ねつ造が発覚した「あるある大辞典 II」を放送していた関西テレビは、2007年４月３日、千草宗一郎氏（右）が責任を取って社長を辞任、片岡正志常氏が後任の新社長となることを発表した（画像提供：共同通信社）

* 2007/2/7 配信 ALC Newsletter No.53(ALC International Marketing 発行)より

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Recently, a storm has been blowing throughout Japan's TV industry. It all started in late January when it was revealed that a popular TV health program called "Aru Aru Daijiten II" had forged experimental results and comments from experts in one of their shows. The show introduced a "Natto diet," which recommended that people regularly eat natto (fermented soybeans) in a certain way to lose weight effectively. Right after the show was aired, people rushed to their local supermarkets and bought plenty of natto packs. Sales clerks apologized to customers for not having enough natto, and natto makers decided to increase their production of natto immediately. Then, right in the middle of this "natto fever," it all turned out to be fake.

The audience, supermarkets and natto makers were upset at the TV show's betrayal. Cheating the audience is wrong in itself, but what was worse, is that it was a health program, which meant it had a direct and big influence over the audience's daily lives. A lot of the audience had started practicing methods that had been introduced in the show, believing that it would help them keep fit. They never imagined that the methods had been made up by the production crew.

What the incident did reveal was people's great interest in health. Paying attention to one's health is of course a good thing to do, but some people are so obsessed with all kinds of health tips that they believe and practice whatever methods are introduced by the media without even thinking about whether they're really true and worth trying. And so it can be expected that TV crews might try to introduce sensational health regimen to attract as large audiences as possible, in order to get higher viewer ratings. If they can't find health regimen that are sensational enough, then their last resort is . . . to make them up.

Since the incident was revealed, "Aru Aru Daijiten II" has been under attack. The show was ended immediately. The production company has been investigated thoroughly to find out how it all happened, and to see if any other fakes have been done. The media have been widely covering the incident every day, citing their viewers complaining that they can't believe in TV any more. Yes, it's become not just a matter of how a health show should be, but of how all the other TV programs should be. And it's probably time for the audience to look at themselves to see if they have been too ready to believe whatever was aired on TV, and forgotten to be discerning, critical and smart.