NationStates Jolt Archive

Kiwiland News Network, established in NIC 131, is a joint news services provided by Asahi Shimbum and Yomiuri Shimbum, with the financial bakings of Sony Group, Mitsubishi Group, Mitsui Group and the Crown Enterprises.

KNN brings bring accurate news to you near-instantaneously in printed, televised and internet formats. Independent in every way from politics and business, all news presented are objective and where possible verified, free from the usual propaganda pollution that taints many other publications.


Type
Cable Television Network
Online Newspaper
Printed Daily Newspaper

Publications & Channels
Daily Papers:
- Asahi Shinbun (Mon, Wed, Sat)
- Yomiuri Shinbun (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Evening Papers:
- Asahi Evening Edition (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
- Yomiuri Evening Edition (Mon, Wed, Sat)
Online Versions:
- Asahi News Online
- Nippon TV News Online
- Yomiuri News Online
Specials:
- Asahi Technology Supplement
- Asahi Society Supplement
- Entertainment Daily Yomiuri
- Financial Asahi
- Lifestyle Yomiuri
- OSE Daily Yomiuri Journals
- Sunday Asahi
- Yomiuri Education Supplement
- Yomiuri Literary Supplement
Television Networks:
- Nippon TV News
- Nippon News Business
- TV Asahi News 24
- Yomiuri TV World News
- Yomiuri News Congress

Chief Executive Editor
Mika Fukoa

Deputy Managing Editors
Shiro Foyles (television)
Desdescia Mons (online)
Veron Lurida (printed)

Ownership
Mitsui Bank - 17%
Royal Estates - 15%
Sony Finance - 14%
Nikon - 12%
Mitsubishi Tokyo Bank - 9%
Nippon Paper - 8%
Sony Computer Sciences Laboratory - 8%
Royal Food Processing - 7%
Nippon Yusen - 4%
Royal Forestry - 3%
Sony Computer - 3%

The United Kingdom of Eurasia welcomes the Kiwiland News Network to operate in our nation. As a reciprocal gesture, it would be appreciated if Newer Kiwiland would allow for the Eurasian Broadcasting Group to broadcast into your nation.


OOC: The thread for that is in my signature.

KIWILAND TO BE ADS FREE

19 April NIC 131, Osaka - Yomiuri reporter Mike Takedu reports on the new Government bill outlawing advertisements


After 9 years of hearings, at 12:58 a.m. today, Congress have finally passed the Marketing Regulations Act during an extended joint session. According to live broadcasts by the Yomiuri News Congress channel, a vote was finally forced by Senator Neco Ricciele, who apparently announced in disgust that 'this body has dishonored the trust manadated to us by the citizens of the Empire... it is disgraceful after 9 years, this bill is still stuck on the floor'.

The bill passed by the incredibly close count of 14-13 in the Senate, 121-119 in the House of Councillors, 241-239 in the House of Representatives, and finally 436-434 in the General Assembly. Political commentator Sota Wumira wrote extensively on this in his online blog, saying it 'reflects deeply on just how indecisive our Congree can be; without strong leadership our country will be paralysed'.

His Majesty Emperor Reinc Eluys, by contrast, granted the bill Royal Assent in a record low of 186 seconds, at 1:01 a.m. Insider sources claims that the Emperor, having at last finished dealing with affairs of the state, was taking a break to watch TV. News of the bill's passing reportedly arrived at the same time as an ads break. Prime Minister Eleen Toleda, who was said to have passed by His Majesty's office while on the way to the kitchen, signed the bill into law at 1:02 a.m., another record.

The first responses came from Jon Suzuma, CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, who applaudes the government for what she sees as the 'most intelligent move since the bill was introduced 9 years ago'. Mistubishi Heavy Industries recently saw declining sales which some market experts, including Dr. Hulk Fruslyech, alleges to be due to inadequent marketing.

Several others, however, were angry at the development. Marketing industry legend Tras Shruskechev denounced the government for 'oppress[ing] the free market'. Out of work artist Kilan Macilan cursed the entire government for 'enslaving the public with television'.

Nevertheless, many in the public feels that this move has gotten rid of a major nuisance for them, says villager Olork San. So just what is generating this many emotions? Readers beware, below are actual technical details.

