It is over 70 years since radio broadcasting first appeared in Japan, and around 30 years since set up its first nongovernmental radio station. Twenty-five years ago, the first Radio Program Production Company was founded and today there are more than 100 of them.

At present day all radio stations, both state radio stations such as N.H.K and nongovernmental ones, broadcast their programs round the clock, and 80% of the programs are not produced within the stations, but outside by radio program production companies. The reasons leading to such phenomena are various. The first is related to program production cost. Programs used to be produced within the radio stations. Gradually, however, the proportion of staff salary in the production cost increased to such a point that the radio stations had to reduce the staff. With programs

being made within the radio stations, there usually had to be a salary augmentation every year, while the financial support provided by enterprises remained unchanged after it was agreed upon. To put it another way, the only growing part over the years would be the production cost. Under such situation, 25 years ago there appeared some companies specializing in making radio programs, and their number has been growing over the years and now there are as many as over 100 of them.

Secondly, with the increase of broadcasting hours, there is a demand for more programs, but the station staff are limited and the programs they can manage to produce are also limited, especially high-quality, outstanding programs. In order to guarantee that new and original programs can constantly be presented, more capable and creative hosts and hostesses are needed, and many of whom have to be found outside the radio stations. This, in the meanwhile, gives rise to another problem, that is, the low production cost, or in other words, the low production profit. For instance, a 15-minute-long AM program costs 5,000 yen and a FM program of the same lengthen costs 20,000 yen; A program maker has to have several programs at hand if he wants to make ends meet. Some program producers turn out as many as 10 programs a month. To further lower production cost, radio station prefer to entrust individuals rather than companies with programs production. This naturally put production companies into a difficult situation. Some so-called companies have actually only one person. To cope with the difficult situation, some companies begin to produce TV programs and commercial advertisements besides radio programs.

Our company, SELAH, are engaged in lots of other business besides radio programs, such as making video tapes, planning major activities, providing consultant service in designing broadcast studios and presentation halls, as well as import and export of various programs. Production companies are believed to have a bright future, especially around next year, the universal application of communication satellites will bring a great leap in TV and radio broadcasting industry. Encouraged by this promising prospect, many companies have begun to recruit fresh staff members.

At present, Japan has 90 nongovernmental radio station and 50 small regional FM stations, that is 140 in all. Next spring a few more stations will be established and broadcast round the clock through communication satellites. At that time electric waves of about 200 radio stations will be shuttling back and forth in the tiny, crowded sky of Japan. Such is the general situation and prospect of Japan's Radio Program Production Companies.