Editorial policies in newspapers are ideally formed through accumulated debate and reflection. In reality, however, they often become rigid and ceremonial, shaped by organizational inertia and management culture. This section examines structural issues within newspaper editorial systems.

The executives in charge of editing and editorial commentary are utterly trivial people.
2018-01-15.
The following continues from the previous chapter.
The executives responsible for editing and commentary are truly trivial people.
Even after speaking this badly about the Tokyo Shimbun, I am still being paid (laughs).
If they do not wish to pay me, they do not have to.
But I would like to tell them not to engage in overly self-important debates.
Takayama.
Hasegawa is essentially like a freelancer anyway (laughs).
Asahi once protested to me saying, “We do not have an editorial policy of toppling the Abe administration,” but of course newspapers do have their own positions.
At the Sankei Shimbun, there was something called an editorial conference.
Regarding how to view an issue, even a single international problem would be discussed from Western perspectives and Middle Eastern viewpoints by those in charge.
It was educational, and there would naturally emerge a sense that although this issue had been treated in a certain way in past coverage, perhaps it should now be reinterpreted differently.
A company creed or editorial stance is born from such accumulated discussions.
That becomes the newspaper’s character as well.
Hasegawa.
There are formal company creeds in appearance.
But in reality, there is no high-level discussion, only salaried employees putting on airs and delivering plausible-sounding lectures.
The other day, a current reporter unusually called me and said he wanted to talk.
When I asked why, he said, “There is finally a sense that ‘Tokyo Shimbun cannot continue as it is now,’ and meetings are frequently held within the company about what to do. So we want to hear from Hasegawa, who has long been working beyond the company framework.”
Well, Tokyo Shimbun probably has some awareness.
But the outlook is bleak.
Because incompetent executives are controlling the company.
I believe it will continue to decline.
Unless they have the courage to let me write a column, of course (laughs).
To be continued.