New Report 'Diamond Media White Paper 2026' Released, Deciphering the Japanese Media Industry

Diamond, Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) will release the 'Diamond Media White Paper 2026' on March 30, 2026, a research report analyzing the current state and future of the Japanese media industry.

A survey on generative AI, to which 104 Japanese media companies responded, revealed that over 80% of media companies have introduced generative AI in some form. On the other hand, only 28% of companies have implemented it company-wide, indicating that for many media firms, usage remains limited to specific departments or individual levels.

This white paper was created as a joint research project between Diamond's research team, the 'Diamond Media Lab,' and Professor Shinichi Yamaguchi of the Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM) at the International University of Japan.

The environment surrounding the media industry is changing significantly due to factors such as the spread of generative AI, the progress of digitalization, and shifts in trust toward media. Based on questionnaire surveys of Japanese media companies and analysis of existing research data, this white paper clarifies the 'current position' of the Japanese media industry from three perspectives: 'The reality of generative AI adoption and utilization,' 'The future vision envisioned by media executives,' and 'Changes in trust toward media.'

▼ Key Research Findings

① 80% of media companies have adopted generative AI The survey of 104 media companies revealed that over 80% have introduced generative AI. However, only 28% have implemented it fully on a company-wide basis, with many companies limiting usage to specific departments or individuals. It was also confirmed that more than 40% of companies using generative AI do so without having clear guidelines in place.

[Figure 1] Generative AI adoption status in media companies

② 'Human resources' is the biggest challenge media executives face in DX In a survey of 82 media executives and management-level personnel, it became clear that as digitalization and the spread of generative AI progress, the biggest challenge in advancing digital transformation (DX) is 'human resources.' Many executives cited 'a shortage of digital talent,' 'a lack of internal skills,' and 'the difficulty of transforming organizational culture,' highlighting that issues related to people and organizations are greater barriers to promoting DX than the technology itself.

③ Media trust is not 'declining' but 'transforming' Analysis of existing large-scale survey data shows that while there is a downward trend in trust toward media in some areas, the relationship between trust and usage is weakening. The situation should be viewed not as a 'loss of trust' but as a 'differentiation and transformation of trust.' People are increasingly tending to use multiple information sources according to their purpose rather than placing full trust in any single medium.

【Comment from Co-researcher Shinichi Yamaguchi】 With the evolution of generative AI, we have entered an era where anyone can create elaborate fake images and videos, and the information environment surrounding us has changed drastically. While media companies have the opportunity to improve efficiency through AI, they are also being questioned more than ever regarding their reliability and responsibility, including how they handle fake information. This white paper visualizes these changes based on data rather than intuition, providing useful insights for considering the current state and future direction of the media industry, from the reality of generative AI usage to management challenges and changes in social trust.

▼ About 'Diamond Media White Paper 2026' This white paper consists of the following three chapters: Chapter 1: The Impact of Generative AI on the Media Industry Analyzes the adoption status and actual usage of generative AI based on survey responses from 104 media companies. Chapter 2: The Future of the Media Industry as Envisioned by Executives Organizes strategies and challenges for the future based on survey responses from 82 media executives. Chapter 3: Is 'Media Trust' Really Declining? Integrates and analyzes existing research data to verify the reality of media trust.

▼ Survey Overview Survey Period: October–December 2025 Survey Targets: Japanese media companies including newspaper companies, TV stations, radio stations, publishers, and online media. Number of Responses: Generative AI survey: 104 companies; Executive survey: 82 companies Survey Method: Online questionnaire (partially by mail)

▼ About the Diamond Media Lab The Diamond Media Lab is a research organization established by Diamond, Inc. Its purpose is to research and study the structural changes and social roles of the media industry within an information environment that is changing significantly due to generative AI and digitalization, and to disseminate these findings to society.

▼ You can download the 'Diamond Media White Paper 2026' here: http://promo.diamond.jp/medialab/