No Longer Trending: Has Gandang Gabi Vice Reached the Twilight?

Seems like ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ has gone past its prime.

Once one of ABS-CBN’s most popular programs on Sundays, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is now merely fighting to stay relevant. Recent episodes showed that ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ only averages an 8% rating in Kantar, a far cry from its highest-rated episode on May 6, 2013 when it scored 23.7%.

“The Kids’ Choice” topped Sunday (Oct 21) programming with 27.6%, beating “Studio 7” (18.4%). #KantarMedia pic.twitter.com/FXTbbTNyJf

— ABS-CBN PR (@ABSCBNpr) October 22, 2018

Much of ‘Gandang Gabi Vice”s sudden decline is blamed on its exceedingly late timeslot. In the past, the show aired at around 10:00 or 10:15 p.m., but nowadays it is seen at around 10:50 or 11:00 p.m.

A late timeslot like that can take a toll on the viewers, especially if they have work or school for tomorrow. So much for sticking around.

‘Gandang Gabi Vice”s later-than-usual broadcast has something to do with ABS-CBN’s insistence to air a second talent/reality show on weekend primetime. Unfortunately, such an unforgiving formula is too much to take for the average viewer, as the current program ‘I Can See Your Voice’ is not even an impact player at this point.

Making matters worse for ABS-CBN is the fact that rival GMA program ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’ is becoming more ‘trending’ than ever with unusual stories that would leave the audience astonished. And it helped that GMA allowed the show to air for two hours to keep viewers invested.

GMA’s extension of ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’ is not by accident. Mainly due to Vice Ganda’s constant torment of its rivals to the point that GMA cancelled said shows without warning, the network decided to let Jessica Soho occupy that additional hour instead.

So far, it has worked. Not only did ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’ lured a chunk of ABS-CBN’s audience away, it also unintentionally led to the ratings decline that ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ faces to this day.

This Sunday, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ will feature newly-signed Kapamilya Regine Velasquez as its guest. But it remains to be seen if the show will recapture its glory days.

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Still Undisputed: Gandang Gabi Vice Claims Another Victim

‘Bossing & Ai’ was cancelled by GMA after only 20 episodes and low ratings opposite ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’. (Logo courtesy of GMA Network)

Once again, no one can stop ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’.

The latest victim of this ABS-CBN Sunday night talk show was ‘Bossing & Ai’, a game show/talk show hosted by Vic Sotto and Ai-ai delas Alas. Following its last episode on February 4, GMA quietly cancelled the program without any explanation.

First premiered on September 24, ‘Bossing & Ai’ marked Vic Sotto’s first foray into late-night television after years of producing primetime sitcoms. It also became his first television project with Ai-ai delas Alas following a string of box-office films.

From the moment it first aired, however, it became clear that ‘Bossing & Ai’ was destined to fail. The program only mustered an average of 6% in the Kantar ratings whereas ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ scored around 11%.

The mismatch between ‘Bossing & Ai’ and ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ was of no surprise considering that ‘Eat Bulaga’ and ‘It’s Showtime’ are also running in the same vein in recent years. It can also be said that Vice Ganda has had Vic Sotto’s number on television unlike in the Metro Manila Film Festival where the two comedy legends seem to be evenly matched.

Overall, ‘Bossing & Ai’ only aired a total of 20 episodes. While it was still eight episodes better than ‘Pare & Pare’ and nine more than ‘Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To’, the run of ‘Bossing & Ai’ remains short by GMA’s standards.

After the cancellation of ‘Bossing & Ai’, GMA reverted back to airing ‘Sunday Night Box Office’ opposite ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ (with occasional airings of Manny Pacquiao’s drama anthology ‘Stories for the Soul’ in between). Perhaps this is their last resort considering the numerous shows that failed against Vice Ganda’s talk show.

It remains to be seen whether or not GMA will once again try to beat ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ with a program of their own. But if ‘Bossing & Ai’ is definitely the last straw, then what a way to wave the white flag of surrender and concede to an unbeatable opponent.

GMA Tries Again with Bossing & Ai + The Lolas’ Beautiful Show

‘Never stop trying!’

It has been the motto for GMA these past several years. The odds have not always been great for the network, but give them credit for continuing to compete despite these insurmountable obstacles.

