ABS-CBN Sports+Action once aired animated programs under the ‘Action Kids’ block until late last year. (Logo courtesy of ABS-CBN)
There was a time when animated programs used to air on ABS-CBN Sports+Action.
Dubbed as ‘Action Kids’, the morning block featured animated programs, both from the United States and Japan. The block usually aired in the early mornings whenever there are no sporting events on tap.
Some of the most notable programs on the block include sports-themed animated series like ‘Supa Strikas’, Nickelodeon educational programs like ‘Dora the Explorer’, and animes such as ‘Metal Fight Beyblade’. Marvel animated series like ‘Avengers Assemble’ and ‘Spider-Man Unlimited’ were also aired during ABS-CBN’s contract deal with Marvel.
‘Action Kids’ was essentially carried over from the animated shows that aired on predecessor Studio 23. However, in late 2014, the ‘Action Kids’ block was taken off the air for unknown reasons, and Sports+Action soon shifted its focus towards live-action programs, sporting highlights and general information shows, most notable of which were NBA replays.
Thing is, ABS-CBN Sports+Action was aimed at a predominantly male adult audience. ‘Action Kids’ didn’t conform to the channel’s tastes.
Some of the programs that aired on ‘Action Kids’ were moved to the newly-launched ‘Yey!’ channel, which is currently available on SkyCable and on the newly-launched ABS-CBN TVPlus digital TV box. Others were moved to the cable-only Hero TV.
For a station that prides itself in airing sporting events and action-packed programming, ABS-CBN Sports+Action’s brief spell into animated shows was something to forget. While it did provide a bit of action and adventure for younger audiences, it is not what they really have in mind.
From the Tube 
This is the reason why Sports+Action focused on a specific genre due to adding sports coverages and highlights (i.e. NBA and Champion’s League), I remember that ‘Power Rangers Samurai’, the US adaption of a ‘Shinkenger’ is the last PR series aired on Sports+Action thru ‘Action Kids’ Block at hindi mo kailangan mag-explain kung bakit hindi ineere yung kasunod (Megaforce).
Indeed. Pang-male oriented yung audience ng Sports+Action, mostly young and middle-age adults ang viewers nito.
Now with Action Kids a thing of past, saan pupunta ang mga Kapamilya anime fans na walang cable o TVPlus? Sure not ABS Channel 2, dahil halos walang commitment sa mga animes these days. Definitely a big problem now for Channel 2.
yan ang point ko eh, according to my theory, “Troller sa mga kabataan” ang ABS-CBN dahil pag-eere ng anime in 15-minutes and also just shame on Kris Aquino’s Stupid Show and stupid movie blocks (so-called Kapamilya Blockbusters) on mornings… TEEHEE!
After the NBA Finals, expect anime fans to throw more tantrums against ABS. Yung Kapamilya Blockbusters mukhang papalitan ng mga Asianovelas para itapat sa GMA’s. Madi-displace kasi sila dahil sa PBB. More on that sa susunod na article.
Regardless, hindi talaga for kids ang ABS-CBN Sports+Action, kaya tinanggal na ang Action Kids. Whether anime fans like it or not, ‘best for business’ umano ang ginagawa ng ABS.
huwag naman sana gawin ng ABS sa pangto-troll sa mga young audience (especially anime fans), kaya tinatamad nang panoorin especially mornings. kung business ang pinag-usapan ng “alpha dog in philippine media industry” huwag na lang idaan sa kompetisyon. blame Madam Charo before it gets worst
I’ll be waiting for your next article for sure
Definitely.
Yung KB ay talaga for sure ng papalitan ito ng Asianovelas (magpa-throwback man o bago), at ng Funny Juan sa timeslot ng KB ng 10-11:30 AM. Then pwede kunin ng mga bagong anime after Kris TV mga 9-10 AM.
I’m writing about this right now.
for me, hindi talaga ako kuntento sa 9-10am timeslot for anime programs, gagawin nilang tigti-15 minutes ng bawat anime (remember: ang official airtime ng cartoons at anime is approximately 30 minutes only) kaya nabibitin ang mga kapamilya anime fans sa nasabing timeslot.
In any event, kailangan na nating maanticipate na mawala na talaga ang mga animes sa ABS-CBN. Total may Yey! at Hero na, so it’s safe to say that ABS no longer needs to air animes in their channel and instead delegate them to Yey! and Hero, since hindi na masyadong dependent ang mga bata sa free TV.
