280 Yen per Hour and Mall Warmth: Fuji TV Staff’s Cry for Help

Taking shelter to warm up at the shopping mall

Following the “Nakai shock,” Fuji Media Holdings forecast a decrease of 23.3 billion yen in Fuji TV’s advertising revenue for the fiscal year ending in March, along with a reduction of around a quarter in the parent company’s net profit.

The All Japan Television Program Production Association (ATP), an organization representing production companies, submitted a petition to Kenji Shimizu, President of Fuji TV (64). The petition expressed concerns about the severe impact of urgent re-editing of already delivered programs and sudden content changes, which could lead to overwork and even the bankruptcy of production companies due to program cancellations.

For a long time, production costs have been reduced due to the economic downturn, and the situation has worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a series of bankruptcies in production companies. The impact of the “Nakai shock” on subcontracted production companies is beyond imagination.

“In location shoots, which rely on the cooperation of facilities and stores, we’ve already seen refusals for filming and harsh words being thrown at us. The unseen damage has already started. The impact may last for months, or even years. The situation is expected to drag on, and many production companies are facing the risk of bankruptcy,” said a key station producer.

A staff member from a production company (A) lamented, “After paying the mortgage and the gas for the shooting vehicles, there’s no money left.”

“Utility costs are soaring, so I don’t turn on the heating at home. The house is freezing, so I take refuge in shopping malls. My wife’s part-time job barely covers our food expenses, but we’re already at our limit. With no work for the time being, I plan to work abroad. Like when I had no work during the pandemic, I think I’ll grab the tuk-tuk handle again in Thailand.”

It’s not just the viewers being left behind by Fuji TV.