With “MUSIC” Facing Possible Cancellation Amid Declining Viewership Nippon TV Reportedly Pleads

Nippon TV executives are said to be very angry with Yumiko Udo.

Nippon TV is reportedly undergoing a major programming overhaul. They are in the process of selecting shows with poor ratings that will be canceled by March of next year, while simultaneously soliciting new ideas from their staff.

One of the top candidates for cancellation is With MUSIC.

“Yumiko Udo (55) voluntarily left news zero to start this show, with the hope of fulfilling her own wishes. However, the ratings have failed to improve. The September 14th episode, which featured the first music show appearance by the members of New Map, made headlines, but the household viewership was only 6%. Despite Udo’s long-time contributions to news zero, there was initially a sentiment of ‘let’s give it time.’ However, after Udo started Udo Times on TV Asahi in October, the executives at Nippon TV were furious, thinking, ‘Why is she working for another network after quitting our news program?'”

There’s a history of tension between Udo and Nippon TV, dating back to when Kurumisuchū’s Shinya Ueda hosted Oshareism, and after its end, Ueda appeared on TV Asahi’s Kurumisuchū Nantara in the same time slot. Udo and Kurumisuchū are represented by the same agency, which further fueled tensions. Nippon TV executives have reportedly said, “We will no longer hesitate with Udo.”

Despite this, why is Nippon TV so desperate now?

Nippon TV has long prioritized the core ratings (13–49-year-old demographic), setting this as a key indicator for program development. However, this year, they began shifting to focus even more on core ratings, but by June, the approach was reportedly destabilizing.

“Even programs favored by older viewers were altered to cater to core ratings, resulting in major changes in both the show’s format and the cast, which led to a drop in viewership. The programming division hastily reverted the strategy back to its original method, but it was too late. As a result, they are now considering canceling shows with poor ratings by March next year,” said a producer from a production company.

Give me a proposal for anything.

It is fine to cancel, but the complete lack of new proposals has only increased the pressure. This was visibly reflected in the October 13 broadcast of Sekai no Hate Made Itte Q!, where Yuya Tegoshi (36) returned to the show after four years.

“At Nippon TV, they have been saying ‘Our strength is in variety,’ and have instructed their young staff members, including those in their 20s, to just submit any proposals. Many young writers have been approached. Tegoshi’s return was one of these proposals, and it was a casting choice made without hesitation. Four years ago, Tegoshi was dismissed from his agency after repeatedly holding drinking parties with multiple women during the pandemic, leading to his departure from NEWS and Itte Q!.

Since then, the show had focused on incorporating a lot of female comedians, but the ratings stagnated, and the show faced numerous challenges, including key writers leaving. However, with Tegoshi’s return, the program has regained some of its vitality. It was a success in the end,” said the producer.

As a result, the show’s ratings rose 3.6 points compared to the previous episode on September 29, reaching a solid 13.5%, which became a hot topic both within and outside the network.

Nippon TV’s decision to call for any new proposals, regardless of the concept, and their willingness to bring in catalysts like Tegoshi to revive existing popular shows highlights their desperate attempt to turn things around. It remains to be seen what bold moves they will make next in an effort to reclaim their audience.

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