Remember the time when ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ was so unbeatable that GMA had no choice but to stop competing against it? For years, the ABS-CBN late-night variety show proved to be GMA’s Achilles heel, and each time GMA tried to answer with a show of their own, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ always shoves them out of the door.

But it seems like ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ has seen better days of late due to the presence of ABS-CBN’s reality and talent shows (e.g. ‘Pinoy Big Brother’). Sensing that the show’s ratings is on a downward trend, GMA decided to create a new show in ‘Bossing & Ai’ in an attempt to finally bring down ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ from its perch.

‘Bossing & Ai’ premiered last night and is a game show starring Vic Sotto and Ai-ai delas Alas as leaders of two groups of contestants. They are joined by Jose Manalo, Tart Carlos and game master Oyo Sotto.

In essence, ‘Bossing & Ai”s competition with ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is an extension of the ‘Eat Bulaga’-‘It’s Showtime’ rivalry, of which Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda are the respective hosts. Still, it remains to be seen if ‘Bossing & Ai’ will live up to its promise of taking down ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ for good.

Speaking of ‘Eat Bulaga’, the d’Explorer sisters of ‘Kalyeserye’ will have a talk show of their own. Beginning today at 11:30 a.m., Jose Manalo (as Lola Tinidora), Paolo Ballesteros (as Lola Tidora) and Wally Bayola (as Lola Nidora) will host ‘The Lolas’ Beautiful Show’.

The new talk show will replace ‘TROPS’, the coming-of-age drama series starring ‘Eat Bulaga”s ‘BAES’ (Kenneth Medrano, Kim Last, Jon Timmons, Tommy Penaflor, Miggy Tolentino, and Joel Palencia). ‘The Lolas’ Beautiful Show’ will mark TAPE’s first venture into the talk show genre since ‘The Ryzza Mae Show’ from 2013-15.

But unlike ‘The Ryzza Mae Show’, ‘The Lolas’ Beautiful Show’ will be pre-taped as Jose, Paolo and Wally also serve as on-location hosts of ‘Eat Bulaga”s ‘Juan for All, All for Juan’ segment. This means there will be no live transition from one show to the next.

‘The Lolas’ Beautiful Show’ would have been a perfect show to compete against the ABS-CBN morning talk show ‘Magandang Buhay’, especially now that GMA’s slate of animes are declining in popularity. Instead, the talk show will be placed as part of TAPE’s mandated 11:30-2:30 p.m. block and will go up against ‘Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin’.

Whether or not ‘The Lolas’ Beautiful Show’ will be a factor in the game remains to be seen. But as far as GMA, M-ZET and TAPE are concerned, there’s nothing wrong about continuing to try despite the odds.

Countdown to Coronation (Part II): The Current Arrangements

The biggest event on Philippine television history gets underway tomorrow morning. Here is Timow’s Turf’s look at the coverage of the 2016 Miss Universe which will take place in the Philippines.

Timow's Turf

This Timow’s Turf special report will be dedicated on the 65th Miss Universe where the Philippines will host the grand coronation this Monday, January 30. The views and opinions expressed in this second and concluding installment of two-part special do not reflect those of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO).

President Rodrigo Duterte posed with Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and the fourth batch of the 65th Miss Universe candidates Monday during the courtesy call in Malacanang. Maxine Medina, the Philippine contingent, is on the far right.

ON THE FIRST part, we tripped down memory lane on the past two editions of Miss Universe in 1974 and 1994. In this second of two parts, we will tackle the highly anticipated current event.

Just like the Papal Visit and the APEC Summit back in 2015, the first major event of 2017 involving high-profile foreign dignitaries must need a high profile…

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DZMM at 30 Special This Sunday on ABS-CBN

It has been over 30 years since DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 debuted on the airwaves.

The flagship AM radio station of ABS-CBN first arrived on the air on July 22, 1986. Like ABS-CBN which struggled to survive the early years of its comeback, DZMM had to endure some growing pains as well, due to the network’s retention of aging facilities that were used by MBS-4 during the latter years of Ferdinand Marcos’ presidency.

From there, DZMM evolved as technology improved, not only serving the millions on the AM band, but also on television (as DZMM TeleRadyo) and online (as DZMM.com.ph). Charitable efforts were also established, from its TLC (Teaching, Learning, Caring) program to its Takbo series of marathons.

