Top 30 Commentators Revealed for Potential Viewership Rankings

The commentators who add flair and excitement to daily broadcast news programs and wide shows are those who cut through the news with unique perspectives.

In the past, most of these roles were filled by accomplished cultural figures, but in recent years, former athletes and comedians have also taken these seats. Among the various commentators, who are truly needed by the viewers? One metric to determine this is the potential viewership rating.

“Potential viewership rating is a metric that TV stations use to predict and quantify the viewership that individual participants can generate, based on past viewership data and surveys of viewers. This number is only accessible to a limited number of people at TV stations and advertising agencies, and it’s also used as a reference when casting,” says a key station producer.

This time, FRIDAY has succeeded in obtaining this top-secret data, a report card of sorts for commentators, created by a major TV station. FRIDAY has extracted data from June 2023 to June 2024 and independently compiled a potential viewership rating ranking of 30 famous commentators. Let’s take a closer look at their true abilities and popularity, step by step.

The top spot is no surprise.

With a potential viewership rating of 5.5%, the undisputed number one is Akira Ikegami (73), Japan’s leading commentator. Broadcast writer Mihoko Yamada analyzes this result.

“Ikegami-san goes beyond being just a commentator; he hosts several flagship programs, earning deep trust from viewers. This trust is reflected in the numbers this time. It’s said that Ikegami-san meticulously prepares and spends an extensive amount of time in meetings. If there are guests on the program who are not well-versed in politics or economics, he adjusts his explanations to suit them. Despite his vast knowledge, he is not condescending but sincere, which is why he is accepted by all generations. This sincerity likely contributes to his strong support among the core demographic (men and women aged 13-49), where he also ranks fourth in potential viewership ratings.” 

Closing in on Ikegami by just 0.1 points is Kazu Laser (40).

“While his frequent appearances as a comedian contribute to his numbers, his ranking is still well-deserved. He is known for his approach of thinking from the same perspective as the viewers, and his high ranking in ‘ideal boss’ surveys shows his strong support among young people. In fact, he ranks first in viewership among the core demographic. However, his red clothes and blonde hair may put off many in the senior demographic. If he can overcome that, he has the potential to surpass Ikegami and take the top spot,” says a news program director.

In third place is Toru Hashimoto (55), a lawyer and former governor of Osaka Prefecture and mayor of Osaka City.

“In an era where more commentators avoid controversy by only discussing safe topics, a strong-willed individual like him is valuable. Although he receives criticism, he also has a solid base of supporters, reflected in his numbers. The fact that Tetsuya Tamagawa (60), who frequently engages in verbal battles with Hashimoto, is also tied for third place, is for the same reason. Despite receiving a 10-day suspension for a false statement about the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, viewers seek commentators who boldly address issues despite the risks,” says a production company staff member.

Anmika (52), whose talent activities are so successful that there’s hardly a day she isn’t seen on TV, also performed admirably as a commentator, ranking 5th.

“Anmika established her position as a commentator when she gave a ‘public scolding’ to Kon Arimura, who apologized for his infidelity on ‘Viking MORE’ (Fuji TV). Now, she is featured on flagship programs like ‘DayDay.’ (NTV) and ‘Miyaneya’ (NTV). Her clear and direct manner of speaking is well-received by female viewers. While she appears to speak frankly on screen, she is actually quite strategic. Her specialty is waiting for others to speak first and then providing comments based on what was said,” says the aforementioned key station producer.

Naoki Ogi (77), known for his gentle manner of speaking as “Ogi Mama” , ranked 10th.

“It’s impressive how he can provide balanced comments on any news topic. At the age of 74, he even started using ‘TikTok’ to stay updated with modern children. His continuous effort to stay relevant is admirable. His comments, which do not hurt anyone, make him ideal for programs watched by parents and children together,” the same producer adds.

Distinctive Individuals

Among many who rely on abundant knowledge or specialized fields, there are individuals who continue to compete with their unique strengths. They are Kazushige Nagashima (58) in 7th place and Taizo Sugimura (44) in 15th place. Television commentator Takashi Kimura explains.

“These two are rare in that they are ‘not expected to provide good comments.’ If everyone is sharp-tongued, the show lacks variety and cannot be sustained. We need people like them, who offer relaxed comments that allow viewers to feel at ease. Particularly, Taizo-san pretends not to know and turns the conversation to experts, which functions as a kind of backdoor maneuver. People who can manage this in information programs are rare. They are loved by viewers, which is why they are continuously employed.”

When it comes to distinctive commentators, Hiroyuki (47), who emerged as a darling of the internet world and is ranked 12th this time, is one of them.

“While there is criticism of his debate tactics, which involve seizing on verbal slips and taking advantage of them, he has received high support from younger generations as a trustworthy influencer. However, in reality, he can comment on internet and digital topics to some extent but has no particular expertise. He is more suited to entertainment shows with a strong entertainment aspect, like ‘Sunday Japon’ (TBS), which playfully engages with him.
On the other hand, Yoichi Ochiai (36) has higher expertise and authority in the digital field. He appeared on ‘news zero’ (NTV) until March of this year, and no one surpassed him in comments on digital topics. However, his unique style of clothing and speaking led to viewer complaints about his sloppy T-shirts. Although his comments are very precise, the negative aspects of his appearance and speaking style may have contributed to his stagnation at 22nd place” (NTV insider).

Declining Sharp-Tongued Critics

There are cases where once-prominent television figures have surprisingly sunk to lower ranks. Jiro Shinbo (68), who was active in the 2000s, and Yaku Mitsuru (65) ended up at 24th and 25th place, respectively.

“When Yaku was active, it was the heyday of sharp-tongued commentators. His style of criticizing the education methods of Shiro Kameda, the father of the Kameda three brothers, and engaging in real fights on live broadcasts was well-received. However, in the Reiwa era, sharp-tongued remarks are seen as insults and bullying. This perception has led to a decrease in his acceptance by viewers and a reduction in appearances. The same applies to Shimbou. However, his knowledge is reliable, and his talks are interesting, so he remains popular in his local Kansai region” (Key network programming staff).

Lully Miura (43), once renowned as a rising international political scholar, has fallen to 23rd place.

“Since her ex-husband was arrested for embezzlement, her exposure on terrestrial TV has drastically decreased. Although she is finally starting to make a comeback recently, there is an impression that the sharpness of her comments has dulled. Before the scandal, she would have likely been in the top 10, but if things continue as they are, her ranking will probably keep declining” (previously mentioned key network producer).

Whether or not she meets viewer needs is something that potential ratings will reveal.

From the July 19, 2024 issue of FRIDAY