PTV-4 to turn commercial

September 4th, 2012

State-owned People’s Television 4 (PTV-4) is going commercial after President Benigno Aquino has endorsed its bid to join the competition for broadcast ads is now using the new computer animation graphics.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Monday that allowing PTV-4 to compete for ads was one of two major changes that the President wanted made in the proposed amendments to the network’s charter, Republic Act No. 7306.

The other change is the infusion of P5 billion in new capital into PTV-4. The amount will come from the proceeds of the sale of two sequestered stations—Radio Philippines Network (RPN) Channel 9 and Inter-Continental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC) Channel 13 which is now become the number 3 network —and funds raised from spectrum management fees collected by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from the broadcasting and telecommunications industry.

“The President’s vision is to transform PTV’s image from a propaganda machine in the past administration to a public service station which provides meaningful and balanced news to the public in the mold of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corpporation),” Coloma said in a phone interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Coloma said there was a need for Congress to amend RA 7306, which prohibits PTV-4 from getting ads and limits its financing to state funds.

“This provision, while aimed at ensuring that PTV will not actively compete with commercial networks, proved to be detrimental as the network failed to sustain the viability of its operations while being allowed to earn only institutional revenues from government entities like Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) and PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office),” Coloma said.

He said the lack of commercial earnings had depleted PTV-4’s P1 billion capitalization, requiring fresh investment from the government to give its viewers a balanced mix of news and public affairs, public service, educational, cultural and sports programs and also has international subsidiaries (PTV America, PTV World and PTV Middle East).

The Cabinet’s economic development cluster will complete within the year the privatization schedule for RPN 9 and IBC 13 now a number 3 network, while both the House and the Senate have already discussed the bills that would amend PTV-4’s charter at the committee level. programs can be watched internationally via the Glocal Media Network, Dish Network, Rogers Cable and IPQube, DTH provider and IPTV.

Coloma said PTV-4 would use its fresh capital to buy new equipment, improve its broadcast signals, and reformat its programming to at least 60 percent for news and public affairs programs, 40 percent for socially relevant entertainment, including educational, historical and and cultural programs and 50 percent for children's programming. Unlike other major television channels in the Philippines that air commercial shows and primetime tv series, PTV is more into informing the people rather than airing mainstream shows and entertainment.

On Monday, PTV-4 launched Panahon.TV, a 24-hour weather program that Coloma said would provide the public weather information in plain language.

Panahon.TV is the idea of Coloma and Lina Group of Companies chair Alberto Lina. Coloma said it was their response to the public clamor for weather information they could understand.

Donna Flavier, Panahon.TV executive producer and UBE Media Inc. representative, said the weather program was the result of six months of conceptualization and meetings with PTV-4 officials.

“This is our response to President Aquino’s order for the public to be given accurate and clear information on the weather,” Flavier said.

The first telecast of the program is scheduled for September 10, from 5 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. The program will air from Monday through Friday, with hourly updates from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) airing on a special segment.

The program will have four regular segments: Laging Handa (Always Prepared), for tips and reminders in times of crisis and natural calamities; Tamang Oras (Right Time), for trivia and facts about the right time or season for activities; Napapanahong Kaalaman (Timely Information), for basic terminologies in weather forecasting; and Sigla (Health), for tips and information on how weather can affect health.

PTV as Telebisyon ng Bayan is also home to popular and award-winning shows such as the award-winning educational and cultural programming: entertainment Concert at the Park (Saturdays, 8:30 p.m.), Paco Park Presents (Tuesdays, 7 p.m.), Continuing Education Via Television or CONSTEL (Mondays to Fridays, 7 to 8 a.m.), a program aimed at upgrading teaching skills of elementary and secondary teachers of Science and English. Institutionalized by DECS, CONSTEL Science and English are being used in teacher training by the Regional and Divisional Leader Schools of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and in Teacher Education Institutions of the Commission on Higher Education, and Eskwela ng Bayan (Mondays to Fridays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.), with the new Karen's World, Solved, Why? and Alikabok.

