“Which station will be the first to use Matsumoto Hitoshi?” As TV stations play a “chicken race,” “unexpected TV stations” express their harsh opinions. At the end of each month, regular press conferences by TV station presidents are held in order of channel numbers, and comments from executives are reported daily on online news. The topics covered ranged from business conditions, the success or failure of each program, new and ended programs, scandals surrounding the station, and congratulations and condolences for performers, but what stood out the most at this month’s press conference were the comments regarding Matsumoto Hitoshi’s return. This was Matsumoto’s first press conference since he announced the end of his lawsuit with Shukan Bunshun on November 8th, and his comments were very thought-provoking, showing some deviations from the general trend. What stance are each station taking regarding Matsumoto’s return? What is the current status of Matsumoto’s return? Is a “quiet return,” as has been rumored since the announcement, possible? We will delve into the issue from an objective perspective, without any criticism, including the results of interviews we have conducted within the television industry over the past month. ■ That station took the plunge into “accountability” First, let’s look at the main comments made at the press conference in chronological order. At a regular NHK press conference on November 20th, the head of the Content Strategy Bureau’s Planning Management Center commented, “At this time, we have no plans to broadcast a program featuring Matsumoto Hitoshi,” and “Our basic approach when selecting performers, including Matsumoto, is to make a comprehensive decision each time based on independent editorial judgment in line with the content and direction of the program.” “He has decided to voluntarily refrain from entertainment activities, so we are responding based on that.” He doesn’t have any regular programs to begin with, and the special program he appeared in last year, “Matsumoto Hitoshi and the World Love Journal,” has not been broadcast. NHK, which produces its programs funded by reception fees, is unlikely to hire Matsumoto again unless public criticism subsides. Next, at a regular press conference on November 25th, Nippon Television President Akira Ishizawa commented, “As the person in question is still on hiatus, we would like to assess all circumstances and take appropriate action going forward.” Next, Vice President Hiroyuki Fukuda said, “There have been no specific discussions about resuming activities, and nothing has been decided about the future.” He added, “We will make an appropriate decision about returning to the program once we have received a satisfactory explanation from the other party.” What is noteworthy is the comment, “I explained to Yoshimoto Kogyo that ‘Nippon Television has a responsibility to explain (to the viewers) the reason for my return,’ and they understood.” The stance that “we will be responsible for explaining if we return to the program” reflects the wishes of the public and sponsors, and including the suggestion of the possibility of holding a press conference, this can be said to be the most proactive comment of any station. Matsumoto appears on two regular Nippon Television programs: “Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!” and “Downtown DX” (produced by Yomiuri TV). Both are long-running programs, so it is particularly significant that Nippon Television, which has used the shows for many years, has made such in-depth comments. If the station continues to take this stance more clearly than other networks, it may be able to recover from the damage to its image caused by the embezzlement of donations on “24 Hour TV” and the death of the original author of the drama “Sexy Tanaka-san.” ■TV Asahi: “We have nothing to do with it,” while TBS: “We’ll take it into consideration” On November 26th, TV Asahi held a regular press conference, where President Hiroshi Shinozuka commented, “Our company has nothing to say about the lawsuit.” Nishishin added, “Yoshimoto Kogyo told us that ‘nothing has been decided yet regarding the future,'” “there are no plans for them to appear (in the future),” and “since they are on hiatus, we can’t talk about hypothetical situations, but the production staff will ask the talent to appear on a case-by-case basis depending on the content of the project.” Click the link for more details.
>>1 I don’t really care anymore lol I don’t really like or dislike Matsumoto to begin with Why is it assumed that celebrities who have caused scandals will return? In normal society, one hit is enough to get you out. So gross. It’s the end of old media like television, which is in decline.
>>8 Maybe. She’s good friends with Shitara, and Nogizaka is in the midst of construction, so the MC is getting a bit stale, so it would be good to replace her.
There’s no need to use it. Don’t force Yoshimoto’s convenience on them. The viewers don’t want to see it. If you want to see it, pay the money and go see Matsumoto Hitoshi.
Whether he’s funny or not is a different matter. He’s had low ratings since he was young, so he’s not cut out for TV in the first place. He’s tried to gloss over it by saying he’s low on comedy standards and is experimental.
On the contrary, it seems like TV stations are joining together to create a situation where “if he holds a press conference, he’ll be allowed back.” Whether Matsumoto holds a press conference or not, he should never be allowed on TV again.
He closed down the business without permission because he was so childish that the part-timers called for a strike because they thought things would be difficult without him, but no one was affected. He dropped the lawsuit and used Yoshimoto to put up an advertising balloon, but the backlash was stronger than he expected, so he must be freaking out now.
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