I think you’re right Ralph, kaya ‘Astig Authority’ na lang ang pinapanood ko (kahit unli-rerun pa) and besides ‘The Alpha Dog in Philippine Media Industry’ are currently focused on more Teleseryes (or many haters’ called “LandiSerye”) but they can’t afford to buy a TVPlus Box or subscribe to SkyCable to watch Hero TV and/or Yey Channel because of the high price of a STB or the 1000php installation fee for SkyCable.
Regardless, konti na lang ang nanonood ng free TV. Some kids kill time by paying for computer games or Facebook in nearby shops. Marami na talaga ang umeembrace sa bagong teknolohiya kaya nagiging obsolete ang free TV sa atin dahil sa mga bagong libangan na ito.
that’s true
Mr. Marcus has already emphasized the changes that ABS is doing these days, so we have to get on with it.
Well, let’s see about that. if “The Alpha Dog in Philippine Media Industry” will fix the demographic problems, tell him for the solutions for network’s demolition jobs. TEEHEE!
Ok.
#ProblemsOfATopRatingNetwork. Sa super dami ng best-performing shows ng Kapamilya network, on both channels, napabayaan na rin nila ang kanilang kiddie programming. Yung Kris TV, baka gusto nila sigurong tanggalin, para lang sa mga batang sabik na sabik sa mga cartoons.
Nameless, try visiting Chitetskoy Chronicles and read his enlightened insights about the loss of children’s programming.
Good read, to say the least.
The problem is, loyal ang ABS sa mga Aquino, lalo na sa Presidente ng bansa. Kaya reluctant silang tanggalin ang Kris TV, dahil ang ina ni Kris mismo ang responsible sa pagbalik-ere ng ABS.
Mukhang mas kuntento na ang ABS na i-ere ang mga anime sa Yey! at Hero, kaya binawasan ang mga anime programs. GMA doesn’t have a cable channel, kaya sa tingin nila’y ok na sa cable na lang i-ere ang mga anime nila, even if it means sacrificing ratings.
kaya nga may Yey! s TV Plus,
Then again, ABS does not supplement themselves with programming from either Yey! or Hero, kaya nag-suffer ang morning programming nila as a result. Pinabayaan na lang nilang mag-shine ang Hero at Yey!, dahil confident daw sila sa kanila na i-convince ang mga viewers na manood na lang doon. Definitely not a good example, especially sa mga walang cable at hindi ma-afford ang TVPlus.
you cant please everyone, tsaka leta face it mahal ang rights ng quality cartoons. and ung can afford audience will go to Disney Nick and CN may Animax pa.
Walang cable o TVPlus ang marami sa atin, kahit na growing ito. Keep that in mind.
Perhaps it’s best if you read insights from Chitetskoy Chronicles as suggested by Timow, and see why kid-friendly TV programs are being killed off in favor of teleseryes that are too mature for kids.
i dont believe na walang TV Plus at cable ang karamihan eh halos lng kabataan may access sa internet at gadgets, proof of that is wala k ng makikitang kabataan na naglalaro ng pinoy street games. TV networks only respond to the changes with its market. gusto p rin ng tao ang teleserye kaya puro gnun sa umaga, hapon at gabi. Maraming na tatrapik sa gabi- nagkaiwantv. Dhil sa social media nawala ang mga talkshow. dpat observant din tayo sa paligid at kaya nating ihiwalay ang personal wants sa overall view ng world tutal ang blog na ito ay nandito to explain the changes in pinoy media
So ABS is just adapting to the changes in viewers’ tastes, yan ba ang sinasabi mo?
yes and no. ABS has to make sound business decisions. For example tinanggal nila ang Buzz dhil sa social media, nde nila inexpect un pero it eventually lead to that. nakita nila na maghihit ang The Voice so inaquire nila. Ung teleserye sa umaga at light lng ung story sila nakaisip nyan. Ung gawing tv director ang mga film directors. indie to tv stars. mabilis magbago ang taste ng pinoy mabilis tayo mag adapt kaya nga lhat ng network either naghahabol or hinahabol. Digitization of TV is one, nde tayo ang nagset nyan ibang bansa nauna lng nagrespond ang ABS with online tv and a digibox. pero lhat ng changes may simula and we are all part of that
All of that they have to do it, even if it means sacrificing ratings and programming quality for the future of their company. Looking forward na ang tingin nila, hindi looking back.
