There are limits to one’s career as a station announcer, TV Asahi’s Hironaka’s Concerned Timing of Independence

TV Asahi’s signature announcer is at a crossroads in her career.

Ayaka Hironaka, 32, celebrated her 10th year with the company in April. She has been active as TV Asahi’s ace announcer, mainly in variety programs. In recent years, she has published a photo collection and a book of essays, and is active in a wide range of fields beyond being an announcer. The possibility of independence for such a popular announcer is said to be on the rise. What triggered this is the way she was treated in the program that succeeded her flagship program, “Nobunaga What? which can be said to be her flagship program.”

The main performers of “Nobunaga What’s Up? The main cast remained the same, but the program was renamed “Neighbor Bravo-sama: Gohohobi☆Peek-a-boo Variety” in April and relaunched. However, the treatment of Announcer Hironaka has changed drastically. In the previous program, she was the MC, but in the new program, she is only a facilitator. He used to be treated in a big way, with his name used in the title of the program, but that is no longer the case. Nobunaka Nan nan nani? was Hironaka’s first prime-time show, so it must have been a big shock for her, whose main field of work is variety shows.

The challenges she has faced because she has been active mainly in variety shows have also contributed to her independence.

He is approaching the midpoint of his career, but his announcing skills are not high because he has not read the news in earnest until now. It will be difficult for him to move up to a news program, which is considered to be the flower of his career. If she continues to age and is removed from variety programs, which is her main field of work, she will lose her place within the company. Considering her career as a station announcer, I think she must be impatient for the future.

On the other hand, it is a different story if she goes freelance. There is no need to follow the high road of the bureaus, and you can compete in variety shows to the fullest. Recently, Fuji Television’s Yurika Mita (35), Asahi Broadcasting Corporation’s Ayumi Hirodo (31), and TV Tokyo’s Kasumi Mori (27) have left the company, and star announcers from various stations are seeking new opportunities one after another. However, I don’t think there is any possibility of leaving right now. I don’t think there is any chance that she will leave right now, since “Neighbor Bravo-sama” will continue for another year. If they decide to go independent, it will probably be next spring at the earliest.

Hironaka’s popularity shows no sign of waning, as she has topped the year-end “Favorite Female Announcer Ranking” for four consecutive years since 2007. A former entertainment industry insider analyzes, “If she were to become a freelance announcer, a battle would be inevitable. What will be Hironaka’s decision?”