Fuji Television Network Inc. said Wednesday it has dropped Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie as a regular participant on one of its weekly quiz shows, citing the two firms' battle for control of a radio broadcaster.
"As the two companies are currently fighting over corporate management, we decided it is not appropriate for a party involved to appear on an entertainment program," a Fuji TV spokesman said.
Fuji TV canceled the broadcast Sunday of "Heisei Education 2005 Prep School," on which Horie has regularly appeared since its launch in January.
Fuji TV initially cited "programming difficulties" for the cancellation, which followed Livedoor's surprise acquisition Feb. 8 of a controlling stake in Nippon Broadcasting System.
According to Fuji TV, it has recorded two shows with Horie, but will reshoot them without him for Sunday's broadcast.
"We don't know about the future, but we won't ask him" to appear on the show for the time being, the spokesman said.
A Livedoor spokesman said: "It is regrettable, because President Horie liked the program. Fuji TV should decide whether he will be on the show again."
Livedoor acquired a 38 percent stake in Nippon Broadcasting, challenging a takeover bid launched by Fuji TV last month.