‘Why fight it? Embrace it!’ says TV5 CEO on growing digital space, new post
Lovi Poe (left) and Coco Martin in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo”
The success of the action-comedy series “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” is a sign that the Filipino audience still has a strong appetite for entertainment programs, according to the newly installed TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero.
The series, starring Coco Martin and Lovi Poe, is one of several programs produced by ABS-CBN that is currently airing on the Kapatid network. Also included are the noontime game show “It’s Showtime!” and the action series “The Iron Heart.” Zaballero assumed leadership of TV5 on Feb. 1, following the retirement of Robert P. Galang, who also headed Cignal TV since 2020.
“We also see that there is a large appetite not just for news, but also for public affairs and information programs. That’s a space we would like to contribute to in the market,” Zaballero said when asked to talk about what he thought were the preferred programs of his target audience. Zaballero also promised that viewers would get to see more collaborations with other producers, such as the Sari Sari Channel (a joint venture between Cignal TV and Viva Communications) and APT Entertainment. In fact, the two comedy programs that will be launched this weekend—”Team A: Happy Fam, Happy Life” (Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles), and “Kurdapya” (Yassi Pressman)—are both bankrolled by TV5 and Sari Sari.
Will the network be expected to produce programs of its own? “For the meantime, that’s not going to be our major focus. We want to build expertise first, then leverage on the expertise of our partners,” the TV5 chief pointed out, adding that the “major goal” this year would be to improve the network’s ratings performance.
“It’s really grounded in our belief that we have to give our audience more choices,” he stressed. “I think there’s still a lot of space in this market for more entertainment choices. Of course, with the improvement in ratings performance, we also expect that the financial performance of TV5 will improve. That’s going to be a mid to long-term goal—to deliver some profits for our shareholders.”
Exploring opportunities
When asked whether the current partnership with the Kapamilya network would also eventually result in coproductions of entertainment shows, Zaballero said: “There are still no such programs in the pipeline. The current arrangement is that we carry their noontime and primetime shows. We also carry some of their shows during weekends. It’s true that there are so many possibilities with ABS-CBN since it has repositioned itself as a content creator. We also want to explore other opportunities with them there.”
He continued: “I think this arrangement benefits both parties. We won’t be doing this if there isn’t anything in it for us, as well. We want to continue this kind of spirit, where both of us are able to deliver something for each of our businesses.”
There is also the matter of TV5 having its own identity and brand. Hence, the need for it to come up with products that will reflect these. “In the future, yes. You may see some shows later this year that would definitely be seen only on TV5. I’m sorry if I’m not allowed to divulge any details on them yet. Depending on the business arrangement, it may be a show that we’ve collaborated on, with Cignal TV or with others. In the end, the platform will still be TV5.”
Zaballero also promised that its viewers would be seeing future programs featuring homegrown talents. “This is an eventuality. To run a full-fledged broadcast network, you really have to have your own talents eventually. This is definitely on the network’s roadmap. We realize that, especially in this industry, nothing happens overnight. It’s a gradual and tedious process. We are building the business that way,” he told reporters recently.
New TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero
When asked for his reaction on the fact that, currently, audiences are split between free TV and the digital platforms, Zaballero said: “I don’t look at this as competition. We need to embrace it as an ecosystem, where there are certain types of content that will begin on free-to-air, but will eventually find its way to digital space or streaming, and vice versa. As a whole, we see how other companies in broadcast media have evolved in terms of embracing digital space as part of a way to monetize their content. Why fight it? You have to embrace it!”
‘A challenge’
As a way to try to squeeze information from him about the network’s new content, we asked what programs he would personally like to see on the Kapatid channel. To this, Zaballero replied: “I personally want to see what the audience wants to see. I don’t think it’s right to pass my personal preference as theirs. I’m very focused on them. All of our choices are meant to cater to the free-to-air target audience.”Zaballero was senior vice president of Cignal TV Inc. for almost two years prior to transferring to TV5. He was also part of Smart Communications Inc. for several years.
“I looked at it as a challenge. Of course, when I was first spoken to, I felt surprised,” Zaballero said when asked to recall his reaction to being offered the chance to lead TV5. “It was totally unexpected, but as I got to know the business and the people, I also became very aware of what the challenges were. When I took the position on Feb. 1, I embraced it already. That’s why when I officially started, I hit the ground running. It feels like I was already with them longer than a month.”
He also said that his family was very pleased with his new job. “It was my wife—I have to hand it to her—who would eventually be the one reminding me that this is actually an achievement. This is because I’m all about the work. She is happy and seemed very excited for me,” Zaballero declared. INQ
