What Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting does

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (CBC) is a privately-held Japanese regional broadcaster founded in 1950 and headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. The company delivers television, radio, and digital content to the Tokai region, primarily covering Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures. Its core media assets include CBC Television (over-the-air broadcast on JOGX-DTV channel 5, affiliated with the JNN/TBS national network), CBC Radio (operating since 1951), and digital extensions including the Locipo video streaming platform, CBC MAGAZINE online portal, and the RadiChubu audio platform. CBC produces and distributes local news, weather, sports (notably Chunichi Dragons baseball), variety programming, documentaries, and community event content, and operates several wholly-owned subsidiaries spanning content production (CBC Creation), communications (CBC Communications), technology (CBC D-tech), marketing (CBC VIPS), real estate (CBC Housing), event venue operations (Chiyoda Kaikan), and a golf club (Nanzan Country Club). The company marked its 75th anniversary in 2026.

The company's revenue model is anchored in broadcast advertising — television and radio commercial airtime sales to advertisers seeking Tokai region audiences — supplemented by content licensing and distribution to streaming platforms including TVer, Locipo, and Netflix for select documentaries, plus e-commerce revenue from CBC Shopping, CBC STORE, and the CBC Radio official online shop, and transaction-based revenue from large community events such as the 'CBC 5-chan Spring Festival' (which attracted 110,000+ visitors in 2024), the 'Asobi Disaster Prevention Festival', and sports tournament coverage. Consumer-facing services are free-to-air or ad-supported; no B2B pricing is publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-anchored, with audience engagement generated through sports programming, regional events, and disaster-prevention initiatives delivered across TV, radio, owned streaming, social media (X/Twitter, YouTube, LINE), and third-party catch-up platforms.

On the technology side, CBC's core infrastructure comprises conventional broadcasting systems for TV and radio, a proprietary video streaming platform (Locipo) with monthly active users exceeding one million as of March 2023, and a digital content aggregation portal (CBC MAGAZINE). The company has begun exploratory work in AI-driven content production via a partnership with Hakuhodo DY Media Partners (announced June 2023) for AI drama content experimentation. Content production has been recognized by multiple industry awards including Galaxy Awards, Japan Commercial Broadcasting Association awards, and international film competition prizes, reflecting editorial capability rather than proprietary technology differentiation.

Name

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting

Legal name

中部日本放送株式会社 (Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://hicbc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting (CBC) is a privately-held regional Japanese broadcaster, founded 1950, operating CBC Television, CBC Radio, and the Locipo streaming platform to deliver news, sports, and entertainment to the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagoya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Broadcast Advertising: Television and radio commercial advertising airtime sales, the primary revenue driver for the regional broadcaster.
2. Content Licensing and Distribution: Licensing of programming to streaming platforms (TVer, Locipo, Netflix for documentaries) and international distribution.
3. E-commerce and Shopping: CBC shopping platforms including CBCショッピング, CBC STORE, and CBCラジオ公式オンラインショップ selling merchandise and products.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from community events including 'CBC 5チャン春祭り', 'あそび防災フェス', '中日クラウンズ' golf tournament coverage, and '名古屋の怖い夜' horror events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting (CBC) is a Japanese regional broadcaster that produces and distributes television programming via CBC Television (channel 5) and audio content via CBC Radio across the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie prefectures). It complements its linear broadcast business with the proprietary Locipo streaming service, the CBC MAGAZINE digital portal, the RadiChubu audio platform, and e-commerce storefronts (CBC Shopping, CBC STORE, CBC Radio official online shop) selling branded merchandise.

