Rene Aiu,
president and CEO of SHOP Channel talks to Matt Wilce about exciting opportunities in the cable industry. Find out how you could
make your small screen debut.
Please tell us a little
about your organization.
Our company was started in 1996 as a joint venture between Jupiter Programming Company (a
joint venture of Liberty Media International and Sumitomo Corporation Home Shopping
Network) a USA Networks subsidiary company and the first TV shopping channel in the world.
SHOP Channel introduced "live produced" television shopping programs, 24 hour
international style programming and a wide variety of proven international best-selling
products. Also we were the first to guarantee viewers will see something new every day, as
we show over 700 different items per week. We were the first to have a truly interactive
program on television with real live on-air customer testimonials and not "fake or
set up audiences" and the first to offer a 30 day no-questions-asked guarantee, 24
hour ordering and customer service and seven day delivery of purchases.
How was it starting the business in Japan?
In the beginning there were many skeptics in the Japanese marketplace, but SHOP Channel
has led the way in making the media business believers. Working within the cable TV
industry in Japan has been one of exciting growth and is forecasted to expand.
What are the main differences between the cable business in Japan and the States?
The main difference between the USA cable industry and the Japan cable industry is the
penetration level of cable in the marketplace - in the USA cable penetration is about 70%
of TVHH where as in Japan it' about 8%. Also, the number of different channels available
and the level of cable TV marketing in the USA are much higher.
What kind of people are you looking for?
SHOP Channel looks for bright, energetic people with initiative - people looking to get
into the new business of electronic direct marketing and retailing through new media.
What positions do you have available?
The company now has the following job openings:
Three live sales programming television producers. We are looking for highly motivated,
sales-oriented people interested in producing live direct retailing programming. They need
good sales instincts and a "love" and understanding of merchandise and should be
able to use these skills and talent to produce strong on-air sales programming. They
should also know how to sell to women over 35 and be able to show leadership in directing
their on-air production team. A background in merchandise sales or production is a plus,
and strong organization, leadership and attention to detail are a must.
We are also looking for five live on-air sales presenters. They should be highly motivated
self-starters to be on-air selling presenters of merchandise items. It's important to have
basic sales skills and a strong interest and understanding of how to sell. A background in
cosmetics, kitchen or other women-oriented sales, experience in store demonstrations of
any kind or experience in performing in front of groups of people would be useful. They
must be able to ad-lib and not rely on teleprompters and be willing to learn about various
products and invest in training time. Experience in on-air performance on television is a
plus but not essential; we can train for this area. This is an area that requires the
ability to get in front of the camera and establish credibility and a friendly
relationship with customers. It's a fun job, but one that requires people with
determination and a competitive spirit.