Starting from 1 May, all commercial advertisements will be banned in Kiwiland's TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, internet sites and other publications. Several exceptions apply. For TV, 5 minutes per 2 hours will be allowed for companies to advertise promotional offers, new products, and special sales. No charges may apply, and the air time is administered by a new government agency, the Bureau for Marketing Regulations. Other medium have similar measures in place, but one thing is clear: traditional advertisements are out.

Instead, the Bureau for Marketing Regulations will issue a publication called the Kiwiland Commercial Services and Products Listings. It will list every single product or services on sale in Kiwiland, according to category and in alphabetical order. Each company will be allowed half a page page in which to place images and descriptions of their products, all of which will be designed by employees of the Bureau. New releases however will get a whole page for 1 month.

An abbreviated version of the KCSPL, called KCSPL-Express, containing only product names and single line descriptions, will be mailed out to every citizen once a month. A concise list, called the KCSPL-Lite, will allow listed items one-fifth of the page's space, and will be made avaliable in every major government building and library in the nation. It will also be avaliable on order.

The complete list will be found in several places, but for most citizens access will be through the internet at ictp://klw.govt.kwl/BMR/KCSPL-Complete.doc. In order to facilitate this access the Bureau for Marketing Regulations will open branches at every location convenient to citizens.

Finally, to compensate for TV, newspapers, radios and other industries that depends on advertisement for income, the government will now subsidies them. In the case of TV, once again, the government, acting through the Bureau for Marketing Regulations, will fund the production of programmes according to the ratings. Fundings are also to be adjusted with inflation. Newspaper, on the otherhand, will be paid a certain amount everyday based on circulation, the aim being to bring revenues up to current levels.

The most hard hit under this new law, the marketing experts, will all be provided employment in the government, mostly by the Bureau for Marketing Regulations. Representative Asla Fusiyu, however, told us that they can still expect employment for promotional offers that will still be allowed.

The United Kingdom of Eurasia welcomes the Kiwiland News Network to operate in our nation. As a reciprocal gesture, it would be appreciated if Newer Kiwiland would allow for the Eurasian Broadcasting Group to broadcast into your nation.


OOC: The thread for that is in my signature.

OOC: lol damn, didn't get the first reply :D

IC:

Kiwiland Message to The United Kingdom of Eurasia

Thank you for your kind offer. Representatives from KNN has informed us that Yomiuri TV World News is interested in setting up operations in Eurasia, and that with your permission, localised publications would be set up.

In exchange we will be glad to welcome the Eurasian Broadcasting Group to operate within our borders. Additionally, it has come to our attention that our nations do not maintain formal diplomatic relationships at this time; we will therefore venture to invite Eurasia to set up an embassy in Osaka. As usual, if you accept construction costs would be paid for by HM the Emperor of Kiwiland, with revenues from the Crown Lands.

Lus Coralin
Kiwiland Foreign Minister

MYSTRY IN A DOCKYARD

21 April NIC 131, Yokohama - Yomiuri reporter Saiko Sazawa reports on the Government's progress in implementing the Toleda-Saigg Plan


It has been 1 year and 3 months since the Toleda-Saigg Plan was announced by the new Government of His Majesty Emperor Reinc Eluys. Today at the Naval Dockyards of Yokohama, we see that construction on our new fleet is progressing steadily.

The Navy's new prized ship, Atago Class Guided Missile Destoryers, are top class vessels armed with 96 cell VLS. It is here that they are being constructed, with 4 ships laid down last year, and 6 more this year. Naval spokesperson Dujayev Kragg told us that 'with 10 more ships entering construction next year, the Atago Class will form the backbone of Imperial defenses on the high seas'.

KNN has been granted an exclusive tour of the facilities; after our visit we can confirm that the first 4 ships are near completion, and the others are not too far behind. Workers are putting them together with amazing speed, inside outwardly shabby warehouse looking buildings. Security is tight, however; 2 full battalions of guards keeps every unauthorised personnell at a distance, and anti-air craft batteries are deployed in all directions. In the words of Colonel Nikahil Etuwara, commander of the defenses, 'no ant crawls under my nose'.

During our tour we were however kept from entering a certain facility at the centre of the complex. All we were told is that it is offlimits to everyone. We went to senior military advisor Ellandria Hoshira of the Osaka think tank Project for Armed Resistance, who analysed the situation in detail. According to her, this is conclusive evidence that the Government is running a secret project and keeping it from public view:

'I would think that the Government is developing a new weapon, judging from its size most likely a new ship - perhaps an air craft carrier, in the event that America turns down our purchase request. I can't say whether it is a good thing or not, lacking evidences, but this has not been announced at all. While of course the government needs to maintain secrecy when it comes to matters of national security, it does make one wonder. Of course, it is probably being funded through Crown Lands revenues.'

