On December 2, 2023, the Broadcasting Club of Okayama University OHB participated in the final round of the 40th NHK National University Broadcasting Contest held at the Kyoto City Lifelong Learning Comprehensive Center (Kyoto Asuni, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City).

In this competition, top entries that passed the preliminary round were announced from a record-breaking number of entries, with 125 groups and 825 works. The contest featured various categories including announcements, readings, audio commercials, radio programs, video commercials, and video programs. From OHB, one work each was selected for the audio commercial and video program categories. The entry "Kakeru Basho (Something to Bet)" in the audio commercial category received an encouragement award, while "Kirihirake Shinjidai! Ki ga tsunagu chikyuu no mirai (Be a Pioneer of a New Era! The Future of the Earth Connected by Trees)" in the video program category received second place. This marked the second consecutive recognition for OHB in the video program category.

"Kirihirake Shinjidai! Ki ga tsunagu chikyuu no mirai" is an informative program-style piece exploring the relationship between the use of wood from Okayama University's "Okayama Visionary Commons" and carbon neutrality, featuring President NASU Yasutomo. "Kakeru Basho" carries a message about how seemingly small choices in life can have significant consequences.

On December 27, 2023, members of OHB visited the President's office to express their gratitude for his participation and report the results. President Nasu first congratulated the members, stating, "Effort, striving for excellence, and creating something with passion are the most important qualities for professionals. Achieving top rankings for two consecutive years is remarkable. If there's a request, I'll be happy to participate again, so keep up the good work next year." Mr. KIZAKI Tatsuya (School of Education, 3rd year), a member of OHB, expressed gratitude, saying, " The bow tie worn by President Nasu in the video became a topic of discussion at the contest site. We're truly grateful for President Nasu's cooperation during filming. We want to pass on our know-how and the traditions of OHB to our juniors."

Reflecting on the results, Mr. TAKADA Sosei (School of Letters, 3rd year), who served as director for the video program and audio commercial, said, "While I'm delighted that our long-awaited entry made it to the finals, there's also a sense of frustration for not winning first place. However, I have no regrets because I poured everything I could into the work. I'm grateful to everyone involved in the project." Additionally, Mr. Kizaki, who was responsible for appearing in and editing the video program, said, "It was a fulfilling experience to be involved in documentary production for the first time since high school. Although it was a busy period, I enjoyed the process of trial and error. For the video program category, we submitted a piece on 'carbon neutrality,' a term that may not immediately evoke connections with the environment or SDGs. We put effort into making the topic accessible through animations, President Nasu's appearance, and the use of friendly characters. I'd be happy if viewers could grasp the concept of 'carbon neutrality' through our work. Additionally, 'wood' may sometimes be associated with an old-fashioned image, but it continues to be widely used and has many environmentally friendly characteristics. I hope our work effectively communicates the allure of 'wood' to the audience."

Moreover, Mr. SUZUKI Mikio (School of Agriculture, 2nd year), a member of OHB, was selected as the master of ceremonies for the event, contributing to its smooth progress and success. Mr. Suzuki expressed, "I was nervous about speaking in front of an audience with a microphone at such a major event as the national finals, especially since it had been a long time. I'm very pleased to have been involved in this event."

You can view the award-winning entries from the links below. Additionally, the entry that secured second place in the video program category is also available on Okayama University's official YouTube channel to deepen students' understanding of carbon neutrality.

Audio Commercial Category: "Kakeru Basho"
Video Program Category: "Kirihirake Shinjidai! Ki ga tsunagu chikyuu no mirai"