Japanese commercial television companies have a problem. The bulk of their programming has always been aimed at relatively young people, because that¡¯s what advertisers want. But young people no longer watch TV, or, at least, not in the numbers they used to. Having grown up in a world ruled by the internet, they may crave the kind of content television offers but have no desire to sit down in front of a TV set at a prescribed time. The people who do watch TV that way are those who have always watched TV. It¡¯s just that they¡¯ve matured while TV programming hasn¡¯t.

, a well-known TV scriptwriter whose was during that time when television was the vanguard medium, understands this problem and thinks it¡¯s unforgivable that TV doesn¡¯t produce entertainment that appeals to older viewers, who, as a matter of fact, have the disposable income advertisers drool over. As he told in an April 5 interview, boomers now find current drama series ¡°boring,¡± even though they still enjoy TV. That¡¯s why he¡¯s writing a daily drama series that¡¯s for and about seniors.

¡±¡± (¡°A Comfortable Home¡°), which started April 3, is broadcast Monday through Friday at 12:30 p.m. The 82-year-old Kuramoto is churning out 130 20-minute episodes, enough to last until September, and TV Asahi is airing them as a kind of experiment.