Along the way, DZMM’s Radyo Patrol stable of reporters was born. Given a specific number, these men and women serve the station by reporting various news as it happens, from on-the-spot incidents to ongoing news coverage of important events.

For those who grew up listening to DZMM, they will forever recall these names. Older folks may remember the voices of ‘Kabayan’ Noli de Castro, Ted Failon, Korina Sanchez, the late Ernie Baron and Tiya Dely Magpayo, and even former personalities such as Mel Tiangco and Jay Sonza during the formative years of the station.

For younger folks in the TeleRadyo era, names such as Julius Babao, Karen Davila, Vic de Leon Lima, Gerry Baja and Anthony Taberna may ring a bell. Heck, even the voice of ABS-CBN Peter Musngi continues to make his presence felt on DZMM programming.

Today, DZMM is considered among the ‘Big Three’ in AM radio, which includes MBC’s DZRH 666 and GMA’s Super Radyo DZBB 594. It is also the no. 1 AM radio station in the country according to Kantar.

Indeed, DZMM had come a long way from its first broadcast in 1986. While it is the youngest among AM’s ‘Big Three’, its rise and the many accomplishments it received in such a short time will forever be cherished by listeners, hosts and reporters alike.

And to commemorate the said occasion, ABS-CBN will air a special documentary entitled ‘DZMM: Kwento ng Tatlong Dekada’. The documentary will focus on the rich history of DZMM, from its roots as a fledgling station that rose from the ashes of the EDSA Revolution, to its ascendance atop the AM radio hierarchy.

Several of DZMM’s current and former voices will be invited to tell their storiess. For all who have witnessed the rise of DZMM into the station it is today, this is the documentary to watch.

This documentary will air this Sunday after ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’.

Is Gandang Gabi Vice the New Walang Tulugan?

The baton of late-night entertainment appears to have passed from German Moreno to Vice Ganda, as ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ now tries to live up to the standard set by ‘Walang Tulugan’. (Photo credit: Gandang Gabi Vice official Facebook)

The death of German Moreno and the cancellation of the long-running ‘Walang Tulugan’ left a big void.

A fixture of GMA and late night television in general for nearly two decades, ‘Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman’ was an institution unlike any other. It was a variety show starring some of Kuya Germs’ old and young proteges, and a talk show where they converse about anything and everything under the moon.

When its leader moved on to the afterlife last January, ‘Walang Tulugan’ soon followed suit. Many thought that late night entertainment on Philippine television was gone for good.

Not so fast. Just ask Vice Ganda, the host of ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’.

Airing since May 2011, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ shares the same template as ‘Walang Tulugan’. It was mostly a talk show, but at times it has dabbled into the variety show format, thanks to the comedic segments that Vice Ganda introduces to his guests.

And since the demise of ‘Walang Tulugan’, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is now considered the standard-bearer among late-night entertainment programs in the country. With that in mind, is ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ really the new ‘Walang Tulugan’?

Let’s face it, Vice Ganda is an equally compelling entertainer. He is a comedian by profession, but he can also show his emotion whenever possible.

Of course, unlike Kuya Germs, Vice doesn’t have the credentials to be a mentor to future stars. Still, his talent as a performer made him an icon, though some would complain about his unpredictable and at times insulting jokes.

As for ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’, star power is usually the norm, unlike in ‘Walang Tulugan’. Some of ABS-CBN’s most popular and occasionally controversial talents have made appearances on the show, and on some episodes, politicians, athletes and even artists from other networks (usually for promoting Star Cinema films) were invited as well.

But what made ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ more of a late-night show now is because of preceding programs that push the show’s airtime a lot later. Thanks in large part to talent and reality shows that air on weekends, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice”s start time now hinges between 10:45 p.m. and 11:20 p.m., more or less in ‘Walang Tulugan’ territory.

That said, there is a reason why ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is the new ‘Walang Tulugan’. The fact that it airs this late every Sunday gives viewers another way to stay up late, though watching the show may be consequential to their productivity.

ABS-CBN can only hope that the success of ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ can lead to a longer lifespan. If Vice Ganda can last 20 years with this show, Kapamilya fans and management should feel proud.