The Kasama Network of RPN

October 10, 2013

Education, information and entertainment are all addressed by the Radio Philippines Network (RPN) with a mixed formula of the Philippine television programs. The two dominant players in the Philippine television industry, RPN-9 has been to maintain a secure and stable niche in the business. Since its inception in 1960, it has been a poineer in broadcasting satellite as well as top-rating and trailblazing programming. RPN introduced such first as accucolor and 24-hour nonstop programming. The first to use the satellite to become a truly national network. RPN has six TV stations located in the cities, TV relay and translator stations and 12 other population centers in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and 15 radio stations strategically spread out over the archipelago.

“Providing responsible entertainment and information is part of RPN’s mission and vision, and balanced programming is necessary to achieve this mission,” says RPN president and CEO Robert Rivera.

As the poineer in balanced programming, the governmwnt-owned sequestered TV and radio station RPN-9 claims to be the leader network in the country that with the reputation of offering Filipino viewers the best balanced of program that combines from the top-rating local and foreign entertainment, family friendly values, up-to-date and responsible delivery of news and information, public service and educational.

Through the years, RPN-9 producing and introduced foreign canned shows,among them, Rescue 911, MacGyver, The X-Files, combining them with award-winning local productions like John en Marsha, Eat Bulaga!, Superstar and Ang Bagong Kampeon.

A decade later, RPN began concentrating on dominanly local programming in the balanced mix that has been its trademark. "That The Kasama Network stands when it coems to balanced programming." Over the years, RPN has received the most number of awards for Best Station and his proves that we are successful.

RPN-9 pledges to uphold its tradition of balanced and homegrown programming beyong its 53rd anniversary founding year last June 2013.

Radio Philippines Network, Inc. or RPN, as it is more popularly known to millions of listeners and viewers of its varied programs celebrates its 53rd anniversary as a leader in the Philippine Communications industry. Viewed from any perspective, such increase in number indicates growth in listenership and viewership of a considerable magnitude and scale. That growth can rightfully be attributed to a work ethic guided by a fine sense for balance programming, an openness for innovative ideas, and a talent discovery and development.

"We will continue to offer a healthy balance of information and entertainment by producing and airing proggrams that will serve the needs and wants of all sectors of society."

As the network who brought us such classic TV shows John en Marsha, Tell the People, Ang Bagong Kampeon, Superstar, Marimar, among others. RPN aims to deliver more quality programming that is basically pro-people and pro-service. Today, it is the local home of the Kasama Network of the powerhouse and the homegrown foreign canned programming: Ally McBeal, The X-Files, Dharma and Greg, 24, Glee, The Walking Dead, Heroes, America's Next Top Model, Ripley's Believe it or Not, One Tree Hill, NCIS, American Idol and The Vampire Diaries are the popular, top-rating award-winning and multi-awarded RPN foreign shows in the phenomenal growth.

Robert Rivera, president and chief executive officer, said the network will maintain its present programming.

"Out first priority is to institute much-needed structural changes in the network and make it ready and able to meet larger challenges. Also, to give televiewers and advertisers what they rightly deserve such as programming and service that is people and anchored on much improved News and Public Affairs programs," says Rivera.

RPN's strength lies in its inventory of programs based on foreign produced primetime programming materials which was concepcualized in the 80's. The programming scheme proved to be a resounding success which later on become a major marketing play in attracting advertisers.

"Producing our own local programs, top stars and talents as these are mostly under exclusive contracts with the dominant channels. Those that are free from the movie outfits excessively talent fees that through TV broadcast," he says. Rivera, who has been in the business for 24 years, said his basic plans for the network include protecting, preserving and enhancing the interest of the network within the company.

"Future projects for The Kasama Network at present as you know, the government plans to the privatization. planning for network. What is important to us now is to preserve and enhance the value of the network so that would-be owners can be asked to pay a just price for it" says Rivera.

He also added that RPN use add-on media values in luring advertising support.

"By packaging our anchor programs with other network programs, we will bring effective costs and make us competitive. Add to this the add-on values like creative merchandising, brand-bugs, built-into-the-program credits then we have a very diable package. The realities dictate that we continue to pursue this line. The dominant channel are resorting also to schemes to enhance their potentials," says Rivera. On its 53rd anniversarry, Rivera and the rest who make up RPN-9 brance for greatest opportunities that the new millenium will offer.

Thalia Telenovela
The company and its available resources Radio Philippines Network, Inc (RPN), initially known as Kanlaon Broadcasting System, is a broadcast television network in the Philippines owned by the Government Communications Group. Initially operated radio stations and in 1969 it launched its television arm. In the 70s and 80s, RPN was a big player in the local broadcast industry with several shows and special coverage in its fold. It aired special coverage like the Olympics, Thrilla in Manila and the Miss Universe beauty pageant.

