Since its premiere, ABS-CBN’s version of ‘Family Feud’ has been criticized for relying too much on celebrities, a trend that was previously established in the network’s other game shows. (Screenshot courtesy of ABS-CBN Entertainment Official YouTube)
What happened to the phrase ‘In the Service of the Filipino’?
For many years, ABS-CBN has been able to live up to its iconic slogan by delivering quality programs and services to all Filipinos, both in the Philippines and abroad. However, not all programs are fulfilling its vision.
ABS-CBN’s recent game shows, in particular, are defying the standards that the network set in the early 1990s. Just ask ‘Family Feud’.
Ever since the franchised game show made a well-publicized comeback in early April, ABS-CBN made numerous changes that did not sit well with the loyal viewers from the ABC 5 and GMA days. The most radical of these changes were that of the teams involved, where instead of family members, celebrities from a particular show or group would participate.
With all these revisions in the game’s format, one would rather consider ABS-CBN’s version of ‘Family Feud’ as more of a spinoff rather than a true franchise. Perhaps the name ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ could be more appropriate.
This is not the first time that ABS-CBN frequently used its celebrities in their game shows. Recently, ‘The Singing Bee’, ‘Kapamilya Deal or No Deal’ and ‘Celebrity Playtime’ were known to utilize celebrities more often than not.
With that being said, the Kapamilya network’s regular use of celebrities in their game shows is an insult to what the network stood for. Yes they may be convincing Filipinos to buy a TVPlus digibox or be admired with their love teams such as KathNiel or LizQuen, but an opportunity for them to play games for cash prizes is not in their vocabulary.
While they do give chances to ordinary people in their talent shows (e.g. ‘It’s Showtime’, ‘Pilipinas Got Talent’), it’s not quite the same as giving a jackpot prize to a deserving game show winner. It’s a shame that despite all the revenue they have in their pocket, they don’t seem to share it unless a major calamity happens.
ABS-CBN may be called the Kapamilya network, but this act is not a family-friendly one. Too bad.
It remains to be seen if ABS-CBN will be able to give their loyal viewers a chance to play for cash prizes on ‘Family Feud’ and future game shows. Until then, the best course of action is for the viewers to tune out if it continues to favor celebrities.
From the Tube 
Then again, that’s not the only incidence I’ve seen of a big Filipino entertainment company banking too much on an internationally-made brand to promote everything they got under them. (Hello, MTV Pinoy and Lip Sync Battle!)
This goes to show that most of the big (mass-focused) Filipino entertainment companies mostly tend to think too much of themselves a lot, and it’s all for money and power. #NetworkWarCulture
Exactly. Their viewers may be the reason why they’re succeeding, but the networks are not rewarding them with anything.
It’s Showtime’s TrabaHULA is no sacred cow either. They treat their madlang pipol sa mere spectators than participating to harness their in a once in a lifetime opportunity.
It’s Showtime essentially qualified as a variety show, but still, it’s not a good sight to see the show shut out their audience from any participation in their segments.
Well, I wonder why they’re no longer to have an audition for ordinary people to become a studio player/contestant in a game show like this. I think Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (aired on TV5) was the last game show that had an audition. I miss the game shows (not mentioning game contests/segments on noontime shows) that started in early 90s up to early 2010s where the ordinary people were playing (especially in 2000s, the height of game show popularity), but sadly time has been changed. Game shows of today are just for entertainment purposes and not an opportunity for the ordinary ones.
Indeed. And ABS started it all, being too overreliant on celebrities to play in their game shows.
So true. Nagiging “closed to the public” kasi
Now the only opportunities left for ordinary citizens is to join talent and reality shows. Problem is, paano naman yung mga gustong manalo ng premyo pero wala namang hilig sa talento? That’s where game shows come to play, but with ABS not willing to give them a chance, it could break their heart.
Right. Mas magastos pa yata mga talent and reality shows kaysa sa mga game shows dati eh. Anyway, I noticed before when celebrities played in a game show, usually they gave their winning or prize money to their chosen charities. But now, it seems they don’t practice this anymore.
That’s even worse. They’re making the celebrities thousands of pesos richer. Paano naman yung mga Class C-D-E? That’s unfair to them.
Watch Barangay Utakan every Sunday night on TV5. Six months and running…
http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2015/11/28/1526598/kapatid-barangay-challenge?nomobile=1
Yes I know. They’re the only game show right now that’s convincing ordinary people to join and participate. In this case, they’re engaging barangays to play.
But overall, that doesn’t change the fact that the game shows of today are different from those of a few decades ago. It’s all because the networks are too overdependent on celebrities that they disregard other Filipinos.
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Just seen the latest teaser of Family Feud. Mukhang susubukan nila ang format na pamilya vs. pamilya. Unang susubok yung pamilya nina Jason Francisco at Joey Marquez.
Other than that, nothing changed. Celebrities pa rin ang involved, not the ordinary families.
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