NHK General TV (NHK総合テレビジョン, NHK Sōgō Terebijon), stylized as NHK G, is the main television service of NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster. Its programming includes news, drama, quiz/variety shows, music, sports, anime, and specials which compete directly with the output of its commercial counterparts. The channel is well known for its nightly newscasts, regular documentary specials, and popular historical dramas. Among the programs NHK General TV broadcasts are the annual New Year's Eve spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the year-long Taiga drama, and the daytime Asadora.
The name is often abbreviated in Japanese to Sōgō Terebi (総合テレビ) ("GTV" and "NHK G" are also used). The word Sōgō (general) serves to differentiate the channel from NHK's other television services, NHK Educational TV , NHK BS 1, NHK BS 2 (closed in 2011) and NHK BS HI (changed to BS Premium)
Launched on 1 February 1953, NHK was Japan's only television channel prior to the launch of Nippon TV on 28 August 1953.
NHK's programs are produced in accordance with the Japan Broadcasting Corporation Broadcasting Code.