It also launched trendsetting programs such as John en Marsha, Superstar, Eat Bulaga, and several big-name animes. It also bought rights for re-broadcasting of several hit TV shows fromthe United States.

After the 1986 EDSA revolution, RPN was sequestered by the government and itsassets were turned over to the Government Communications Group. In its fall fromgrace, the network lost much of its viewership to GMA and ABS-CBN. Some of its high-rating primetime shows into a ratings slump of ABS-CBN and GMA. Being a government controlled company; it was running on a budget.

Marimar is a Mexican TV telenovela originally broadcasted in 1994 in Mexico. The rights were bought by RPN-9, dubbed it in Filipino and re-broadcasted on a primetime slot on Philippine television. Pitted against industry giants ABS-CBN and GMA-7, Marimar caught the fancy of Filipinos and became a nationwide sensation. Intriguing is the fact that at that time, ABS-CBN and GMA's shows lord over television and their shows occupy a very huge chunk of the ratings pie. In came Marimar and shoved its rival's ratings. On the marketing perspective, what strategies were employed that led to the tipping of the ratings scale.

RPN was already importing foreign shows (mostly from the US and Japan). The craze was called Marimar shows supplanted by RPN on this timeslot took a back seat on its rival network's newscasts. Marimar thus became the pawn against the bishops and rooks of their rival. Import top-rating shows in other countries whose formula are akin to the shows patronized in the Philippines. The newscast's ratings were sky-scrapers as compared to RPN's.

RPN-9 starting the telenovela craze of soap operas are Quinceañera, Mari Mar, Maria la del Barrio, La Traidora, Maria Isabel, La Viuda de Blanco, Piel, Monte Cristo, La Usurpadora, Luz Clarita, Siempre Te Amare, Preciosa, Simplemente Maria, Maria del Cielo, Sin Ti, Luz y Sombra and Serafin.

Now, a new popular telenovela compared to other networks. Rosalinda, a new telenovela airing every weeknights at 10 p.m., starring the Mexican stars like actress Thalia and actor Fernando Carrillo as.

Rosalinda (Thalia) is a pretty woman who sells flowers and decorates a fancy restaurant. One day, she meets Fernando José (Fernando Carrillo), a man of high social status. He plays the piano at the restaurant. They eventually fall in love, get married, and have a child named Erika, but his stepmother Valeria desires to split the happy couple up, and she has the perfect way of doing so. Rosalinda's real mother, Soledad, served a 20-year prison sentence for the murder of Fernando José's real father. She was innocent, but took the blame. After finding out this horrible news, Fernando José abandons Rosalinda and her daughter. Valeria kidnaps Erika. Rosalinda goes into a depression and eventually loses her mind. She is locked up in a mental hospital.

The phenomenal, said Roebrt Rivera as the president and CEO of the network. The entry of this Spanich-language TV series, dubebd into the Filipino, roke the traditional dominance of US and other Western canned programmed on local television. Offered Rosalinda and other soap operas to the giant TV networks in the Philippines for free on condition the local networks would provide free air time and shoulder dubbing costs. The giant networks, apparently on the local market potential of the soap operas from Mexico, Taiwan and Korea.

The government's cash of The Kasama Network. The soap smashed the leadership of its rival program of ABS-CBN's Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin and GMA-7's True Love.

Newspapers reported incidents of commuters while glued to Rosalinda inside TV-equipped buses. At least one murder was caused by the Mexican programme in Manila, where a man, watching the show, for refusing to change channels from vehicles and rushed into nearly houses and radio broadcasting station TV sets tuned to Rosalinda. The government-sequestered, wary of the show’s wide popularity, the 1.3 million public employees nationwide that watching the show during office hours the acclaimed telenovelas and asianovelas which has generated a revenues and income for the sequestered TV and radio station.

Stunned by Rosalinda’s success, the other channels reprogrammed their shows, positioning their soap operas to match the schedule of Rosalinda across the nation popularity in the Philippines and the country.

Rosalinda’s popularity could signal the entry of more Latin American canned programmes to the Philippines and the rest of Asia. RPN-9 is scheduled to air two more TV serial visiting Manila.

BOSES: Tinig P-Noy
RPN chairman Wilson Tieng (also from Solar Entertainment's president and CEO) and RPN president and CEO Robert Rivera in reality shows, soap operas and fantasy series, game shows, showbiz talk shows, variety shows, drama anthologies and animes in television landscape, The Kasama Network poses a competition to the country’s more established networks like ABS-CBN and GMA-7 as well as the number 3 spot of IBC-13 and TV5.

The revenues from the block-timme shows will enhance the viewership of primetime of helping the government generate more revenue in the meantime plan to order a new transmitter, new cameras, new HD cameras, new studios (from RPN main studios and RPN broadway centrum), new OB vans, new OB van radio booths and other broadcast equipment for its TV and radio broadcasting as well as the regional stations. Some of the shows would be a co-production with Viva and Solar.