The Ministry of Defence refused to comment.

LONG LABELS FOR 'CRAZY' ACTIVIST

21 April NIC 131, Tokyo - Asahi reporter Joa Reustev reports on right wing activist's shocking speech


Self-identified 'Righteousness Activist' Putlen Yameyenev spoke today in the streets of Akihabara, Tokyo, on the topic of 'asserting the greatness of the Kiwiland nation'.

Huge crowds had been queueing outside department store chain giant Mitsukoshi's FC Games store in Akihabara, the only place Today highly anticipated game Initial Sci-Fi XII, according to authoritative magazine Familitsu the crowning glory of gaming console Playstop 2, would be avaliable from for a week.

Unfortunately for fans, the game will only be avaliable from 5 p.m. onwards. Due to its high popularity, many have been waiting since the day before.

Eyewitnesses said that Putlen Yameyenev arrived on scene at about 1 p.m. He proceeded to advocate his ideological and political views to the queueing buyers.

'I was simply horrified,' engineering stuent Ken Ryohan told us. 'He was talking about attacking other nations and driving their people off their lands! I will never support such an affront to human dignity and rights!'

His friend, psychology student Miho Sugihara, said that Ken was so horrified he even left the queue. 'Good for him though; worse was to come. That crazy, f***ing bastard wants our government to enslave prisoners of war to work the Siberian lands! I say Kiwiland don't welcome his sort!'

Political commentators, however, defended Putlen Yameyenev's rights to free speech. 'Yes, he's a stain on our nation's name; but we can't deny him his constitutional rights,' Professor Rui Dentena, teaching Political Sciences at Imperial Kyoto University, said. 'Fighting fire with fire only hurts all of us.'

Regardless, the queueing gamers of Akihabara were devastated and emotionally traumatised by the experience. While many does indeed agree that Kiwiland cannot limit freedoms of speech, most felt that they should have asked him to leave sooner.

Apparently, the crowd did nothing about Putlen Yameyenev until 3:25 p.m., when retired manager Layak Revento finally asked him to leave. 'I guess we all thought he would leave us alone after a while,' he told us. 'After all we don't interfere with the rights of a fellow citizen. But by 3:25? I had enough. I asked him to leave 3 times, he refused.'

After that, both the Police and KNN were notified. We arrived on sight to hear the activist talk of 'wage war until the spirit of Kiwiland flies across all of the Antarctic! We will build monuments dedicated to our fallen warriors on Pluto! We will exterminate those filthy non-Kiwiland-citizen-humans with impunity! We will turn Russia into a giant parking land!'

At this point many in the queue had been forced out by his merciless rhetoric. However, the Police was unable to do anything until 5:15 p.m., when lawyer Der Halastrov suggested that Putlen Yameyenev might be forced to go for 'excessive noise pollution'.

It failed, but Yameyenev got thirsty and reportedly went home.

Yameyenev continued to shout such phrases as 'death to all before me' or 'we are right' as he left, but Police soon began exmining his victims for signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The FC Games store's owner Elaine Banato appeared with her ears blocked, tearfully apologising to the queueing buyers.

Political analysts call activists like this 'ultra-right wings', according to Dr Neel Fuletrokov of Imperial Primorsky University. 'They advocate extreme, militaristic and inhumane approaches.' However he agrees too that Yameyenev seemed too extreme even for that label.

'I believe this is something we should call the Neo-Ultra-Right-Anti-Liberal-Conservative,' Professor Oto Jahantsu, of Imperial Osaka Universitry, asserted. 'They are against the conservative ideals of liberty, democracy and free trade. They are against the liberal ideals of working through international bodies. In short they are against pretty much everything we would rationally do.'

'We must be careful,' she also adds. 'Herein lies the path to our nation's destriction.'

The mentioned FC Games store owner Elaine Banato is offering the game at half price to all present, including those who were forced to leave earlier. To claim your copy please call her on 595 (8659-2542) 648 7856 74, with proper evidences that you were queuing. Please consult the Yomiuri News Online for photographs of the scene, from when the Yomiuri news crew visited in the morning.

However, it may take some time before she realised that she still couldn't hear anything due to blocked ears.

