The Japanese News Cycle
In the Internet Age, it is amazing how quickly news travels from ear to ear, or screen to screen. Insightful analysis of the Presidential Debates is posted to blogs worldwide in real time. Sports events around the world are covered live on cable TV, and often streamed on the internet. The pace of the news cycle has completely changed since the days of the six o’clock news; “more at 11!”. We now have news free flowing 24/7, from all directions, and in many forms. This is why I was a bit surprised when I read this article from Japan Today over my morning coffee.
Jumbo jet passes within 200 meters of Tokyo Tower
An Orient Thai Airways chartered jumbo jet passed within 200 meters of the tip of Tokyo Tower in the early hours of Sept 19, Ministry of Transport officials said Monday.
OK, so this happened on September 19, and today is October 19, so the Japanese news cycle on potential disasters is only one month. Doesn’t this seem like something that should have been on the news THAT NIGHT? This pilot was a sneeze away from crashing into Tokyo Station! Who is being protected here? Who chartered that plane? Why have heads not been put up on poles? This plane flew within a few hundred meters of downtown Tokyo.
By the way, there is no mention of alarms going off, arrests being made, or fines being levied. Whoever was on that plane must have some good friends… or deep pockets.