RPN 9 reveals why its TV ratings doubled

March 2, 2018

(RPN (reg logo); Riverdale, MacGyver): In the second half of 2016, RPN 9's ratings in the primetime block doubled following the airing of a new set of Hollywood TV shows from 9-11 p.m. on weekends and movies on weekends at 10:30 p.m. The officials of the Kasama network disclose that they wants to create their own shows targeted to the millennials.

RPN 9's marketing executives confirmed that the Kasama Network's TV ratings doubled in February 2018, since its premiering airing of the Hollywood TV shows on weeknights and movies on weekends.

Considering the target market for RPN 9 as the general entertainment TV station for the millennials and those people who refuse to grow up, as the station will be offering the hottest U.S. TV shows on weeknights, alongside the homegrown programs which will have a discover of Filipino talents.

The network's locally produced primetime homegrown shows have largely increased the network to capture the young, including E-Extra and Kasama Break the Bank on weeknights while they acquire licenses to air hit series from the U.S.; Happy Chie, One Sound and Wattpad Presents on Saturday nights; and Boses Tinig Pinoy and Music Sessions on Sundays, while preparing for films from the U.S. on weekends.

“Within the year, there is a distinct shift when we shifted gears, so to speak,” explained Christopher Sy, RPN’s Head of Network Marketing and Digital, during Riverdale event called "Riverdale University" held in Makati City on February 26, 2018..

“In terms of ratings we’re focusing more on primetime [block], while the local drama series aired on the three giant networks.

“What’s nice for example, NCIS and MacGyver, the ratings for that block are 50 percent higher than what we used to get, compared to the first half of this year.”

Melissa Gecolea, Head of Entertainment Marketing, supported Christopher’s statement.

“We had locally produced content targets the millennials such as E-Extra and Kasama Break the Bank on weeknights; Happy Chie, One Sound and Wattpad Presents on Saturdays; and Boses Tinig Pinoy and Music Sessions on Sundays. Some foreign titles and the ratings for primetime doubled.

“We’re still the undisputed number five [behind ABS-CBN Channel 2, GMA-7, IBC-13 and most of all PTV Channel 4], but if you get it into context compared to how we performed during the first half of the year, our primetime ratings have actually doubled.”

Sy pointed out that the station's primetime block was strengthened by the U.S. teen drama series Riverdale, which airs every Monday at 9PM on RPN 9.

“The Monday block has been actually been really, really good for us, so the numbers are actually higher. Fans in the Philippines can immediately watch the latest episodes of U.S. shows on weeknights. Same as well as with our weekend movies.

“And then you have very good weekend ratings with MBA [Metropolitan Basketball Association] every Saturday and Sunday.

“So I think we had a very, very good [performance] over the last month. Hopefully we continue that trend.”

RPN 9 vowed to continue offering the “hottest and latest” American hit TV shows and episodes just days after they air in the U.S., under its “Fresh from the U.S.” scheme, such as The X-Files, NCIS, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Amazing Race 30, Grey's Anatomy, Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Hell's Kitchen All-Stars and MacGyver.

Melissa said about these programs, “They performed better and they’re actually cheaper. They got a much of money to produce them. You just need to acquire them. So, it makes more business sense.”

ALTERNATIVE VIEWING HABIT. Sy explained that through marketing research, they were able to understand their audience and use this information to their advantage.

“We’re actually quite different from what the other three big networks are getting,” said the marketing/digital head.

“Strongest [program] again is most likely the PBA sports, so our content tends to skew towards that [direction]. And logical follow-up is action-oriented shows.

“That seems to be the content our consumers would like to watch in conjunction with their viewing habit of the MBA every weekend.

“The weekend movies that do the work for us are action-oriented, active personas. They like to compete, they like to strive and that’s the shows that seems to work for us as well.

“We provide the shows that they like, [which contains stories about] struggle to beat the odds. That kind of psyche, that different from the ones you see from other networks.”

 LOCAL SHOWS. While RPN 9’s airtime is dominated by acquired Hollywood programs and movies, the network’s marketing officials clarified that they had a local content in a mix of comedy, drama, music and variety shows, game and reality shows, as long as they are of high-quality.

“At the end of the day, it’s about content. So if we feel the content is good enough, we will bring in the shows.

“That also mean we will be using international shows. We are also still open to developing our own.”

Sy admitted that they realized that they initially created local shows “for the target of creating local shows, just to fill up the airtime.”

He continued, “So in the near future, abangan mo ‘yan. We will get into that.