CHEAP BUDGET NOT IN SIGHT

14 March Kenmu 4, Osaka - Yomiuri reporter Toru Kanazawa reports on the newly approved budget for the upcoming new fiscal year


With the completion of the Toleda-Saigg Plan and its carefully constructed budget, government spending entered a major revision late last year. As economist Alexander Gamanov stated in December, "hopefully we'll finally get that tax cut they've been talking about".

Sadly, this is not to be the case. Although the Rearmament has now finished, the military is looking towards more offensive capabilities that will give Kiwiland more strategic security, according to artist Kilan Macilan, employed by the Ministry of Defence for conceptual artwork. At the same time, Universities around the nation has demanded more fundings for their research projects, characterised by Professor Aya Kawakami's "stop bugging me about teaching unless you're ready to pay".

All of this have served to kill off any budget reduction the government may have planned.

In any case, after a month long of characteristic politcal wrestling in the Imperial Congress, the budget as well as principle frameworks for the next 3 years have finally been approved by a vote of 21-6 in the Senate, 135-105 in the House of Councillors, 298-182 in the House of Representatives, and finally 722-148 in the General Assembly.

The highlight of the boring process is a collective call by the 12 Russian Senators to double the military budget on the 4th of March. Because 5 of the Japanese Senators already opposed the proposed budget, this effectively blocked the bill for the next 10 days.

Royal Senator HIH Hikohito, the Prince Iwakura, expressed outrage at "a segment of our society abusing their privileges" and condemned the "militaristic Nazi imitator" Siberian Conservative Party Senator Vyacheslav Pavlovich Dzhugashvili, who staged the whole incident. This sentiment is shared by many of his colleagues after Senator Dzhugashvili began his long, torturous speeches on the 12th.

One of the most memorable passage is "...filthy slime! Revolting incestious shit! Corpse f*** ***** ******** ****** ******* **** ****! ***** ****! ****** **** *******! ****** *** ***** ***** ****** ****! **** *****! **** **** ***** ******* ****! ******! ****** **** ***** ***** ****** ****! ***** ******** ****** ******* **** ****! ***** ****! **** ***** ***** ****** *****!"

He then paused to drink water, at which point Senator Nobuyasu Satake promptly stood and proposed the Siberian Development Project in exchange for no increase in military spending.

Senator Dzhugashvili's allies deserted him immediately.

The new budget was then passed as follows:

Administration Budget: $108,187,636,246 (6% of Budget)
Commerce Budget: $108,187,636,246 (6%)
Futuris Fish Imports: $19,500,000,000
Defense Budget: $162,281,454,369 (9%)
Constructions: $1,500,000,000 (limit)
Operations/Maintenance: $47,071,476,036
Personnel Salaries: $39,226,230,030
Procurement: $28,000,000,000 (limit)
19DD Project: $300,000,000 (increase to total limit)
Future Combat Vehicle Project: $100,000,000 (increase to total limit)
Kenmu Project 1: $3,500,000,000 (total limit)
Kenmu Project 2: $4,500,000,000 (total limit)
Kenmu Project 3: $12,000,000,000 (limit)
Strategic Oil Reserve Purchases: $26,083,748,303 (430,000 barrels)
Education Budget: $306,531,636,030 (17%)
Envrionment Budget: $54,093,818,123 (3%)
Healthcare Budget: $270,469,090,615 (15%)
Law and Order Budget: $126,218,908,954 (7%)
Public Transport Budget: $36,062,545,415 (2%)
Public Works Budget: $162,281,454,369 (9%)
Siberian Development Project: $70,000,000,000 (limit)
Social Equality Budget: $90,156,363,538 (5%)
Social Welfare Budget: $378,656,726,861 (21%)

One of the biggest changes is seen in the Social Welfare budget. One of the leading architects behind the proposal, Representative Asla Fusiyu, explains that this fall is due to the "economic recovery eliminating th need to alleviate hardship, as well as new Siberian Project bringing wealth" into Siberia to replace welware.

According to political analyst and former Minister of State Munenori Sanjō, however, the real motivation is most likely that last year's welfare budget far exceeds demand.

The United Island States of AHSCA would welcome the print media into it's island borders, and would request that it cover our acention to state hood. There is still much controversy surrounding us becoming a state and thus declaring our indpendence from a group of hostiles as well as breaking free of our protection status.

We will be glad to do business with the United Island States of AHSCA. Reporters have been dispatched immediately to your country, so that we may get to understand your nation better.

