Jolina Magdangal on social media influencers, reshuffling of local TV shows
Jolina Magdangal
For actress-TV host Jolina Magdangal, show biz celebrities should not feel threatened by social media influencers, who are now also being hired by companies and producers to become brand endorsers or host shows and events.
In fact, Magdangal is working closely with some of them, particularly Jackie Gonzaga, Ralph Malibunas, Patsy Reyes and Zendee, in “Sinong Manok Mo?” (SMM), a weekend game-variety program on PIE Channel.
“I’ve never felt threatened by them because I feel that these influencers will never become successful if they don’t have anything good to offer their followers. They must have planned well whatever content they show on their platforms. They won’t be called influencers if people don’t find them relatable. This is the reason companies invest in them,” Magdangal told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent virtual chat.
“It just so happened that attention is currently focused on the digital platforms. There used to be a time when every house owned a TV. If you didn’t have one, you’d try to watch shows in your neighbor’s house. Back then, you also turned to television if you wanted to announce something. These days, everyone owns a phone that provides them the information they need,” she pointed out.
Magdangal said she follows quite a number of influencers and would even post comments to compliment them whenever she finds some of their content funny or inspiring.
‘Weird and different’
“I cannot compare what they do to how we were back in the day. The situation today is different. Influencers are people who are able to adapt to change,” she explained. “When I got to talk to some of them, I realized that I also have a lot to learn from them. And with the 30 years of experience I have working in this industry, I know I can also share a thing or two with those who are willing to listen.”
Magdangal was a guest artist on the July 1 episode of “It’s Showtime,” the day the noontime show premiered on GTV. She said performing felt “weird and different.”
“While we were rehearsing, I realized that I was performing with people I used to work with in ‘Party Pilipinas’ and ‘Sunday All Stars.’ I was like, ‘What’s happening? Is this for real?’ I was thrilled to see all of them. Yes, there’s still competition, but a really friendly one.”
“Party Pilipinas” and “Sunday All Stars” were variety shows produced by GMA 7 that aired in the mid-2000s and where Magdangal was a talent until she transferred to ABS-CBN in 2015.
The reshuffle in local TV’s noontime slot was the effect of the transfer of veteran hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon from GMA 7 to TV5 (“E.A.T”). The move resulted in the transfer of “It’s Showtime” from TV5 to GMA 7’s sister company, GTV, and the hiring of a new set of hosts for the 44-year-old “Eat Bulaga.”
Magdangal is hopeful that the reshuffle would lead to more collaborations, not only for live shows, but also for drama programs, much like “Unbreak My Heart,” which is a tie-up between ABS-CBN and GMA 7.
“It’s better to treat each other as friends, as collaborators, than feel pressured all the time while anticipating the other company’s every move. For sure, a program created by two groups will come out better compared to two shows from competing teams that were made under intense pressure,” she observed.
Real personality
Collaboration is also important in the work she does for SMM. In the segment called “Barangay Edition” (Saturdays at 7 p.m.), Magdangal hosts from the PIE studios, while Eric Nicolas goes out to various barangays to play games and challenges like “Sa Pula, Sa Puti.” Every Sunday, Magdangal and the SMM team host a pageant for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and hand out prizes.
“The Magdangal you see on PIE is the real me. The group and I tease each other and laugh at each other. What people see in the talk show ‘Magandang Buhay’ is different because I interview guests and try to find out their stories. The focus is on the personality that we have invited to the show,” she pointed out.
Magdangal said she is very hands-on when it comes to teaching the younger talents how to be effective hosts of SMM. “I turn to them when I want to learn about current trends, as well as how to react to situations that my kids could possibly encounter in the future. I enjoy being in the show so much, even though it means that I have to work every Saturday and Sunday,” she stressed. INQ