exactly its a continuing transition kung ABS lng ang masusunod mas gusto nila ang status quo, kasi steady ang costs at flow ng pera dun. Pero hinde eh the market has an opinion their product is composedof people with opinion. kaya we cant blame them if they opt to change to keep the company afloat. kung mapapansin mo nde lng nman ABS ang tumigil sa pag e air ng anime channel 13&9 also did pero nasaan n sila ngaun? TV5 has to adapt, and GMA is now on the verge of bankruptcy kaya nga sila nagtatangal ng empleyado. Anime is GMA’s strong suit but anime cant keep them afloat
Sooner or later, kahit early morning pa lang may teleserye na kaagad, if we were to continue following this trend right now. That’s exactly what is happening in this business; halatang going backwards ang programming sa free TV, at going forward naman ang iba’t ibang teknolohiya.
we are in a phase of major changes. When Anime is a hit on primetime, nde sumama ang bandwagon ang ABS for 1 reason ayaw nila ibigay ang fate ng network sa kamay ng foreign anime producers. Gaano sila kasigurado na stable asahan ang foreign networks to produce animes? kung halimbawa magkagulo sa company ng nagpoproduce ng anime anung ipapalit ng network? replay? kelan nagkaroon ng replay sa primetime? its either magproduce ang network ng sariling anime kaso bias ang pinoy sa gawa natin or do counter programming.
One thing’s for sure: Smart and wise lang ang mga decision ng ABS to change for the better, kahit endless ang magiging debate natin sa kaniya.
agreed pero I cant wait for other networks to step up and give them competition pero may mga shows tlga na umay na.
Indeed. But at least may iba’t ibang options na.
That remind me of visiting Chitetskoy Chronicles where his articles made in one common ground that killing kids shows (whether anime or Western cartoons) as a gravest thing ever committed for Mother Ignacia.
Should ABS-CBN comply with the Children’s Television Act of 1997 and its IRR? Or set aside about two hours a day.
For me to say this, hindi lahat ng households ay may capability to buy their Digital TV Converter para lang makapanood ng Yey and even Knowledge Channel. Marketing strategy nga naman.
That’s what I am concerned. I wrote a blog post last January 2014 about the DTT transition in the country and why it would be difficult to complete the process.
Nakasulat na hindi lahat affordable ang digital TV converter box — as what you told — dahil yung pera nila ay para sa mga basic necessities. Kung tinuloy yung original termination date, according to NTC, sa December 31 this year, wala nang common na libangan. Kawawa naman, unless the government will try to explain the reason in vernacular languages and plan to subsidize the converter box para bawasan ang burden ng consumers like what they did in the USA in 2009.
ABS-CBN Sports+Action will be busy covering the NCAA starting later this month kaya tinanggal nila yung mga cartoons. Honestly speaking, cartoons don’t deserve to be on a sports channel because S+A targets sports fans that are mostly male. S+A nga is an improvement over Aksyon TV.
Airing animes was much better when S+A was still Studio 23.
They learned their lesson, that’s why they took Action Kids off the lineup. But the entry of the NCAA was not the reason why. Matagal nang wala ang Action Kids even before the NC rights were given to them.
I think it is not good to add some cartoons on a predominant sports channel, not with another news channel that has movies in the morning and sports in the afternoons. So this is served as a good point.
Meanwhile, Fastbreak (their news updates) has been lengthy now, since news plus already cancelled early this year.
At least may natutunan ang Sports+Action, unlike their rival sister network na news channel kuno pero may pelikula.
Too bad News+ was cancelled though. Would have made sense for Sports+Action to still have a daily newscast at this point.
sana pure sports news n lng, it will be costly than rehash news of News+ pero mas applicable kasi un eh, sana mala ESPN na sila
Even better. May News Patrol na sa ABS, so why need a news update on Sports+Action kung meron din sa Dos. S+A can just focus on sports news, simple as that.
yes maraming news worthy items sa sports dpat lng un kasi diba come to think of it nawawalan ng focus sa sports kpag nandyan ang News+ sana tlga magkaroon ng all sports newscast sa primetime. Khit wala sa network ung liga at sports coverage sana ma news since Sports Channel din sila
That’s true. And they should also produce a weekend edition. Total hindi naman Monday-Friday ang may sports events, so why not do it everyday.
Anthony Taberna kasi has other shows on ABS like UKG and Tapatan ni Tunying so News+ was axed. And Jef Gaitan is more identified with her sexy image on Banana Split instead of being a showbiz newscaster on News +.
However, during the time of IbaBalita on Studio 23, Anthony used to juggle some shows too, so it doesn’t justify why News+ was axed. Perhaps it’s the overruns in sports programming that is dragging News+ down, hence its cancellation.
Out of topic: ABS-CBN Sports+Action has an international version via TFC (as replacement to the BRO Channel). One of the first programs that will aired on the said channel is the return of the NCAA.
I really thought na they’ll name that channel to Balls International. Turns out they had to put ABS in it just to make it more recognizable.