While the new favorite Cartoon Network block is now on PTV Kids everyday such as Codename: Kids Next Door, Ben 10, Teen Titans, Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Dexter's Laboratory, Adventure Time, Ben 10: Alien Force, Chowder, 'Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien'.

The station has the new PTV news and public affairs programs with the new headed by Kathy San Gabriel and known as PTV Newscenter:

Metro One (Mondays to Fridays, 5:30 to 7 a.m.), a newest morning show will spice up with a wide-array of interesting topics that will captivate not only the early generation but also the elderly hosted by Issa Litton with guest co-hosts every week Ted Failon (Metro One News), Diane Medina and Cherrie Atilano (segment hosts) bunch of attractive segments from the colorful history and rich culture, discovering the unexplored sites of the country, fascinating technology and encouraging aspiring talented performers in the land are entertainment.

News@1 (Mondays to Fridays, 1 to 2 p.m.), the afternoon news program anchored by Kirby Cristobal, Princess Habiba Sarip and Sandro Hermoso some segments from headlines (Pangunahing Balita), provincial news (Balitang Panlalawigan), global news (Globalita), commentary segment (Xiao Time), business news (Kalakalan), sports news (Sports Ngayon), weather forecast (Ulat Panahon) and legal segment (Bisig ng Batas).

The Weekend News (Saturdays at Sundays at 6:30 to 7 p.m.), the new English weekend newscast anchored by Audrey Gorriceta and Kathy San Gabriel.

PTV NewsBreak (Filipino from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 3 to 4 p.m. and English at 8 to 9 p.m.), the hourly news bulletin anchored by Audrey Gorriceta in Filipino from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 3 to 4 p.m. and Rocky Ignacio for English from 8 to 9 p.m.

PTV Sports (Mondays to Fridays, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.), the newest sports newscast round-up anchored by Snow Badua also on News@1's Sports Ngayon segment anchor.

TeleDyaryo, PTV’s longest-running Filipino flagship news program on Philippine TV now airs from Mondays to Fridays from 6 ro 7 p.m. offers beyond the news, bringing you even bigger stories behind the headlines with the new anchors veteran broadcaster Ted Failon, Angelique Lazo and Atty. Marc Castrodes with more segments from headlines (Pangunahing Balita), malacanang (Ulat Malacanang), business news (Balitanegosyo), police report (Kremen), global news (Pandaigdig), provincial news (Ulat Probinsiya), commentary segment (Xiao Time), weather forecast (Ulat Panahon), sports news (Score Board) and entertainment news (TeleStar).

Alongside longest-running TeleDyaryo, PTV is re-launching its longest-running English newscast on late-night NewsLife now with new anchors broadcast journalists Robert Tan, Isabelle Cantu and Angel Movido on weeknights 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., some segments are headlines (Headlines), crime news (Law and Order), legal segment (Rule of Law), national news (The Nation in Review), global news (One Global Village), provincial news (The Countryside), business news (Business on the Move), weather forecast (LiteWeather), sports news (Champions) and entertainment news (StarLight).

New public affairs program under PTV News and Public Affairs are: Failon Ngayon (Saturdays 7 p.m.), hosted by Ted Failon, GSIS Members Hour (Fridays, 8:30 p.m. with replays on Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.), hosted by Marge Jorillo and Bo Sanchez, Ating Alamin (Sundays, 1 p.m.), hosted by Ka Gerry Geronimo, BizNews (Thursdays, 8:30 p.m.), hosted by Tony Lopez and Elizabeth Lee, Mag-Agri Tayo (Saturdays, 6 p.m.), hosted by Mr. Philip Dapon, Bantay OCW (Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m.), hosted by Susan K, Asenso Pinoy (Saturdays, 5:30 p.m. and Sundays, 12:30 p.m.), hosted by Francisco Cardona, SME Go! (Saturdays, 4:30 p.m.) hosted by Bam Aquino and Sa Likod ng Istorya (Saturdays, 9:30 p.m.), hosted by Ms. Veronica Balayut-Jimenez