Fuji TV’s Advertising Revenue Drops Major Reforms and Flagship Programs Under Review

NG appearances have also been issued by talent agencies.

“Fuji TV should once return its license and be dismantled for a fresh start!!”

Banners reading “Dismantle Fuji TV” were displayed, and an unusual protest activity took place on the afternoon of February 2. About 20 people gathered in front of the Fuji TV headquarters under cloudy skies. For two and a half hours, a protest against Fuji TV unfolded. There was a tense atmosphere, with what appeared to be police officers on alert.

The reason for the protest was Fuji TV’s delayed response to the female-related troubles of Masahiro Nakai (52). Despite the victim reporting the incident to Fuji TV from the start, the station continued to employ Nakai. Even after two press conferences in January, the situation did not settle down, and Dalton Investments, a U.S. investment fund and shareholder in Fuji TV, demanded the resignation of senior advisor Hieda Hisashi (87). There is no sign of the situation calming down.

The impact has spread in various areas. A Fuji TV insider revealed:

“Filming for new dramas in the April season began as early as last autumn for some shows, and typically half of a 12-episode series is filmed by the end of the year. However, due to the controversy, cancellations from planned filming locations have been frequent, forcing changes in filming locations, scripts, and direction. Also, as reported by ‘Shukan Shincho,’ the office of Masaki Suda (31) has issued a request for him to refrain from appearances, and requests for talent to refuse to appear are emerging, causing chaos on site.”

Companies continuing to cancel ads are increasing. It is said that around 75 companies have already stopped their advertisements, and a significant decline in advertising revenue seems unavoidable. An advertising agency insider analyzed:

“Fuji TV’s standalone net profit for the fiscal year ending March 2025 is expected to turn into a loss. While they announced a net profit of about 5.5 billion yen for the period from April to December 2024, the image damage caused by this series of controversies and the accumulation of missteps have had a significant impact. They have decided not to charge fees for replacing or canceling ads, and the annual advertising revenue is now forecast to be 125.2 billion yen, a decrease of 23.3 billion yen from the initial projection. This will mark Fuji TV’s first net loss since the company became a holding company in 2008. With further deterioration in performance and little hope for returning sponsors, the situation is unlikely to improve after April.”

Cost-cutting measures now apply to major comedians as well

The significant reduction in advertising expenses is directly affecting program production. A Fuji TV insider lamented, “Unlike streaming services, terrestrial TV stations have already been cutting production costs. This incident forces us to cut costs further, even for high-budget shows.” In response to the financial strain, discussions about reforming major programs are underway. An entertainment industry insider revealed:

“One program under consideration is ‘Sanma’s Comedy Improvement Committee.’ The host, Sanma Akashiya (69), has always understood the tight production budget and has agreed to lower his fee, allowing the show to launch many comedians. However, the fees for regular and semi-regular comedians like Tomonori Jinnai (50), Ken Horiuchi (55), Tetsu Hotarubara (57), and Toshifumi Fujimoto (54) are not exactly cheap. It seems that efforts are being made to reduce their appearances to every other week or monthly.”

Other programs are likely to be impacted as well.

“Another program under consideration is ‘Nep League.’ The three hosts of ‘Nep-Tune’ are expensive, but the show has been valued for its role as a promotional vehicle for the network’s dramas, movies, and events. However, with high production costs and declining ratings over the years, it is now seen as unrealistic to maintain the same production budget. Having moved to its current primetime slot in 2005, it’s been 20 years, and it’s not surprising if a decision is made that the show has fulfilled its purpose.”

Once reigning as the top-rated network and thriving during the golden era of television in the Showa and Heisei periods, Fuji TV is facing a crossroads. Will it decline, or will it stage a comeback? Time will tell.