Viva joins Channel 13 and other TV networks

April 14, 2013

MANILA, Philippines ― With the entertainment of its Philippine television networks in cable companies SkyCable, Cignal Digital TV, Dream Satellite TV and Global Destiny Cable, Viva has nwo found to joined more free TV networks, IBC-13, TV5 and PTV-4.

The news will be announced at the Viva Communications, Inc. in Ortigas Center, Pasig City today, according to Viva chairman and CEO Vic del Rosario, Jr..

Eirc Canoy, IBC chairman of the network, yesterday told Inquirer Entertainment that Viva had signed a block-time deal with the network to airing the primetime slot from other networks.

Canoy said that Viva is now airing on the primetime block IBC-13 as The Kapinoy Network, showing the Viva Tagalog movies and home to the NBA and PBA games, as well as its popular telenovelas Palabra de Mujer, Teresa and Rosalinda, a Korean asianovelas My Daughter the Flower and Japanese animes Cyborg Kurochan, Crayon Shin Chan and Akazukin Cha Cha. These Kapinoy shows will now aired on Channel 13 nationwide as well as the Viva cable channels.

Viva now is the broadcast rights to air the popular basketball to the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games on IBC-13, which is the TV viewership ratings, according to Kantar Media in the survey. Canoy said that, more imports in the local networks will buying Mexican telenovelas, Korean asianovelas and Japanese animes.

Apart from sports shows, Viva-TV also airs the soap-opera teleseryes like Esperanza, starring Cristine Reyes, and romantic-teleserye Sandy's Boyfriend, top-billed by AJ Muhlach and Nadine Lustre aims to challengew the sop-operas competitors in other networks. Of course, the teen drama anthology series like Dear Heart starring a certified singing champion Anja Aguilar, and a coemdy show Petra's Panniest hosted by the YouTube sensation Ashley Rievra aka Petra Mahalimuyak.

The network also has a two of the popular and top-rating game shows like Who Wants to be a Millionaire? with host Christopher de Leon and The Weakest Link with host Edu Manzano which become the million-peso prize in these phenomenal game shows, and a popular talent search show contest Born to be a Star, with a certified singing champion Anja Aguilar for the singing star fans, which are block-timers of Viva Television, they have helped IBC rise from its financial slump and mediocre ratings..

The network likewise has a new interactive game show, “Win Win Win,” with alternating hosts Benjie Paras and K Brosas.

Intalan said its other game show, “Slingo,” hosted by Joey de Leon, is currently “off-season,” but that “we are in talks with Mojo (“Slingo” franchise holder) to renew it.”

According to an insider, joining ABC 5 and RJ TV was the best strategic move for Solar, whose channels (Jack, Crime/Suspense, 2nd Avenue, ETC, Solar Sports, BTV) are about to end their run on Home and Sky, to be replaced by new SkyCable channels.

However, Tieng said, Solar’s cable channels are still available to Destiny subscribers. Another source said RJTV would carry Solar shows erstwhile aired on ETC, mostly canned lifestyle programs from the US.

Streamlining

Yet another insider claimed that Solar’s troubles with the cable companies were sparked by the transfer of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao from ABS-CBN to GMA 7. Sky and Home are sister companies of ABS-CBN. Solar holds the exclusive airing rights for Pacquiao’s highly rated prize fights.

In an official statement, Juno Chuidian, Sky Cable vice president for Programming, explained, “The introduction of new channels is part of the company’s thrust to streamline and strengthen its overall lineup.”

With this move, said Chuidian, “Redundant programs have been reduced.”