Osamu Suzuki’s retirement…thought to be a big blow to the TV industry, but “some on the scene are welcoming it” behind the scenes

Osamu Suzuki (51), the husband of Miyuki Oshima (43) of Morisanchu and a popular broadcaster who has worked on many SMAP-related programs, has announced that he will retire from writing and broadcasting in March of next year.

Last December, Mr. Suzuki published his novel “20160118,” which depicts the behind-the-scenes events of the “SMAP x SMAP” episode (Fuji Television Network) when the members apologized for the dissolution of the group. It caused a tremor in the industry. Suzuki later revealed on the radio that the SMAP breakup was a major impetus for his retirement. It was probably because he had made up his mind to quit that he was able to reveal what was going on behind the scenes.

The absence of Mr. Suzuki, who made the profession of broadcaster a major force in the TV industry, may seem like a major blow to the industry, but a director of a production company says, “There are voices of welcome from the frontlines.

He has become too much of a big name, and it’s hard for us to get him to write for us. These days, I think they have been mainly doing advisory work. So, in order to have Mr. Suzuki consult on projects and check scripts, we had to have another broadcaster or subcontracted production company staff write scripts exclusively for him. It was unpopular with the onsite staff, who said it was a two-step process.

At the age of 19, he made his debut as an apprentice writer at Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc. It was an encounter with Takuya Kimura (50) that led to the young Mr. Suzuki’s breakthrough.

In 1995, when he was assigned to “Takuya Kimura’s What’s UP SMAP!” on TOKYO FM, he was liked by Takuya Kimura, partly because he was in the same grade and from the same hometown, and became the brain behind SMAP, who had become a national idol. He became the brains behind SMAP, who became a national idol. “This is a feat only Mr. Suzuki could pull off, as he had a relationship with a female announcer at Nippon Broadcasting System when he was an unknown writer, and he was very good at communicating and being loved.

Suzuki’s retirement is likely to affect other major broadcasters and program production.

Veteran broadcasters were active in an era when power harassment and moral harassment were commonplace, so they have yet to update their sensibilities. They are not in tune with Reiwa’s TV, unknowingly coming up with projects that disregard compliance and making comments to young staff that are bordering on moral harassment. Mr. Mitsuyoshi Takasu (59), who established an era with “Downtown,” will turn 60 this year. I believe that Mr. Suzuki’s retirement will be a good opportunity to rejuvenate the staff.

In fact, broadcasters in their 40s are emerging one after another.

Momino Taiki (49), who was a member of the Child Machine duo before becoming a writer, is an indispensable presence on such storytelling programs as “Ariyoshi’s Wall” and “Shinninkagi. Daigo Iizuka, 41, a former student comedian, is closely associated with “Audrey” and his college classmate “Knights. He is valued for his versatility in a wide range of programs, from aggressive programs such as “Wednesday’s Downtown” (TBS) to information programs.

The problem is that under them, young broadcasters in their thirties and younger are leaving television.

Young writers such as Shusei Nagasaki (32), the brain behind Huwa-chan (29), are not that attached to TV. There is a big possibility that they will turn to YouTube and video distribution, where they have more freedom and are paid more.

Is the retirement of a major writer good news for the TV industry?

From the November 10-17, 2023 issue of “FRIDAY