Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
TV announcer Maya Kobayashi, 29, revealed on her blog this week that she will become a freelance presenter at the end of March. She will work on a freelance basis in a new TBS news program to air from March 30.
The announcement of her transition to freelance work came after her resignation from TBS made news last Saturday. Her blog was accessed more than 500,000 times, and is still reportedly experiencing server difficulties. A message has been posted in its place, in which she said: “My love for TBS is twice as strong as anyone else’s, and I’m really happy to be able to continue working with TBS.”
Kobayashi finished her message with an expression of gratitude to her family, friends, viewers and all those at TBS she has worked with.
© Japan Today
13 Comments
Login to comment
some14some
"Fushigi Hakken"
JeromeInJapan
Who digs the matchbox legs?
saborichan
So, is she particularly adept at reading question cards and introducing topics, as most women get to do on TV here?
borscht
Interesting that this is in the Entertainment section rather than the Business section as this is a smart business decision - Kobayashi will continue to do whatever she does at TBS but at double (or more) the salary.
soldave
You have to love how the image on the JT frontpage is cropped so you can't even see her head! Only her body and legs are in shot. Rather indicative of how people see the female presenters/newsreaders here.
techall
After reading soldave's post I had to scroll back up to see if they included her head in this picture. Guess you know what caught my attention.
Samuraiiki
WCs. These come as go like the wind.
meanmutha
presenting culture. always presenting stupidity... anyway... keep bloggin babe.
Wakarimasen
Seems anyone with a business or "career" in Japan has to run a blog. With little or nothing to say. Unlike us foreigners who have loads to say and don't run blogs or put stream of consciousness nonsesne on Facebook etc etc. Good luck to her for using this mechanism to get paid. Love TBS indeed!
Altria
I don't know about you guys but I can see a head...and LEGS.
presto345
The picture was replaced?
Moderator: The photo hasn't been changed. Photos appearing on the home page are automatically cropped so that the middle part of the photo shows in the thumbnail.
anon99
So what makes Mayaya decide to turn freelance?
Forgive me being ignorant, but I simply don't understand this joshiana culture... How come a freelance presenter can earn double than normal contracted ones? Is she going to have an external agent to represent her?
chardk1
What I don't understand is how Japanese people divide females in the entertainment industry into actresses, CM spokepeople, fashion models, TV show hosts, announcers, etc. As with Kobayashi there really isn't any distinction between them in terms of qualifications and what they do (sit there, look pretty, read off some lines), and they will do any of the above if offered anyway. I guess she thinks it's more genteel to refer to herself as a joshiana but, she may as well call herself "gum hawker" or "comedy show judge" since she is just as likely to be doing those things as presenting the news.