This new tagline marks RPN-9’s new station ID called Kasama Ako!, which also highlights the network’s alternative programming that now caters to the upscale and masses. The network had to producing shows in the local audience, airtime in the blocktimers of Solar for RPN. Nationwide transmission will be powered by a brand new 100 kilowatt Harris Transmitter, which means wide coverage and signal.

The new station ID captures the channel’s programming with featuring talents Nova Villa, Roderick Paulante, Angeline Quinto, Dennis Padilla, Mr. Fu, Eileen Papin, Anthony Castelo, Ariel Ignacio, Hajji Alejandro, Michelle Aldana, Chiqui Pineda, Tado Jimenez and RJ Ledesma, Helen Gamboa, Albert Martinez, Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Coney Reyes, Johnny Litton, Champoy cast are Brod Pete, Niña Jose, Aiko Melendez, Jason Francisco, Wowie de Guzman, JM De Guzman, Charee Pineda, Randolf Stamatelakey, Kylie Padilla, Steven Silva, Kim Gantioqui and Betong, Nestor Torre, Pat-P Daza Planas, cast of Penpen de Sarapen are Kobi Vidanes, Aaron Junatas, Angel Sy, Andrea Brillantes, Lance Angelo Lucido and Clarence Delgado, Jerome Ponce and Janella Salvador, Bayani Agbayani, Cherie Gil, Gary Lim, Izza Ignacio, Miggui Moreno, Luis Gonzales and James Blanco, Dante Rivero and Agot Isidro, Sylvia Sanchez, Tart Carlos, Vivieka Ravanes and Lito Pimentel, Ruffa Gutierrez, Randy Santiago, Wowie de Guzman, G. Toengi, GIo Alvarez, Marissa Sanchez and Reginre Tolentino.

Joining them are some of the personalities and hosts of the  news and public affairs programs that including Marigold Haber-Dunca, hard-hitting Ramon Tulfo, Angelique Lazo, Kiko Pangilinan, Madam Ratsa de Guzman, Buddy Lopa, Cielo Villaluna and Bebbot Bello are the biggest names in broadcast journalism.

The giant networks offer big-budgeted teleseryes, game shows, reality shows, noontime entertainment and other mass-oriented produdcions, RPN-9 airing popular canned shows from abroad with a monicker of of Kasama networ compared to Kapamilya, Kapuso, Kapinoy and Kapatid.

Riding this wave, the sequestered TV and radio statrion RPN-9 has acquire the franchise of BOSES: Tinig P-Noy. The network, which has primarily been showing foreign canned programs such as the US award-winning hit series Glee, Heroes, 24, The X-Files, Ally McBeal, Ripley's Believe it or Not, One Tree Hill, The Walking Dead, NCIS, American Idol, the reality show which has become a global television phenomenon and The Vampire Diaries since it started rules on primetimes, has in recent reorganization in late 2013 to expand its programming and audience reach with the best primetime shows. Together with the creation of local productions such as Roderick en Nova, Superstar, The Million Peso Money Drop, Spin-A-Win, Champoy, Philippines' Next Top Model, Chibugan Na!, Pinapangako Mo, Muling Pagmamahal, Kwarta o Kahon, Sana Kahit Minsan, Nora, a hit telenovelas are Frijolito and Rosalinda surged to the top of the ratings, a hit Koreanovelas are Can You Hear My Heart and Dream High as well as several popular Asian programs and the hit animes are Dragon Ball Z and K-ON! along with the rights of Miss Universe beauty pageant, the Oscar awards, musical and concert specials and boxing matches, RPN has banked on BOSES to gain a stronger audience hold the singing competition program trend on Philippine television for a viewership ratings, RPN-9 for midde-class and upper-class with upscale market of A-B-C classes and ranks the number 3 position among the local TV networks generating the advertising more revenues and income.

Solar has been a block-timer of The Kasama Netwiork for their own programming airtime, government-owned sequestered TV station RPN-9, having the local and foreign franchise of BOSES: Tinig P-Noy, is open to the autidions with the regional and worldwide. During the network's relaunch, company officials also revealed various new programs that aim to increase viewership. Wilson Tieng as chairman of RPN Channel 9 (also president and CEO of Solar Entertainment), particularly wanted to the figures on the network's earnings.

The Kasama Network also has the Mexican hit telenovelas and the hit asianovelas from Taiwan and Korea to runnings around them and grab away all their viewers.

RPN-9, as the consumer network in privatization of the government PCGG, was acculturated by Shine International through its huge popular reality-singing program format BOSES: Tinig P-Noy. With its credible track record of success, BOSES proved to be a business investment for The Kasama Network who is turning to the international program format trade for alternative programming that offer its local market rise to become the No.3 station.

As for the marketing strategies employees by RPN-9, the group needed to find out just how marketable the show for the network and were the standards they upheld in the show's host, judges and contestants.