Cast of noontime show “It’s Showtime.” Image: Instagram/@abscbnpr
The executives of Mediaquest Holdings Inc. on Tuesday addressed allegations that TV5 bumped off “It’s Showtime” to give way to the airing of the noontime show helmed by Tito and Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ), through their newly formed production outfit.
During the media conference following the official contract signing of TVJ as well as the rest of the original casts of “Eat Bulaga,” TV5 president and CEO Guido R. Zaballero said that they respect ABS-CBN’s decision to transfer the airing of its noontime show “It’s Showtime” to GMA’s GTV free channel, GTV starting July 1.
The mediacon was held just hours after ABS-CBN issued its official statement on the transfer of “It’s Showtime.”
“They continue to be our partners and we respect the decision that they’ve made. Ang pinakaimportante is that panalo pa rin ang Filipino viewer (What is most important is that the Filipino viewer is the winner),” Zaballero said.
According to Zaballero, ABS-CBN’s broadcast contract with TV5 will end by June 30, but that the Kapatid Network offered them the 4:30 p.m. slot for “It’s Showtime,” which they declined.
On the other hand, Mediaquest president and CEO Jane Basas pointed out that the relationship between “It’s Showtime” and TV5 was that of a “blocktime relationship,” pointing out the 4:30 PM timeslot was suggested as it suited the noontime show’s viewership more.
“It’s a blocktime relationship… It just makes sense to put in a timeslot that is best for it. We did offer an alternative timeslot, I believe that 4:30 to 6:30 timeslot is best for it because it has has a younger viewership,” she said.
Basas also pointed out that as Mediaquest is also co-owner and co-investor in the newly created TVJ Productions of the Sotto brothers and de Leon, it was to the best of their interests to put it at a timeslot that would benefit them all.
“This time, we are co-owners and co-investors in TVJ Productions. Kung ano mang title [of TVJ’s show], mas invested kami kasi produkto na namin (No matter what is the title of TVJ’s new show, we’re invested in this because it is our product),” she said.
Meanwhile, Mediaquest and TV5 top honcho Manny V. Pangilinan admitted that they had to make a tough choice between “It’s Showtime” and the still-unnamed TVJ show, but they had to go with a purely “business decision.”
“It was a purely business decision that we arrived at. The format is different, it was a blocktime arrangement, and we had an expiry date of June 30. Nagkataon lang that it was a matter of serendipity, and hindi kami nagkulang sa pagtulong sa ABS-CBN. We are proud of what we’ve done with them. We continue to have arrangements with them in terms of content, and they are not forsaken. Our duty to them, what was done to them, we felt that we have to give them a platform to provide what Filipinos love,” said Pangilinan.
“We are an inclusive group, hindi kami namimili kung ano ang nararapat ipakita sa plataporma namin. We will do that. We will provide content platforms to what the group possess,” he added.
‘Marami ang nabuhay’
De Leon also clarified that “It’s Showtime” was not “bumped off” the noontime slot just to make way for their new show, although details have yet to be disclosed.
“Hindi na-bump off. Alive ang TV ngayon. Kaya masaya. Dapat magpasalamat sa’min ‘yung ibang TV shows, nabuhay sila. Ang daming nabuhay. Ang daming hanapbuhay. (It was not bumped off. TV is alive now, that’s why it makes me happy. Other TV shows should be grateful to us because they are alive. Many are alive. It also provided many jobs),” he said.
Tito Sotto seconded de Leon’s statement, saying, “With due respect to TV5, I don’t think [the term] ‘bump off’ should be used. Hindi naman sila na-bump off. Natapos ang kontrata nila. In fairness to TV5, hindi na-bump off. Natapos ang kontrata.”
(With due respect to TV5, I don’t think the term “bump off” should be used. They were not bumped off. Their contract ended. Props to TV5, their contract ended.)
Aside from GTV, the Kapamilya noontime show will be shown in A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC, and TFC. EDV