"Gen Hoshino's All Night Nippon" won the 50th Broadcasting Culture Foundation Award Encouragement Prize

■ “Let’s get anxious together. I think the purpose of today is to spend time together.” (Hoshino Gen)

“Hoshino Gen’s All Night Nippon,” which aired on January 2, 2024, won the Encouragement Award in the radio category at the 50th Broadcasting Culture Foundation Awards.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake of 2024 struck Japan on New Year’s Day. The following day, on January 2nd at 1:00am, “Hoshino Gen’s All Night Nippon” was scheduled to air a recording from the end of 2023, but was suddenly changed to a live broadcast at the suggestion of the personality, Hoshino Gen.

Hoshino Gen and the entire program staff gathered at the Nippon Broadcasting System studio in Yurakucho to deliver the “usual” broadcast to the whole nation, reading emails from listeners as they always do, responding to requests, and telling silly stories, while also empathizing with those listening in the disaster-stricken areas.

“Let’s get anxious together. I think the purpose of today is to spend time together,” said Gen Hoshino. He talked about his song “A Trace of Light,” and said that his visit to Kanazawa had a huge impact on the song, and that he would be happy if he could convey even a little bit of it. He delivered two hours of “sharing thoughts” with the listeners.

The Broadcasting Culture Foundation Award is an annual award given by the Broadcasting Culture Foundation, a public interest incorporated foundation, to outstanding television and radio programs, individuals and groups, and the 50th Broadcasting Culture Foundation Award will be awarded to programs broadcast between April 2023 and March 2024. This will be the fourth consecutive year that a Nippon Broadcasting System program has received the Broadcasting Culture Foundation Award.

■ Reasons for selection
They made excellent use of the characteristics of radio, namely simultaneity and wide range. Thanks to their rationality and consideration, the power of Gen Hoshino and his band is captivating, drawing listeners who were not present at the time into the show.