Anchors Kuniyama Hasen and Ueshige Satoshi Struggles and Clear Contrast

The reality after transitioning to freelance

The most popular position at a TV station is undoubtedly that of announcer. Popular announcers are as well known as celebrities, and their income increases dramatically when they go freelance.

In fact, former TBS announcer Kuniyama Hasen (34) boasts that his income has doubled.

“Hassen aspired to join the television industry because it was everything he was interested in and wanted to do. He was entrusted with prominent programs like Akko ni Omakase! and news23, and was actively working at the forefront. However, in 2022, he left TBS. He did not want to remain confined to the structure of the TBS organization, but the reality he is facing now is a far cry from his expectations.

He has appeared as a commentator on ‘Wide na Show’ (Fuji TV) and as a guest on variety shows, but he has only managed to carve out a position as a replaceable guest. Was this really what he wanted to do? It’s a harsh way to put it, but his self-image and the image others have of him are likely to diverge more and more, and it may become increasingly difficult moving forward.” (TBS employee)

In an interview with a magazine, he said, “I can’t see what will happen 10 years from now, but it is because I can’t see it that I am so excited, and I think that is why I was able to make the decision (to leave the company) because I am attracted to it,” and he was very bullish to no end.

On the other hand, Satoshi Ueshige (44), who left Nippon Television at the end of March last year, immediately followed up with the famous words: “May was almost like Golden Week” and “This was the first time I thought Golden Week was this long.”

“As the ace of PL, he faced off against Daisuke Matsuzaka (44) at Koshien and achieved a perfect game during his time at Rikkyo University. His career was smooth sailing until reports of interest-free loans for purchasing a condominium and free car loans from the founder of ABC Mart. It’s such a waste. Sponsors prioritize the talent’s image. It should have been predictable that quitting would lead to every day being Sunday.”

While the private broadcasters’ programming staff are harsh, a key station producer sympathizes, saying, “Even if he had stayed at Nippon TV, he wouldn’t have had a chance to occupy the positions held by Shinichi Hatori (53) or Takahiko Fujii (53). He likely made the decision to leave after considering his future as an announcer.”

“Uejima set his position lower and is trying to work his way up from what he can do. He might have concerns about the future, but if he’s happy, leaving Nippon TV was probably the right choice.”

Yuta Tomikawa (48) was once promoted to the main anchor of Hodo Station, but seeing how he was treated by TV Asahi afterward, it’s believed that he switched to Toyota. “He also left an organization when he saw no future. While his public recognition has decreased and viewers may forget him, he secured a stable position with a fixed salary at Toyota Times, an owned media outlet. Still, seeing the low viewership numbers of Toyota Times, it feels like they aren’t getting results compared to their advertising costs. I wonder if Toyota is okay.”

In contrast, there’s Minoru Aoi (44), who left NHK almost at the same time.

“Aoi, despite his seemingly rigid appearance, was known for his flashy behavior, having been spotted at clubs in Shibuya. He was entrusted with News Watch 9 and was expected to have a promising future, but as the heir to the Marui Group, he’s financially secure.

He probably wanted to do more exciting work, which led him to leave. Now, he’s doing the evening news for Fuji, where his annual income is probably close to a million yen. He has solid support from those around him. Among male announcers who transitioned to freelance recently, he is one of the successful examples, alongside his senior Shinichi Takeda (57).”

Not running away is not shameful

“When speaking with executives from major talent agencies, particularly those that manage a large number of announcers and commentators, they all agree that the key to being considered a success after going independent is being someone who consistently has places to appear as a talent or actor. In that sense, wouldn’t it be fair to say that Mori Kasumi (29) has been a great success?” (Private broadcaster director)

Mori left TV Tokyo after just four years, but according to an analysis by Tetsuya Morita (43) of “Saraba Seishun no Hikari,” her annual income has increased to approximately 30 million yen, five times that of her time at TV Tokyo (estimated). She continues to feature in commercials for a marriage service, where she has become popular due to her calculated character on TikTok, which was the trigger for her breakthrough.

Mori’s senior, Reina Sumi (34), who became independent in 2020, also said, “At TV Tokyo, the number of variety shows and news programs was limited. There was no opportunity to show the versatile range of activities she now demonstrates” (Female announcer watcher), so she is one of the winners.

Her close friend, former TBS announcer Misato Ugaki (33), has fewer TV appearances, but according to a production company executive, “Compared to her time as a network announcer, she’s become much brighter.”

“She often says she’s enjoying herself. While her work volume may not be huge, opportunities to express her opinions freely, such as on the New Year’s broadcast ‘Atarashii TV 2025’ (NHK), have increased, and she’s now finding places to utilize her strengths. If she continues in roles where she can deliver her opinions, such as as a commentator, she will likely be successful.”

Yumiko Arido (55), who was welcomed with great respect and entrusted with important news programs like news zero (Nippon TV) and Udo Times (TV Asahi), is said by the aforementioned key network producer to have strong support from her talent agency.

“Being with Natural Eight, which has superstars like ‘Kureimu Shichu’ and Matsuko Deluxe, is a strong backing. The agency’s power is so significant that even after leaving NHK, Udo can do what she wants and her appearances are guaranteed. ‘Udo Times’ is said to be directly managed by the top production heads of TV Asahi, which means she’s in an incredibly fortunate situation.”

After leaving TV Asahi, Ayaka Ogawa (39) became the MC for news23.

“It’s said within TV Asahi that it was a royal decision by Chairman Hirokawa (81), but looking at the prominence of Yumi Tokunaga (49) and Ayumi Hirodo (33) on Hōdō Station, it doesn’t seem that Ogawa would have been treated in the same way if she had stayed at TV Asahi. She must have made the right decision to leave and have her own program as a caster. The question now is how TBS will nurture her. If they have a clear development plan, escaping will turn out to be the right choice.” (Another TBS employee)

A unique case is Minami Tanaka (38), who is forging her own path as a beauty giant.

“She was once the epitome of an announcer disliked by other women, but now she’s an actress passionately supported by women. She’s a master of self-promotion. Her ‘calculated character’ during her announcer days was simply something she performed because it was appreciated on television. Her character was so strong that it was overlooked, but her skills as an announcer are high. There are many possible success patterns for her.” (Broadcast writer)

(Left) Reina Sumi (34): Left TV Tokyo in 2020. Leveraged her athletic ability in physical variety shows and became the MC for news programs, demonstrating her versatile talents. (Right) Misato Ugaki (33): Left TBS in 2019. Living up to her motto, “I want to choose a difficult path,” she became known as “President Ugaki.” She shifted to writing work, such as book reviews and movie critics.

Powerhouses: The Key Factor in Their Decision to Stay

On the other hand, there are also big names who have chosen to stay despite rumors of their free agency for many years.

In the case of Shinichiro Azumi (51), a TBS announcer, a TBS employee sees it as a strong sense of company loyalty, in addition to the fact that he has been well-treated by the company.

“If things were different, Azumi could have become like Ichiro Furutachi (70) and earned tens of millions annually by going independent, or like Mino Monta (80) who hosts daily programs with a monthly salary of 100 million yen. I think he considered that option up to a certain point. But television has entered a tough period. He is now in a position where he can influence decisions, and the producer who has supported him, Ryujiro Abe, has become the president of TBS Holdings. There is no reason for him to go freelance.”

Yoko Oshita (54), an announcer from TV Asahi, has also been given the rare privilege of having a program named after her.

“It’s been said that she had a major love affair about 10 years ago, but since then, there haven’t been any rumors about her dating life. She’s been living a strict life, going back and forth between the office and home. It seems she will continue in her announcer career for the long term,” says a TV Asahi employee.

According to a production company producer, Asami Miura (37) from Nippon TV is also expected to stay at the network.

“She’s the MC of the morning program ‘ZIP!’ at Nippon TV, and she has excellent recognition among the public. The company will likely continue to treat her well. Yumi Nagashima (33), who is currently on maternity leave, is said to be the most wanted announcer to stay at Fuji. She is liked by staff because she interacts equally with ADs and producers, in a way that is not stereotypically announcer-like. Considering how her senior, Ayako Kato (39), had no choice but to stay with her former station after becoming a freelancer, it may be better to stay. There are rumors that a seat on the board will be offered if she stays, but whether Fuji has a future is uncertain.”

The golden era of Fuji’s female announcers, where they were household names, is now over.

“Unless the shows they appear in gain attention online and go viral, they won’t make it into the favorite announcer rankings. With television’s power diminishing, it’s important to find ways to coexist with the internet and develop digital strategies. However, some things remain unchanged. No matter how advanced the internet becomes, sports commentary is an area that only announcers have the expertise in.”

All networks have started training announcers, regardless of gender, to specialize in commentary. For those aiming to become talented, it’s one thing, but if they hone their skills, there will be more opportunities, especially with the internet and other platforms for speaking. The demand for announcers’ skills is higher than ever.

With the collapse of the bubble and a return to basics, in the competitive world of announcers, it’s only the true professionals whose names are being discussed.

From the February 7, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”