the top female TV personality

http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/090327/gnj0903270501000-n1.htm
Mao took first place in a survey on the popularity of the female TV personalities in Japan conducted in February. She was forth in August 2008. The top male TV personality was Ichiro.

She is more popular than I expected!

Wow, that is impressive!

Though if they redid the survey in a few months, I have a feeling that Mao will drop again. Which might be a good thing. The less media pressure on her, the better, most likely.

I've been meaning to comment how funny it is that there are articles that mention Miki Ando again! After Miki won Worlds in 2007, the press coverage felt pretty balanced between Miki and Mao, but after Mao won in 2008 I felt like Miki completely dropped off the map! It was all about Mao/Yu-Na, all the time. No mention of Miki or Yukari before GPF, practically.

And then after 2009 Worlds when she finished ahead of Mao, it's back to split coverage again. But maybe not for long - since Miki will be spending most of her time in the US.