 | |
Native name | フジサンケイグループ |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Fujisankei Gurūpu |
| Formerly | Fuji Sankei Group(-1985) |
| Company type | Keiretsu Media conglomerate |
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Nobutaka Shikanai |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Website | fujisankei-g.co.jp |
The Fujisankei Communications Group (フジサンケイグループ, Fujisankei Gurūpu), abbreviated FCG, is Japan’s largest media conglomerate.[1] Its chairman is Hisashi Hieda. In 1991, it was the largest media company in the world[2] and the largest in now days Japan.[3] In the same year, the company's yearly revenue was $5 billion.[4] Many of its affiliates are owned by Fuji Media Holdings, itself a member of the Fujisankei Communications Group.
The Fujisankei Communications Group was created in 1967 as part of an agreement between the radio stations Nippon Broadcasting System and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, the television broadcaster Fuji Television and the newspaper Sankei Shimbun.[5][6] This media conglomerate was founded by Nobutaka Shikanai.[7] "Fujisankei" is a portmanteau of Fuji Television and Sankei Shimbun.
In 1985, Haruo Shikanai became executive chairman and CEO of Fuji Television Network, Sankei Shimbun, and Nippon Broadcasting System, as well as executive chairman and CEO of the Fujisankei Communications Group. Haruo dramatically improved Fuji Television's performance and made it the number one entertainment company in Japan.
In 1988, Haruo died of acute liver failure at the age of 42. That same year, Hisashi Hieda, who had led Fuji Television's growth in tandem with Haruo, was appointed President and CEO of Fuji Television Network.
In October 1989, Fujisankei paid former United States president Ronald Reagan $2 million to help the company with public relations. Reagan toured Japan for nine days and made two speeches.[4][8][9]
In 1991, Fujisankei spent $50 million to found the Fujisankei California Entertainment, a film company. The film company was headed by Masaru Kakutani, who produced Antarctica and The Adventures of Milo and Otis, which were the two highest-grossing "domestically made" movies in Japan.[10]
In 2005, Hisashi Hieda was appointed chairman of the Fujisankei Communications Group. Hieda, then Chairman and CEO of Fuji Television Network, restructured the group's capital structure, won a hostile takeover bid for Livedoor led by Takafumi Horie, and established Fuji Television Network as an operating holding company.
In 2008, Fuji Media Holdings, a pure holding company overseeing the group, was established, with Hisashi Hieda as the first executive chairman and CEO.
In 2018, Fuji Media Holdings sold Sankei Living Shimbun Inc. to RIZAP Group. Accordingly, the group discontinued the Living Newspaper Group segment.
The group also has close links with the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group, Chunichi Shimbun (Chunichi), Hokkaido Shimbun Press (Doshin), Nishinippon Shimbun; Toho is the largest shareholder of Fuji Media Holdings and Hankyu Hanshin Holdings is the second-largest shareholder in Kansai Television (KTV), Fuji TV's affiliate station in the Kansai region (where Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group mainly operates). Chunichi owns Tokai Television Broadcasting (THK) and other Fuji Network companies in the Central Japan Region (Chubu), Doshin owns Fuji Network's Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting (UHB), and the Nishinippon Shimbun owns Fuji Network's Television Nishinippon Corporation (TNC).