Product overview

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting (CBC) operates a multi-platform media portfolio consisting of CBC Television (CBCテレビ) broadcasting on channel 5, CBC Radio for audio content, and digital platforms including the video streaming service Locipo, online magazine CBC MAGAZINE, e-commerce site CBCショッピング, and the audio-article platform RadiChubu. The company serves the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie) with television and radio broadcasts, supplemented by on-demand digital services for program viewing and content consumption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CBC web: Official corporate website portal for CBC group
• CBC MAGAZINE
• CBC douga / Locipo
• CBCショッピング (CBC Shopping)
• CBCハウジング (CBC Housing)
• CBC CREATION
• CBC D-tech
• RadiChubu (ラジチューブ)
• みちをひらく companies (Michi wo Hiraku)

Quantifiable outcome

• Locipo streaming platform reached 1 million MAU in March 2023

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 愛知県田原市 (Aichi Tahara City)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Disaster prevention partnership agreement (防災・減災パートナーシップに関する協定) between CBCテレビ and Tahara City for regional safety initiatives.
• 愛知県安城市 (Aichi Anjo City)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Disaster prevention partnership agreement (防災・減災パートナーシップに関する協定) for regional safety collaboration.
• TBS/JNN NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 September 2025TBS affiliation (JNN - Japan News Network) for national news exchange, program sharing, and network broadcasting. CBC distributes TBS national programming and contributes regional content to the network.
• 博報堂DYメディアパートナーズcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2023AI drama content utilization demonstration experiment partnership for exploring AI applications in content production and media operations.
• TVercoreTechnology or IntegrationTVer catch-up streaming platform partnership for CBC program distribution. CBC programs available for free catch-up viewing on TVer.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TV Asahi Corporation: TV Asahi is a major national commercial broadcaster with broad content production, distribution, and digital capabilities. Comparable in business model (multi-platform broadcasting) but at significantly larger national scale, with affiliated regional stations that mirror CBC's role in their respective markets.
• TBS Holdings (Tokyo Broadcasting System): TBS Holdings is the parent of the JNN network to which CBC is affiliated. It is a much larger national broadcaster with significantly broader content budget and reach, and serves as the upstream network partner providing programming that CBC distributes regionally.

Emerging players

• TVer: TVer is the major Japanese catch-up streaming platform jointly operated by commercial broadcasters including CBC. It is both a partner (for CBC program distribution) and a competitive streaming destination that competes for audience attention against CBC's Locipo.

Direct peers

• Nagoya Broadcasting Network (Me-Tele): Nagoya Broadcasting Network is another commercial TV station covering the same Tokai region, affiliated with the Fuji TV network. It competes directly with CBC for viewers, advertisers, and sports/entertainment content in the Nagoya market.
• Tokai Television Broadcasting: Tokai Television Broadcasting (THK) is a competing commercial TV broadcaster serving the same Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie). It operates Locipo jointly with CBC and is a direct head-to-head rival for regional advertising and audience share.
• Nippon Broadcasting System: Nippon Broadcasting System is a major Tokyo-based commercial radio broadcaster with associated digital platforms. Directly comparable to CBC Radio in format, monetization, and digital extension, though operating nationally rather than regionally.
• Chukyo Television Broadcasting: Chukyo Television is an NTV-affiliated commercial broadcaster in Nagoya, directly competing with CBC in the Tokai region across news, sports, and entertainment. Same business model, same geography, same customer base.
• Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS): MBS is a major Kansai-based commercial broadcaster with TV, radio, and streaming operations, and a JNN/TBS network peer of CBC. Comparable multi-platform regional broadcaster model serving a different but similarly structured Japanese market (Kansai vs Tokai).
• Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC TV/ABC Radio): ABC is a Kansai-region commercial broadcaster with parallel TV and radio operations plus streaming. Closely mirrors CBC's diversified regional broadcaster model, including content production, events, and digital platforms.

Regional players

• Hokkaido Broadcasting Corporation (HBC): HBC is a JNN-affiliated commercial TV and radio broadcaster serving Hokkaido. Same network affiliation and similar regional broadcaster structure as CBC, but operating in a different geography. Recently collaborated with CBC on cross-regional Dragons/Hawks content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CBC5ch_pr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hicbcCH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting