Some comedians say “70% of their income.” Why Hiroyuki Ariyoshi and Chidori still don’t have a YouTube channel
Amidst the talk of "YouTube is more profitable," what are the true feelings of popular MC comedians as seen up close and personal by a broadcaster?
TV pay is very small.
Fuji Television is reeling from the “90 million yen woman trouble” of former SMAP member Masahiro Nakai (52). In 2013, there are whispers of “TV becoming a wacon,” with Fuji at the top of the list. It seems that not a small number of comedians and TV personalities are concerned about what will happen to them in the future if they stay focused on TV.
YouTube has become the largest source of entertainment. Not only comedians and celebrities, but also popular actors have established their own channels, and well-known celebrities have generated considerable revenue.
Take, for example, the extremely successful comedy duo “Kamaitachi,” who are now rarely seen on TV. They generate considerable revenue from their YouTube channel, “Kamaitachi Channel,” which has over 2 million registered users, and a commercial producer told us that it accounts for 70% of their income. This is despite the fact that the Kamaitachi are currently successful on TV and radio, with more than 15 regular programs.
The Kamaitachi are in the popular MC class on TV. Each station must be paying a certain amount of money, but the TV fee is a per-unit fee. If it is compared to something like YouTube, where the more views you get, the more money you make, you would feel that the TV fee is too little,” said a producer.
Terrestrial TV stations, which have long been undergoing a wave of production cost reductions, seem to be in a situation where they cannot compete with YouTube in terms of money.
