks and the creation of a new logo to give Asahi the look and feel of a national television network. On October 1, 2003, TV Asahi moved its head office from its Ark Hills Studio to Roppongi Hills, and the station was renamed "TV Asahi Corporation", with the name presented as "tv asahi" on-screen.
The transmission of international aquatics competitions, World Cup football matches, and creation of popular late-night TV programs contributed to a rise in ratings for TV Asahi, and lifted the TV station from its popularly ridiculed "perpetual fourth place" finish into second place, right behind Fuji TV, by 2005.
The station also launched its own mascot, Gō EX Panda (ゴーエクスパンダ, Gō Ekkusu Panda?), also known as Gō-chan (ゴーちゃん。?) Gō-chan is currently seen on TV Asahi's opening sign-on ID.
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