Odd one out: TV5’s primetime revamp may require ‘Aksyon Prime’ to merge with ‘Aksyon Tonite’. (Logo courtesy of TV5)
It is clear that TV5’s primetime lineup is going nowhere.
Questions abound the said lineup once Chot Reyes made it clear that he envisioned a more ‘alternative’ approach for the network. For instance, ‘Aksyon Prime’ and ‘Aksyon Tonite’ now seem out of place in Chot’s new approach, due to its ‘masa’-fied format and competition with ABS-CBN and GMA newscasts.
To make matters worse, ‘Aksyon Tonite’ recently added unproven journos in Lia Cruz and Marga Vargas, both of whom seem more suited to sports than news. And finally, PBA’s overall poor showing last season leave a lot to be desired.
With all problems considered, here is a to-do list that TV5 must do to revamp its primetime lineup.
1. Merge and Reformat Aksyon Prime and Aksyon Tonite
Two evening newscasts were too much for News5, considering the plight it endured of late. Thus, merging both ‘Aksyon Prime’ and ‘Aksyon Tonite’ into one nightly newscast is a necessity.
If that’s not enough, this merged newscast will employ a more hard news approach, and will air at 9:00 p.m. Hence, it will compete against CNN Philippines’ ‘Newsroom’, GMA News TV’s ‘State of the Nation’, ANC’s ‘The World Tonight’, and other similar newscasts.
As for the anchors and title, look no further. The newscast will carry the ‘Aksyon Tonite’ name, and Ed Lingao and Luchi Cruz-Valdes will be the anchors.
2. Replace Aksyon Prime with Sports360
The PBA games are a regular fixture on TV5 during weeknights, but the presence of ‘Aksyon Prime’ became a bane to viewers and game attendants. Placing ‘Sports360’ instead should alleviate this burden.
The format of ‘Sports360’ will remain the same. It will air for 15 minutes, and will focus mostly on viewer interaction and game analysis.
3. Foreign Canned Shows from 6 to 9 on Non-PBA Game Days
Finally, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on a non-PBA game day will be dominated by TV5’s American action, suspense and fantasy shows. Doesn’t get more alternative than this.
Chot Reyes’ vision of a more ‘alternative’ TV5 may take time getting used to. But as far as the primetime lineup goes, solving this dilemma should be the first step, provided that management is smart enough to realize its flaws.
However, it doesn’t mean that this proposal will be achieved. Still, one can only hope that Chot Reyes will make the soundest of decisions in order to restore TV5’s fortunes, even if it means no more local entertainment fare.
From the Tube 
Kaka-publish mo, eto pa ang balita within TV5 just now: http://www.medianewser.com/2016/11/joseph-ubalde-leaves-news5.html
It seems that TV5 is having the worst of the near-closing year.
And with Chot Reyes pretty much downsizing his staff, TV5 may need some drastic changes, such as only one nightly newscast that I suggested in this article. In fact, I have more proposals in store for News5, so stay tuned.
Well they could do House of Hoops again on that 6pm slot.
I won’t count on that though. Besides, Sports360 is doing so well that there’s no reason to replace it. But they can still improve the show with greater emphasis on analysis.
Better for Sports360 to move on a much better timeslot para makapagsabayan sa ibang sports programs sa ibang himpilan, hindi yung sa halftime o after ng PBA games…. medyo nakaka-turn off ang timeslot change lately.
It can be aired after the 9:00 p.m. Aksyon newscast that I envisioned, which is good since it can give S+A’s The Score and CNNPH’s Sports Desk a run for their money.
As for the halftime and postgame shows, however, pwede yung mga names na Inside PBA or PBA Center just to fit in with the league’s games.
Although, PBA Rush have already a Sports 360-like show called “The Grind” which premiered during the finals of the 2016 PBA Governor’s Cup.
But since the target is on TV5’s audience, they must find a way to produce a similar show as The Grind for non-Cignal subscribers. And since TV5’s games are called differently from PBA Rush’s, that show must fit in to the former’s approach.
Well, their primetime lineup used to be good, but, suddenly, became in ruins due to MVP’s obessesive commitment in sporting events, patricularly the PBA, which was renewed recently for 3 years. Merging Aksyon Tonite and Aksyon Prime could allow it to go up against State of the Nation with Jessica Soho and The World Tonight.
Well, sports is not the only one to blame. Remember when TV5 overpaid Sharon Cuneta and Ogie Alcasid? That affected TV5 so much that they decided to dissolve the entertainment group this year. Look at them now, they’re more on foreign entertainment fare these days.
Their news department is also a wreck with all the talents leaving so quickly. That’s why they’d better have just one nightly newscast to mitigate the damage.
Indeed, overpaying the stars is not good, so the stars decided to retransfer, and problems started with entertainment when IBC blocktime had ended, causing sports to move to TV5 and AksyonTV, and now, TV5 really sucks, all entertaiment has dissolved just because of sports and ambition.
AksyonTV, as well, is becoming more of a sporting channel for the same reason, AKTV’s financial failure.
Actually TV5’s entertainment problems didn’t start when AKTV ended. It was already problematic once MVP purchased the network. Bago pa magkaroon ng AKTV at Sports5, TV5 produced costly teleseryes, talk shows and other programs that didn’t exactly meet expectations. Heck, even their attempt to put Willie Revillame’s variety show on primetime didn’t work, thanks to a certain kid macho dancer controversy.
Kung tagapanood ka talaga ng TV5 you would realize how deeper their problems are. Like I said, matagal na itong isyu kay MVP ever since he took over.
And have you heard of Wil Dasovich, a video blogger who once part of News5 as a anchor ng Newsroom5 (a online show on News5 Everywhere)? Well he became a housemate in PBB….
No comment on that. Seriously, I don’t like PBB’s ‘pa-sikat’ direction nowadays; it’s disrespectful to the aspiring Nene Tamayos and Bea Saws of the show. And if ever they continue to emphasize this direction, they should just recruit any one of the EMAJs of TV5 and CNNPH to become their housemates.
Has Happinas Happy Hour been cancelled?
Matagal na. TV5 cancelled the show in August as part of their initiative to dissolve the entertainment department. Now, puro foreign entertainment shows na lang ang makikita mo sa TV5, aside from sports and news.
It ended actually on September 30, 2016, which was a move TV5 chose to do, to dissolve their entertainment group, first of overpaying stars, second of sporting commitments, and third of MTRCB issues.
However, they aired mostly reruns by then. The actual final episode was aired in August. Just look at their Facebook page and you know what I’m talking about.
It just did air reruns until Sep 30, after airing it’s real final episode on August 12
Technically cancelled after August 12. That’s all.