“But for the meantime, the shows are good enough, the quality is good enough, we will bring it in and we localize it.”

Melissa added, “We’re building our pipeline, so in the meantime, since the U.S. TV series are working for us, then we continue to do them until we are able to come up with a strong lineup.”

When asked for a time-frame as to when they plan to execute plan to come up with their own programs, Sy replied, “I immediately produced a mix of local and foreign content para sa RPN.

“If we’re gonna come out, we’re gonna come out with quality [shows]. But no longer have to wait.”

RPN through the years
LOCAL PROGRAMS
 * Noon:
 * John en Marsha
 * Superstar
 * Eat Bulaga!
 * Flordeluna
 * Champoy
 * Ang Bagong Kampeon
 * Buddy en Sol
 * Young Love, Sweet Love
 * Bisperas ng Kasaysayan
 * Actually, Yun Na!
 * Cebu
 * Chibugan Na!
 * Davao
 * Ngayon:
 * E-Extra
 * Kasama Break the Bank
 * Student Canteen
 * Kwarta o Kahon
 * Happy Chie
 * One Sound
 * Wattpad Presents
 * Boses Tinig Pinoy
 * Music Sessions
 * Arangkada Balita
 * NewsWatch

TELENOVELAS
 * Noon:
 * La Traidora
 * Marimar
 * Luz Clarita
 * Maria la del Barrio
 * Simplemente Maria
 * Maria Isabel
 * Ngayon:
 * Love Spell
 * Despertar Contigo

FOREIGN SERIES
 * Noon:
 * MacGyver
 * The X-Files
 * Ally McBeal
 * Felicity
 * NYPD Blue
 * The Practice
 * Ngayon:
 * Riverdale
 * NCIS
 * The X-Files (new season)
 * Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
 * The Amazing Race
 * Grey's Anatomy
 * Survivor
 * Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
 * Hell's Kitchen
 * MacGyver (2016)

Wattpad Presents stars (RPN)

 * Vivoree Esclito and CK Kieron
 * Nash Aguas and Sharlene San Pedro
 * Markus Paterson and Heaven Peralejo
 * AC Bonifacio and Yong Muhajil
 * Jairus Aquino and Nichole Ramos
 * Melizza Jimenez and Bruno Gabriel
 * Jacob Raymundo and Anne Tenorio
 * Patricia Gayod and Jimboy Martin
 * Maureen Wroblewitz and Manolo Pedrosa
 * Tony Labrusca and Maris Racal
 * Kristofer Martin and Miles Ocampo
 * Zonia Mejia and John Bermundo
 * Mikylla Ramirez and Ruru Madrid
 * Love story:
 * He's Dating the Ice Princess
 * Dearest Dave
 * Ms. Brokenhearted Meets Mr. Nice Guy
 * Secretly Married
 * Unwated Fairytale
 * A Hundred Days with You
 * Flower and a Day with You
 * Finding Cinderella
 * The Four Bad Boys and Me
 * Campus Nerd to Campus Princess
 * Seducing Drake Palma
 * Realize
 * Perfect Haters
 * The Boy Next Door
 * Make It Real
 * Accidentally in Love with a Gangster
 * Never Been Your Fangirl
 * The Despicable Guy
 * Playboy's Baby
 * The Break-Up Planner
 * The Perfect Girl
 * A Forever with Them
 * Deal Breaker
 * Moving Into My Ex's House
 * Famous Meets Bad Girl
 * My High School Life
 * Practicing My First Real Kiss
 * The Bachelor
 * Clash of The Campus Royalties
 * Boyfriend Corp.
 * Prince with Benefits
 * Dama: The Princess Bitch
 * Captivated by Tyrone Greene
 * Avah Maldita
 * Every Beast Needs a Beauty
 * Colliding with Fate
 * The Heartbroken Heartbreaker
 * His Personal Slave
 * Bad Girl for A Girlfriend
 * My Wattpad Love
 * Aim to Know You
 * 23:11
 * How to Break Up with the Bad Boy
 * The Girl He Never Noticed
 * Good Girl Gone Bad
 * Like Yesterday
 * Lana's List
 * The Encounter with a Beauty Queen
 * Falling for the Opposite
 * His Personal Wife
 * The Way It Was Before
 * More Than Just A Bet
 * Must Love The Playboy
 * The Good Girl's Revenge
 * The Nerdy Rebound Girl
 * As Told By Nerdy
 * The Greatest Downfall
 * The Transient Wife