'Torii' newspaper, 'USARJ This Week' TV program in Japan to become 'Rising Sun'

By Dustin Perry, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public AffairsJanuary 30, 2012

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CAMP ZAMA, Japan (Jan. 30, 2012) -- A new year and a changing environment have provided the command information team here with an opportunity to announce: After nearly 40 years, the "Torii" is ready for a change.

The official news publication of Camp Zama will re-emerge Feb. 2 under its new title, the "Rising Sun." We feel the name change is quite fitting not only for its obvious appropriation of Japan's well-known nickname, but also because, much like a sunrise, this marks a "new day" in the life of this newspaper.

The change comes as part of an initiative by the U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs Office and the USAG-J commander, Col. Eric Tilley. We re-evaluated our overall mission in an effort to communicate with the U.S. Army Japan community and our readership in a way that is better in tune with today's social media-dominated landscape.

"The methods by which the world gets its news and information today have changed radically compared to just even a decade ago," said Tilley. "In this current age of the Internet, 24-hour news cycles, and by-the-minute status updates, it is the obligation of the Army and this command to keep pace with this demand to meet the needs of our respective communities."

Key among our new efforts is a comprehensive online presence. The USAG-J Facebook page (www.facebook.com/USAGJ) has, in the last few months, transformed from a scarcely updated resource into being a wealth of in-depth news articles, eye-catching photos, useful links and informative posts. Our goal is to continue to provide an ever-expanding amount of new and unique content that further promotes unit missions, as well as the accomplishments

of our entire military and civilian community.

Speaking of our community, there is another, much larger group of people we hope will play a major part in determining the type of output our PAO staff provides: You. Do you have a question about a service or community event? Submit your query on our Facebook and we'll do our best to respond in a timely manner. Is there a story you'd like to see covered in the "Torii" -- ahem, "Rising Sun" -- that previously never got any recognition? Post the details on our page and we'll work to get a reporter or photographer assigned to the event. Our goal is to transform the communication channels between us and you into a two-way street.

Some of the new features you can come to expect in the "Rising Sun" include:

- A complete redesign of the newspaper and a cleaner, more modern layout.

- More comprehensive coverage of Army news in Okinawa, including a full page in each issue featuring articles and photos from Torii Station.

- Complete cross-integration with USAG-J's existing command information and social media outlets. If you can see it in the "Rising Sun," you can see it online.

Due to these expanded services, the publication schedule of the newspaper will be changed from weekly to biweekly (twice per month). But don't worry: Any noteworthy news, calendar events or community reminders happening between issues will be posted on our Facebook regularly. (Did we mention you need to be following us on Facebook right now?)

The "USARJ This Week" TV news program will also be receiving a complete overhaul. The biweekly show will now be updated monthly and will share the "Rising Sun" name with our newspaper. We did this in order to rebrand our separate products as a consolidated source for news and command information.

In addition to the monthly episodes, there will be both daily and weekly updates that highlight the stories and events happening in our community. Upcoming TV stories and their scheduled airing times will be publicized in the newspaper, and new articles will likewise be teased on Command Channel programming. The show's new format is scheduled to begin Feb. 1.

"As separate entities, the 'Torii' and 'USARJ This Week' have always been great sources of professionally produced command information," said Tilley. "With their combined efforts, working under the single name of the 'Rising Sun,' I have no doubt that their ability to reach this community and impact them will increase significantly."

On an historical note, the first issue of Camp Zama's newspaper named the "Torii" was published on Aug. 8, 1974. Before that, it was known as the USARJ "Challenger." This unit and installation both have a unique and proud history, as well as a reputation for excellence. As the "Rising Sun," we will strive to continue that tradition by providing the best and most comprehensive services to this community.

To recap, here are the significant changes being made to our print and video products:

- Both the "Torii" and "USARJ This Week" will be renamed the "Rising Sun" effective the first week of February.

- The print edition will now be published biweekly rather than weekly, but content will be updated regularly on USAG-J's Facebook page and other social media outlets.

- The TV edition will now air monthly rather than biweekly, but added to the lineup will be weekly roundups and daily newscasts. Video content will be updated regularly on Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.