Greetings,

The Altanar International Media Service (AIMS) would like to set up a joint venture with the Kiwiland News Network. We would like to carry your programming as part of the international programming already available in our nation. In return, would you be interested in carrying the AIMS lineup (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=521831) of services in your nation? A reciprocal agreement is not required for us to carry KNN in Altanar, but we feel it would be mutually beneficial for both of our nations.

SATSUMA BACK AND WETTER

21 March Kenmu 5, Kagoshima - Asahi reporter Kisa Fujino reports on the government plans for a massive upgrade of naval shipbuilding capabilities


Japan had long been a major shipbuilding nation. With her acquisition of Siberia, however, time and time again efforts on land were expanded at the expense of the seas. In the 1990s this finally reach a new low, forcing many minor shipbuilders out of business.

Although the Royal Enterprise Group tried to bail them out, lack of business eventually meant that most of the these simply became idle company assets. We were able to locate Alende Kourniv, long time employee at a Kobe Dockyards, who claimed that "yeah, I have'nt had any work to do for about...errm.... 10 years".

However, the Government is finally prepared to change its stance. Following the announcement of the Yamato-Kai class lead ship's launch, a marked shift of focus was demonstrated in the Kenmu 5 Defence White Paper, which analysed the American Empire to be Kiwiland's most likely potential enemy - the first time this title was awarded to someone other than "Russian communist rebels", Professor Narimori Ueda informed the Asahi.

In the same analysis, the Ministry of Defence has deemed it necessary to embark on a massive arms buildup, a view approved by Congress today when the new year's budget was finalised. Rather than 3 Yamato-Kai class battleships, as planned, Kenmu 5 calls for the Matime Force to field 7 battleships and 15 more Guided Missile Destroyers, as well as a major expansion of naval prodcution capabilities.

Industry expert Mitsurugi Murakami states that Kiwiland is only capable of producing at half the required rate.

The Government's response is the Kagoshima Maritime Defence Project. Located in the old Satsuma domain, the birthplace of modern Japanese navy, the Project aims to construct a series of dockyards and drydocks allowing for simulatenous construction on up to 48 ships, including specialised facilities for 4 Yamato-Kai Battleships.

The project is slated to take place over 30 months. Total costs are projected as $18.427 billion. Once completed it will employ 3,200 workers, as well as roughly 12,000 robotics systems that well help increase construction speed and reliability. The following private firms will also be involved:

Kawasaki Shipbuilding - dockyard management
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - robotics systems maintenaince
Mitsui Shipbuilding - quality control
Primorsky Minings - raw materials
Sumitomo Metal Industries - metal works

Funding will be split evenly between the commerce and defence budgets. According to an unamed source from inside the government, this is because the dockyards are expected to be used for commercial purposes when not producing warships.

The centerpiece of the naval shipbuilding campaign, meanwhile, will compose of 6 more Yamato Kai battleships to complement the exisitng Battleship Musashi. These have been rumoured, with some confirmation, to be named after the Old Provinces Shinano, Kii, Satsuma, Settsu, Aki, and Ōmi.

Greetings,

The Altanar International Media Service (AIMS) would like to set up a joint venture with the Kiwiland News Network. We would like to carry your programming as part of the international programming already available in our nation. In return, would you be interested in carrying the AIMS lineup (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=521831) of services in your nation? A reciprocal agreement is not required for us to carry KNN in Altanar, but we feel it would be mutually beneficial for both of our nations.

The KNN would be glad to cooperate with the AIMS.

In fact, a new channel, News International, will soon be created, and AIMS programmes will be among the first to become avaliable. Right now this channel will provide AIMS programmes as well as a few other overseas programmes, but as international broadcasters in Kiwiland increases, we will expand the number of channels to ensure that as much AIMS contents as possible would be avaliable.

Please note, however, that advertisement is generally prohibited from being shown in Kiwiland by statue. As a result, AIMS programmes will have all and any informercials edited out before being shown in Kiwiland. In order to show the latest shows as close to real time as possible, then, we will alternate between showing AIMS Television and AIMS International Herald contents.

Please do not be deterred. Government subsidies will be paid to AIMS in order to compensate for any loss in revenue.

We are pleased to accept these arrangements. In return for the subsidies, if you wish to allow advertising on your broadcasts in Altanar to generate revenue, please feel free to do so, subject to any and all laws regarding broadcast and print advertising. We look forward to working with you.