KIKU-TV to handle its own programs

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

JN Productions, which has been responsible for programming prime-time Japanese shows on KIKU-TV for the past 10 years, will turn over its duties to the station beginning in March.

JNP, however, will continue to subtitle Japanese programs for KIKU-TV as part of an agreement with Los Angeles-based KSCI-TV, parent company of KIKU-TV.

Viewers should not notice any difference when the change goes into effect in March, said Phyllis Kihara, KIKU's general manager. "It should be seamless to our viewers," she said.

The change in programming responsibilities will cost JNP about a third of its revenue, said Joanne Ninomiya, JNP's owner and president.

She hopes to make up the loss through increased demand for translation of Japanese animation DVDs and Japanese comic books, which are growing in popularity around the world.

"A lot of the distributors in Europe and, of course, the United States are into Japanese animation," Ninomiya said. "We've been doing their translations and subtitling for years, but that's going to be a big part of our business now."

JNP also has digitally remastered the 1970s android action show "Kikaida" for DVD and works on local video business productions, Ninomiya said.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8085.