Viva-TV on IBC network

i'm sure a lot of you remember VTV on IBC-13--what was originally known as VTV primetime network, then vintage television after a year...

of course, their "prime program" was the PBA, alongside other sporting events such as the marlboro tour, boxing ("blow by blow") and billiards. but--especially when they were known as vintage television--they also had a good share of entertainment shows.

among them were "wow!" and "goin' bayabas"--both which, ironically, came about after the departure of al tantay and edgar mortiz from ABC (where they handled "wow mali!" and "tropang trumpo", respectively). "wow!" became their version of "wow mali!", pero a little bit on the "sexier" side (given that rosanna roces, and later, ara mina, hosted the show...ara mina was paired with keempee de leon when she took over). "goin' bayabas" naman was, obviously, their answer to "tropang trumpo" with smokey manaloto--a former "tropa" cast member--leading the cast...

there was also "rebyu", a youth-oriented magazine show hosted by RX93.1's chico and delamar (this was their first regular TV show during the height of their radio popularity), "takot ka ba sa dilim?" (not to be confused with "erik matti's kagat ng dilim", another horror series on the same channel a couple of years later), a horror anthology which was, if i'm not mistaken, co-produced with viva television (which would merge with VTV later to become vivatv), and "sine VTV", a telesine block-cum-drama anthology hosted by boots anson-roa (who, incidentally, would become IBC's president at the time VTV still had their blocktime contract with the network).

and true to vintage's nature as a sports program producer, they had weekly sports shows, too, like "hot stuff" with anthony suntay and chino trinidad, the horse-racing magazine "KKK: kabayo, karera, karerista", and of course, the "blow by blow" boxing matches (kung saan unang nakilala bilang boksingero si manny pacquiao).

curiously, during the first week of VTV as vintage television in 1998, muntik nang magkaroon ng falling-out between vintage and IBC--this was, if i remember right, due to IBC (then under the management of retired soldier mitch templo) airing/simulcasting ABS-CBN's MBA (metropolitan basketball association) especially during its inauguration, kung saan naapektuhan 'ata ang dapat sana'y airing noon ng birthday special ni robert jaworski which VTV produced.

as a result, vintage sports' commentators all wore a black band as a sign of "protest", and never mentioned IBC's name during their coverages (whereas, prior to that, they would always say "VTV on IBC"). pero mukhang naging maayos ang lahat especially when boots anson-roa took over as IBC president...she managed to squeeze in some in-house programming during VTV's hours on primetime, and also enlisted the help of vintage/VTV to provide sports news--and even a main anchor (in the person of the former attorney noli eala)--for their late-night newscast back then (at that time, it was already known as "IBC balita ngayon").