Former Fuji TV announcer Nagisa Watanabe (27) exposed the “dark side of TV stations” in a serialized essay in “News Post Seven.” Since joining the company in 2020, Watanabe has been in charge of many popular programs, including “Mezamashi TV” (Fuji TV). However, in 2011, he fell ill and left the program he was in charge of in July of the same year. He continued to recuperate, but announced his departure from Fuji TV in August 2012, and in October he revealed on his Instagram that he was suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). He is currently working as a freelancer, and has resumed his activities after about a year of battling the illness, with a photo essay scheduled for release in January 2025. In his third essay, published on December 9th, Watanabe finally mentioned his time as a station announcer. He has been attracting attention by revealing how hard he works that it caused him to suffer from PTSD. “The first and second essays were heartwarming and focused on themes such as ’empathy’ and ‘curiosity,’ but the theme of the third essay was ‘work style.’ It felt like we were finally going to talk. Watanabe talked about the extremely hard work he did at Fuji TV, where he would come in at 2 a.m. to do a live broadcast, then work on another program, recording until after 10 p.m., and then come back to work at 2 a.m. the next morning, and even revealed that he thought of “work as punishment.” It is said that popular announcers are particularly under pressure, but it’s surprising to see it to this extent. “It’s only natural that you would be physically and mentally exhausted,” (Entertainment writer)
After revealing his past working conditions at Fuji TV, the public responded, “I didn’t think it would be this bad. It’s so shocking.’ “There’s less than four hours between the end of work and the start of work, so there’s no time to sleep, right!?” “If he works like this, it’s no wonder he’s damaging his health.” “I can’t believe he’s being made to go to such lengths…” Such comments of sympathy have been expressed. In fact, Fuji Television has recently experienced a series of health problems among its announcers. Mana Mikami (35), a regular on “Nonstop” (Fuji TV), has taken time off twice due to intestinal inflammation, in March-April and November 2023. In October 2011, announcer Kiyotaka Inoue (28) was absent from “Mezamashi TV” for seven consecutive broadcast days due to poor health. More recently, in November 2012, announcer Eriko Komuro (25) collapsed during a live broadcast of the news program “Mezamashi 8” (Fuji TV). Furthermore, in October 2011, Komuro was absent from “Mezamashi 8” for five consecutive broadcast days due to poor health. Fuji Television is facing questions about its harsh working environment. Fuji is likely terrified to find out what Watanabe will write in his photo essay, which he will release in January.
>>9 And when asked why, she said, “Because I’m bored lol.” It seems that she made the phrase “busy” an absolute taboo for herself as a reminder of the difficult times she went through when she was free and didn’t have any work as an announcer, but that was still a monster lol.
Speaking of which, I was surprised when Takemata Beni, who had been at the racetrack since the morning, did a horse racing program and then was the election vote count anchor in the middle of the night. What a sloppy way to use it.
>>17 Fuji TV’s performance is deteriorating, so I don’t think that’s the case. They’re even asking for early retirement. Especially if you’re still in your 20s.
Reading this, I feel that Fuji TV’s female announcers are like the wives and children of store owners who are exploited at retail stores like greengrocers. They also have something in common with children in Africa.
Even at TV Tokyo, there are anchors who are close to retirement age but still broadcast live on Monday nights and then again the following morning at 5am… Why are the working styles at TV stations so crazy?
>>25 There are plenty of other industries where the working environment is awful when you’re young, but it’s more about having a trade When you’re young, you have the stamina and energy, so if you don’t do it then, when will you do it? Well, sometimes people commit suicide though.
I think they send a hire car to pick him up at his house. Mito said on Nippon TV that she finishes work around 4pm instead, but does Fuji TV really make him work that late all the time? Every day?
>>35 That’s probably a joke I’m sure there are days like that, but not every day Apparently, consultants sometimes only sleep 10 hours a week, but not every week.
> He goes to work at 2am to do a live broadcast, then works on another show and records until after 10pm, then goes back to work at 2am the next morning.
Aside from Mezamashi TV, did he appear on any other shows?
That’s a bit too much. Don’t act like the few times you worked long hours irregularly continued every day. If you overwork a full-time employee who punches out with a crazy schedule like that, then it’s your direct supervisor’s responsibility. In this compliance era, are you stupid?
>>43 Because of those superhumans, juniors are probably told, “The seniors were doing this much too,” and they end up with crazy schedules. Kids these days are weak, so they can’t push themselves too hard.
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