TV5 targets 20 percent viewership share

TV5 president and CEO Ray Espinosa: More star power for the network

TV5 IS targeting a 20 percent audience share this year—a figure enough to make an impact in the industry, said network president and CEO Ray Espinosa.

The TV5 executive admitted, however, that the network faces an uphill climb if it wants to stand on equal footing with industry giants ABS-CBN and GMA 7, or win the three-way network war anytime soon.

“That’s not possible to do. We have to be realistic,” Espinosa told the Inquirer during the recent launch of the Kapatid network’s first quarter program lineup at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. “Our goal is simply to get our own share of the audience base.”

Improved ratings

According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, the Kapatid network averaged 15.6 percent in all-day audience share in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NuTAM) last year. That, Espinosa said, is an achievement, considering that its initial channel share was only four percent.

Espinosa said the network intends to keep improving its ratings in the hope of inching closer to its two rival networks, who together hold more than 60 percent of the Philippines’ audience share.

Espinosa said this could be achieved by “creating shows with excellent production values.”

Some of the Kapatid network’s additional programs to its first quarter lineup for this year are the prime time drama series “Valiente” and “Nandito Ako,” the afternoon soaps “Felina” and “Isang Dakot na Luha,” and the comedy series “Kapitan Awesome.”

For game and reality shows, there are “The Biggest Game Show in the World Asia,” “Extreme Makeover Home Edition Philippines” and “Toink! Sino ang Tama?”

Its news and public affairs has three new programs: “Pilipinas News”; “Good Morning Club”; and “Insider.”

Espinosa said the network could use more star power, although it has already signed big names in the industry such as Nora Aunor, Dolphy, Willie Revillame, Aga Muhlach, Lorna Tolentino and Sharon Cuneta.

“That issue will be addressed at some point in time,” he said. “For now we are concentrating on good stories.”

One of the shows that received the most attention during the event was “Game ’N Go”—TV5’s first noontime show. Featuring Edu Manzano, Shalani Soledad, Gelli de Belen, Arnell Ignacio and Tuesday Vargas, it starts airing on March 10 at 11:30 a.m.

Although “Game ’N Go’s” time slot will overlap with the leading noontime show “Eat Bulaga,” the two shows are not direct competitors, said TV5 head of creative and entertainment production Perci Intalan.

New noontime show

“In terms of concept, we’re more of a game show than a variety show, which ‘Eat Bulaga’ is,” he told the Inquirer. “We will offer a series of game segments.”

Intalan added that they have the highest respect for “Eat Bulaga,” especially since some of its hosts such as Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon and Ryan Agoncillo, also have shows on TV5.

“Actually, ipinaalam sa kanila ’to at alam nila na darating ang show. And we promised na hindi namin babanggain ang ‘Bulaga,’” he said.

“Game ’N Go” is part of the network’s efforts to beef up its daytime program lineup, Intalan explained. “Like what MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) said in the Ad Congress, ‘Hindi na uso ang prime time, ang uso na ngayon anytime.’ We’ll give our daytime programming the same importance we’ve been giving our prime time.”