Former TV Tokyo Producer on N-Speak Discusses TV Networks Struggle to Cater to Talent Agencies’ Power
The Potential to Monsterize Talent Agencies.
What television can proudly claim in its battle against streaming is the close relationship it has built with talent agencies over its long broadcasting history, a bond that cannot be severed no matter what.
Toshihiko Tabuchi, a former TV Tokyo producer who gained attention for his appearance in the NHK Special examining the Johnny’s sexual abuse scandal and now a professor at the School of Arts and Culture at Obirin University, discusses how the intensification of two trends at television stations is confusing the production team of the show Omusubi.
Even today, terrestrial television is unable to present any metrics other than viewership ratings as indicators to sponsors.
Continuing from the previous section, I would like to examine the second trend, the increasing power of talent agencies.
The phone call from TV Tokyo also clearly indicates that, as TV Tokyo wants to actively use talents from the former Johnny’s (hereafter referred to as “Old J”), my appearance on the NHK Special (“N-Speak”) carries the risk of complaints from Old J, and thus, it was inconvenient for them. However, such consideration and appeasement attitudes can potentially transform talent agencies into powerful entities.
Even today, terrestrial television networks cannot present any metrics other than viewership ratings to sponsors as a benchmark.
When a program broadcast on terrestrial TV is later made available for streaming, it doesn’t necessarily need to have high viewership ratings to gain significant views. Yet, paradoxically, when selling terrestrial TV programs, viewership ratings become even more important in order to distinguish them from streaming content.
Amidst this, the quality of talent in the television industry has declined, and only a handful of people can assess whether a proposal will be successful based on the plan alone. Even if someone has a gut feeling like, “This is good, it’s going to be a hit,” in today’s TV industry, where even the smallest failure can lead to significant damage, everyone is becoming more cautious, afraid to take responsibility.
So, where do they turn? To the cast.
Casting popular talents and actors has become the most “reliable” and “efficient” way to achieve success. Additionally, if the program doesn’t succeed or fails, it’s easy to blame the talent by saying, “Maybe the lead actor wasn’t strong enough.”
Today, drama proposals often prioritize cast first, cast second, with names of well-known actors filling the pages. The focus has shifted from evaluating the essence of the concept to merely putting a checkmark next to the actors listed in the proposal.
The performer-oriented trend is growing stronger every year.
Originally, the strong connection with talent agencies was a major strength for television networks, and it was one of the factors that allowed them to excel over streaming platforms.
Television networks have developed long-standing bonds with talent agencies over the years. These relationships were passed down from senior creators or cultivated through the network’s political dealings as an organization.
I, too, over my 37 years, have built communication with various agencies through everyday interactions, such as drinking parties. Such relentless effort pays off when needed, as it provides a weapon to say, “Please help this time!”
However, now, the very strength that television networks once relied on has started to tighten the noose around their necks and become a burden. Talents who bring in high viewership ratings, or popular actors, may have been created or have had their images manipulated. Nevertheless, television networks, unable to completely abandon viewership ratings, have no choice but to rely on these baseless social evaluations.
Especially in drama, casting is crucial. When the lead actor for a “Taiga drama” or the heroine for a “Morning drama” is announced, it becomes big news. The emphasis on talent has been growing year by year.
As a result, the dependency on talent agencies has increased. The most significant example of this is the former Johnny’s talent agency, and the negative side of this relationship has surfaced in the Johnny’s sexual abuse scandal. This close relationship cannot be severed. Why is that? Because breaking this relationship would mean abandoning the viewership ratings pie, which is essential for their success.
“Why do they cling so much to the former Johnny’s agency?”
Readers, upon hearing NHK Chairman Inaba’s announcement of a new offer to the former Johnny’s agency, may have once again realized that the relationship between TV stations and talent agencies is something that can never be severed.
At the same time, many of you might have wondered, “Why cling so much to the former Johnny’s?” knowing that such an announcement would provoke opposition. If that’s the case, you are sharp. The answer to this question is at the core of the “strengthening power of talent agencies” trend I am pointing out in this article. So, what is the answer?
It is that the power balance between TV stations and talent agencies has shifted.
Why has this power balance shifted? The reason is that appearing on TV has become less of a lucrative opportunity for talent agencies.
While television appearances do contribute to the income of actors and talents, it is relatively minor. The biggest source of earnings is from commercials. And talent selected for commercials were chosen based on metrics like appearing often on TV and being able to attract viewers.
However, sponsors no longer rely solely on television for selecting talent. There are now many other factors: appearing in popular streaming dramas, having a large following on social media, getting high blog impressions, and so on. The era of “appearing on TV = being popular” is over. It can be said that TV is no longer a priority.
Normally, regardless of the facts, one would expect the response to be something like “I apologize for causing trouble to the station and the program.”
Under such circumstances, it is natural that the power relationship between TV stations and In such a situation, it is only natural that the power dynamics between television stations and talent agencies are different from before, and it is to be expected that both the talent and their agencies will strongly assert themselves.
In the case of “Omusubi,” the lead actress Kanna Hashimoto caused a stir with her statement, “I can quit anytime.” This was something unthinkable in the past.
There was never anyone who didn’t want to appear in a “Asadora” (morning drama), as it was a national drama.
Such statements reflect the fact that both the actor and the agency are increasingly detached from television. Television has lost its pulling power. The television stations themselves are also unable to strongly protest against the actor’s statements because their position is weak. Thus, they are forced to comply.
The power harassment allegations involving Hashimoto, which have been widely reported in weekly magazines, are also believed to have contributed to the declining viewership. However, the television stations have chosen to remain silent on this issue. On top of that, the agency’s president has made statements defending her, saying, “She is doing her best.” Normally, regardless of the facts, the response would be something like, “I apologize for causing trouble to the station and the program.”
In this situation, the stations are being completely disrespected, and there is no sign of the actors being particularly grateful for appearing in a morning drama. However, this “strong-arm” approach by talent agencies is entirely the responsibility and fault of the television stations themselves.
Suggestions for Solutions
In the above, I have analyzed the reasons behind the decline of the Asadora “Omusubi” by examining two structural trends in television. Now, I would like to offer solutions for overcoming these challenges.
The answer is simple: it is necessary to overcome the two trends I outlined.
When higher management or executives interfere too much with the “field” or “creators” below them, what happens? It leads to a disconnect between the two levels. This leaves the creators and the field exhausted, and good content cannot be made under such conditions. There needs to be a shift in attitude where higher-ups refrain from micromanaging and instead trust the people below them. A free and open atmosphere within the company will generate new ideas and energy.
The power imbalance between overly strong talent agencies and television stations must also be corrected.
To address this, television stations must become attractive to talent agencies. One way to do this is by developing flagship programs that talent agencies would want their clients to appear on. Another approach would be nurturing star creators that agencies would be eager to work with. These efforts should not be the responsibility of a single network alone.
This challenge should be tackled by all television stations in Japan, whether they are private or public broadcasters. The airwaves, which are a public resource in Japan, must be managed by all broadcasters in unison, without distinction between commercial and public stations. This is a task that requires collective effort.
Text： Toshihiko Tabuchi PHOTO： Kazuhiko Nakamura
