Hitomi Nakamura × Noriko Baba × Hiroko Ogura, We Want to Keep Living Life as Professional Speakers

After going freelance, former announcers Hitomi Nakamura (45, ex-Fuji TV), Noriko Baba (51, ex-Nippon TV), and Hiroko Ogura (50, ex-TBS) had an animated talk session. Having thrived on the front lines of variety and news programs, they shared in-depth stories about why they initially joined major TV networks, embarrassing on-air mistakes, their candid opinions on weekly magazines, and their future goals. Here’s an extensive two-hour roundtable with these popular former announcers from major commercial TV networks.

For the first part, see:
Hitomi Nakamura × Noriko Baba × Hiroko Ogura: “Being a female announcer is busy, tough, but fun”

 “FRIDAY” at the Wedding Ceremony

Baba: Fuji TV felt like a close-knit circle, with good relationships among the staff.

Nakamura: Yes, it was very open. We announcers even talked about our love lives with each other. I had been dating my husband (Kazuki Otake from “Summers,” married in March 2011) for a long time, and FRIDAY caught us together 7 or 8 times (laughs). At our wedding, friends showed a slideshow titled “The Trail of Love” featuring FRIDAY articles.

Ogura: TBS wasn’t as open as Fuji, so I was actually helped by the weekly magazines. I didn’t hide my relationship with my husband (former pro soccer player Takeshi Mizunai, married in April 2005), but I only told a few people. So when FRIDAY reported our relationship, I could openly acknowledge it. My boss, who didn’t know, was like, “What? What? Whaaat!?” and was very surprised.

Baba: When I was doing a Giants corner on a sports show, a weekly magazine claimed I was riding shotgun in Yoshinobu Takahashi’s car. That was completely false — I think they confused me with Mai Onodera (former Nippon TV announcer), who later married him. When I met Yoshinobu at the stadium, he said, “When did you get in my car?” and we both laughed a lot.

Nakamura: I was really fed up with how they took photos from the weekly magazines’ point of view.

Baba: I once saw a headline saying “Belly Button Shot” and thought, “Who’s dressed like that?” — it turned out to be me. When they put a mic on me at the stadium, my shirt rode up, showing my belly button, and they took a photo. The cameraman was shocked that someone was shooting something like that. After that, I turned my back or took measures, but I felt quite stressed thinking, “I’m just seriously doing my job”

Nakamura: Female announcers get a lot of attention from all sorts of people, but at the same time, it can be lonely.

Baba: Our work hours and days off are irregular, so it’s hard to meet friends. Thanks to that, I’ve been able to travel alone abroad—to France, Ireland, Australia, Indonesia, I’ve freely traveled to many countries.

Nakamura: I also went to Hawaii alone once. But I realized that many facilities and events are meant for couples or families, and I shouldn’t have come alone.

Ogura: Aside from your main job, do you have any memorable experiences?

Nakamura: Other networks might do this too, but announcer calendars were shot once. My colleague Minako Nakano, who was in the photo club in high school, was the photographer. While other female announcers wore glamorous dresses, I wore a work jumpsuit like those at construction sites. I’m not good with feminine clothes, so I just wore it for fun.

Baba: For Nippon TV’s 50th anniversary (2003), I planned a stage with senior announcer Akira Fukuzawa. Having the audience right in front and feeling their live reactions was an invaluable experience. Maybe because of acting experience, my narration afterward was praised, which left a strong impression. Fukuzawa-san created the unit “BORA” with Sachiko Furuichi and Yoko Nobutomo to avoid just amateurish acting, but honestly, I still don’t think it was necessary (laughs).

“You don’t have to push yourself.”

Nakamura:
I had truly wonderful experiences, but why did you all quit the TV stations and go freelance?

Ogura:
For me, becoming a manager in my mid-40s was a big turning point. The work I found fulfilling as an announcer gradually decreased. While I was feeling uneasy about “Is this really okay?”, the outbreak of COVID-19 became the final push. As a manager, I had to coordinate the schedules of nearly 20 announcers. Even when I was at home, I’d get calls late at night like, “Announcer XX has a fever. Please urgently arrange a substitute for the MC of the 2 a.m. program.” My kids would say, “Mom, another phone call?” looking unhappy. Seeing my stress, my husband told me, “You don’t have to push yourself.” That gave me the encouragement I needed. Even after going freelance at 50, I’m deeply grateful for the valuable experiences I had at TBS.

Baba:
Turning 40 was my big moment. Until then, I lacked confidence both as a person and as an announcer. I was always trying hard to be a “proper announcer,” putting on a front… Thanks to my career progress, I gradually gained confidence in my work. Approaching 40, I finally felt like I was at the starting line as an announcer. But organizationally, I was already joked about as the “future head of the announcers’ department.” I strongly wanted to keep being a player, so I went freelance in July 2014.

Nakamura:
I also enjoyed my time at Fuji, but after having kids, balancing work and childcare became tough. In my late 30s, I couldn’t picture myself appearing in variety shows aimed at younger generations. Around then, I was notified of a transfer to sales—a very busy department. Considering my family, I decided to quit the company in July 2017.

Ogura:
Going freelance gave us more time and mental freedom. What we all share is a love for announcer work. As talkers, we want to continue living life to the fullest.

Nakamura & Baba:
Exactly!

◆Hiroko Ogura: Born September 1974 in Tokyo. After graduating from Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin University, she joined TBS. She was in charge of shows such as Rank Kingdom and Ohayou Kujira. She left TBS at the end of 2024 and is now active as a freelance announcer.
◆Noriko Baba: Born April 1974 in Tokyo. After graduating from Waseda University, she joined Nippon TV. She was responsible for programs like The! Sekai Gyoten News. Currently, she appears on shows such as Asaichi (NHK). Her hobbies include conch shell playing, theater, and golf.
◆Hitomi Nakamura: Born June 1979 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Ochanomizu University, she joined Fuji TV. She worked on Spo-ru-to! and Waratte Iitomo! among others. Currently, she appears on programs like Hiruobi and Gogosuma (both on TBS network).

From “FRIDAY” May 9, 16, and 23, 2025