Sports superstars, movie celebs in new Vintage TV programming

Manila Standard - March 27, 1998

Vintage Sports, the country's leader in sports production and marketing, has now metamorphosed into Vintage Television, the newest major player in the television industry.

This was announced Thursday by Carlos "Bobong" Velez, chairman of Vintage Television, during the launch of Vintage Television's new programming lineup in a glitzy affair at the Hotel Rembrandt ballroom.

The new Vintage Television, which is actually a merging of Vintage Sports and VTV Entertainment, is a "virtual network" on IBC-13 as it occupies the entire night-time hours of the station, from 5-12 p.m., Monday to Sunday under a five-year agreement with IBC.

Velez stressed that the unique strenght of Vintage Television is that it brings together the superstars of local sports with the leading lights of Philippine moviedom under one roof, in a never-before-tried mix.

Think of it as a local version of Hollywood meet the NBA. Hence, for the first time ever, the likes of basketball icons Johnny Abarrienos, Alvin Patrimonio and Marlou Aquino will join hands with tinseltown's Rosanna Roces, Smokey Manaloto and Antoinette Taus in a series of promorional efforts for the new Vintage Television.

One thing Vintage Television already has going for it is a well-entrenched niche of local TV viewers - fans of sports programs and now seeks to build upon this foundation by expanding into a new area, that of local entertainment, by producing shows whose formats have a proven track record of success.

Vintage Television's banenr shows will continue to be its sports programs led by its flagship program, the PBA games, which Vintage has been producing for television for the laets 18 years. Vintage Television also features the popular National Basketball Association (NBA) games and the best boxing shows (Blow by Blow and Superbouts) on television.

Vintage Television also boasts of the award-winning sports tele-magazine show Hot Stuff, hosted by Chino Trinidad and Anthony Suntay.

Other Vintage Television sports offerings include a US top-rating wrestling show (WCW), a Eurepean top-rating soccer show (UEFA), a tennis show (ATP Tour Highlights) and a brand-new horse-racing show (Kabayo, Karera, Karerista, Fridays, 11 p.m.), to be hosted by PBL Commissioner and sportsman Yeng Guiao.

Vintage Television also introduced six brand-new locally-produced shows, including two weekly comedy programs, a teen romance, a horror series based on a hit movie, a new lifestyle magazine for teens and a weekly hit action movie featuring the heavyweights of the genre.

Among the new shows, which begin airing on March 29, are: Goin' Bayabas (Saturdays, 8 p.m.), a reincarnation of the '80s top-rating Going' Bananas featuring Smokey Manaloto, Ian de Leon, Earl Ignacio, Keempee de Leon, Ara Mina, Cheska Garcia, Beth Tamayo, Daisy Reyes and Onyok Velasco; WOW! (Wednesdays, 8 p.m.) starring Rosanna Roces and offering much more than hidden cameras, spoofs, gags and practical jokes.

Takot Ka Ba Sa Dilim? (Saturdays, 7 p.m.) based on the hit movie of the same title and featuring Donna Cruz, Robin Da Roza, Jake Roxas, Chin-Chin Gutierrez, Ciselle Toengi and Onemig Bondoc. Dear Heart (Saturdays starting at 6 p.m.) an advice column for the MTV generation hosted by Antoinette Taus and starring Angelu de Leon, Bobby Andrews, Raven Villanueva, Diego Castro, Dingdong Avanzado, Ina Raymundo and many others.

V.U. (Wednesdays, 7 p.m.), the newest lifestyle magazine show for the Generation X; and Sinemaks (mga Sine Maaksyon ng VTV), featuring homegrown action blockbusters of Fernando Poe Jr., Robin Padilla, Rudy Fernandez, Bong Revilla, Eddie Garcia, Raymart Santiago, Edu Manzano and many others.

Vintage Television will also be showing the new Extreme Action Theater (Thursday, 9 p.m.) composed of foreign action-packed movies and The Bikini Open (Wednesdays, 9 p.m.) which takes viewers on an exciting odyssey to the world's best bikini contest.