Akiko Wada denies all the discontinuation of “Omakase,” but the “baton relay” with “Sanjapo” is a “smoldering spark.
Akiko Wada, who has been a regular on the show, said, “It’s not true at all. I strongly assure you that it is not true at all.
Takanobu Goda, executive director of TBS, assured the audience.
The long-running TV program “Akko ni Omakase! which is hosted by Akiko Wada, the web-based “Josei Jishin” (women’s magazine) reported that the program would be terminated “next spring.
According to the website, the decisive factor was her gaffe against Haika Kitaguchi, who won the gold medal in the women’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics. Wada saw a video of Kitaguchi eating a sponge cake on her stomach during a break.
Wada saw a video of Kitaguchi eating a sponge cake while taking a break and said, “It looks like a sea lion lying down. It’s cute.
This caused a firestorm.
Wada’s own apology was the most unusual of all.
In response, Wada apologized on the August 18 broadcast.
I made an inappropriate comment comparing it to an animal. I apologize.
and apologized. He then added
I myself love her, and I wished her the best, but then she won the gold medal, which I had longed for, and I was really happy to see her win the gold medal.
I was really happy to see her win the gold medal,” he said. According to industry insiders, Wada’s apology was a major incident.
According to industry insiders, Wada’s apology was a major incident. The most recent one was over the Tokyo gubernatorial election, in which Wada was criticized for giving incorrect information without researching it beforehand. In 2002, the BPO had a hearing on the issue of malicious editing against Samuragochi, who was in the middle of a ghostwriter scandal. In such cases, it is always the station announcer who apologizes. There were calls for Mr. Wada to take some of the responsibility, but his office has been very thorough in protecting him. Therefore, it was unusual for Mr. Wada to apologize on his own. Before the broadcast, I heard that Mr. Wada was stiff in the face of an unfamiliar apology.
Wada was indeed disheartened, but he is now completely positive about the situation. He says, “I make sure to include lawyers and other experts in my programs these days to prevent misconceptions and miscommunication.
“Recently, we make sure to include lawyers and other experts. Whenever there is a miscommunication, the co-hosts are ordered to follow up immediately.
The program is scheduled to air next spring.
Next spring will mark 40 years since the program began broadcasting. This will make it the longest-running TBS program currently on the air.
The above-mentioned report on the discontinuation of the program was based on the 40th anniversary, and while celebrating the achievement in a grand manner, Wada was also “bravely retiring” from the program.
Hiroshi Sekiguchi will graduate from “Sanmoni” in March, and “Asahi” will end terrestrial broadcasting in September.
TBS completely denied the news, but there is no doubt that the 40th anniversary is a milestone. It is undeniable that the program itself is getting stuck in a rut. Mr. Wada’s fee is an annual contract, and I hear that it is at least one (100 million yen). It is a big deal for his company, Horipro, so it is unthinkable that Mr. Wada would call it quits, but it is time for the station to think about the future,” said a TBS insider.
Soichiro Tahara’s “Live TV till Morning,” which had continued for 37 and a half years on TV Asahi, ended its terrestrial broadcasting on September 27, while Hiroshi Sekiguchi, who had hosted “Sunday Morning” for 36 and a half years on TBS, graduated at the end of March. A new generation is indispensable for the TV industry.
The omakase program has long been pointed out to be incompatible with its predecessor, “Sunday Japon. According to an entertainment industry insider, “San Japo was good at its best.
A source in the entertainment industry said, “San Japo, when it was good, would get viewership ratings of over 10%. However, when it becomes omakase, the ratings drop dramatically to the 5-7% range. The “baton relay” has been a longstanding problem. The time between “San Japo” and “Omakase” is interspersed with “Sunday Junction” and the regular news, so Mr. Wada keeps saying, “If we immediately connect with “San Japo,” the numbers won’t drop. Mr. Wada’s side keeps saying, “If we connect immediately after San Japo, the numbers won’t drop. It’s not our fault.” ……
However, Mr. Wada keeps saying, “It’s not our fault. It remains to be seen how “Omakase” will recover from this.
PHOTO: Shu Nishihara