Shukan Shincho
Cover of the first issue of Shūkan Shinchō (19 February 1956)
CategoriesNews magazine
FrequencyWeekly
Founded1956
First issue19 February 1956
CompanyShincho-sha
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
WebsiteShukan Shincho

Shukan Shincho (週刊新潮, Shūkan Shinchō) is a Japanese conservative[1][2] weekly news magazine based in Tokyo, Japan. It is considered one of the most influential weekly magazines in the country[2] and is the first Japanese weekly magazine founded by a publishing company which does not own a major newspaper.[3][4]

History and profile

Shukan Shincho was first published on 19 February 1956.[5] The cover of the first issue featured an illustration by Japanese artist Rokuro Taniuchi.[5][6] The magazine is part of Shinchosha, which also founded it, and is published on a weekly basis.[5] Its headquarters is in Tokyo.[7]

Shukan Shincho is a general-news magazine, but it targets men.[2] It claims that "[its] average reader is 41.4 years old, 34.2% are white collar, and 60.9% own their own homes" and that "the majority [of its readers] are upper class, wealthy and intellectually inclined".[2] As of 2017 Mark Schreiber, a contributing author of Japan Times, argued that the readers of the magazine are mostly older and retired Japanese men.[8] The major competitor of the magazine is Shūkan Bunshun.[9]

Content and political stance

Shukan Shincho has a nationalistic and conservative political stance.[2] Shukan Shincho and its rival Shūkan Bunshun are the only major "non-establishment" weekly news-magazines that do not feature pornography. This makes them the magazines of choice for men who want to read so-called alternative news (sources other than the major newspapers and broadcasters) but who don't want to look at, or be seen looking at, pornography.[2] As a result, these two Shūkanshi (weekly magazines) are seen as more socially acceptable to read than theirs rivals.[2] The layouts of these two magazines are also of a better quality than that of their direct competitors.[2] However, these two publications have been described as "especially egregious offenders of journalistic ethics".[2] Shukan Shincho is also described as a tabloid magazine by Mainichi Shimbun, a leading Japanese daily.[9] Shukan Shincho was found guilty of libel in a Tokyo court for publishing an unsubstantiated allegation of murder by a Soka Gakkai member.[10] The magazine was criticized in 2001 for sensationalistic stories regarding a disputed Paleolithic settlement site in Japan.[11] It has also been rebuked for publishing the names and photographs of minors who have been accused of criminal acts, even before their trials began.[7]

Circulation

From October 2014 to September 2015 Shukan Shincho was the ninth-best selling magazine in Japan with a circulation of 537,596 copies.[12]

References

  1. J. A. Mangan; Sandra Collins; Gwang Ok, eds. (2018). The Triple Asian Olympics - Asia Rising: The Pursuit of National Identity, International Recognition and Global Esteem. London; New York: Routledge. pp. 2309–2322. ISBN 9781135714192.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Adam Gamble; Takesato Watanabe (2004). A Public Betrayed: An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West. Washington, DC: Regnery Pub. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-89526-046-8.
  3. Sean Mooney (2000). 5,110 Days in Tokyo and Everything's Hunky-dory: The Marketer's Guide to Advertising in Japan. Westport, CT; London: Quorum Books. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-56720-361-5.
  4. "History of Magazines in Japan: 1867-1988". Kanzaki. 7 July 1996. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Mark Schreiber (20 February 2016). "Deja vu as Shukan Shincho turns back the clock". The Japan Times. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  6. "Vintage Cover Illustrations of Shukan Shincho by Rokuro Taniuchi". Spoon and Tamago. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Magazine IDs student suspect in Nagoya slaying, breaking legal taboo". The Japan Times. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  8. Mark Schreiber (21 October 2017). "Magazines hold their own against TV's 'iron chefs'". Japan Times. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Tabloid magazine Shukan Shincho alleges rival 'stole' scoop from upcoming ad". Mainichi. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  10. "Overview of Case". www.3justice.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2007.
  11. Charles T. Keally (12 November 2001). "Can the "500,000-Year-Old Site" Really be Believed?". Japanese Archaeology. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  12. "10 Most Printed Magazines in Japan, 2015". Hatena Blog. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
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