By Popular Demand: ABS-CBN TVPlus Adds New Channels

Take it away, Coco Martin.

The ‘Ang Probinsyano’ star (along with Sarah Geronimo) has been the face of the ABS-CBN TVPlus commercials since the device made its public debut three years earlier. And after selling over five million units, viewers and purchasers will get a little more bang for their buck thanks to new exclusive channels that TVPlus launched last Monday.

The five new channels are as follows:

O Shopping

The only permanent addition to the list, O Shopping is a home TV shopping channel that resulted from a joint venture between ABS-CBN and CJ ENM Company Limited. The channel was launched in 2013 and has since made its presence felt across various media.

Aside from its current place on TVPlus Channel 8, O Shopping can still be seen on ABS-CBN (Channel 1 on TVPlus), Yey! (Channel 4 on TVPlus) and Knowledge Channel (Channel 5 on TVPlus) during the late-night hours. In addition, O Shopping can be seen on BEAM as one of its subchannels.

Asianovela Channel

As the name suggests, this channel currently airs Asian dramas and movies dubbed in Filipino and uncut. The Asianovela Channel can be accessed on TVPlus Channel 9.

Some of the programs aired on the Asianovela Channel were also previously broadcast on ABS-CBN as part of the First and True Home of Asianovelas block. The channel also introduces some never-before-aired series as well, albeit infrequently.

Movie Central

For those who want to see Hollywood films aired in its original English language, Movie Central is the place to watch. The channel is currently found on TVPlus Channel 10.

Movie Central airs a wide variety of genres, ranging from action, comedy, drama, romance to suspense, animation, adventure and sci-fi flicks. It is the digital TV equivalent to HBO and Fox Movies on cable.

Jeepney TV

Originally seen exclusively on SkyCable since 2012, Jeepney TV will now be accessed on TVPlus as well. Jeepney TV can be seen on TVPlus Channel 11.

The channel is home to ABS-CBN’s classic programs that viewers can relive over and over again. It also airs more recent episodes of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs programs by demand.

MYX

Another SkyCable exclusive channel, MYX was originally introduced to TVPlus as a blocktimer on the Kapamilya Box Office platform (TVPlus Channel 7). Now it can be seen 24/7 on TVPlus Channel 12.

MYX is a music channel that airs local and foreign music videos past and present. It also broadcasts non-music programs that showcase the latest trends in pop culture.

With the exception of O Shopping, the other four channels will be seen on a free trial basis until December 31, 2018. In addition, these five new channels will be available only to viewers in Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Metro Cebu, with a few other areas to be rolled out soon.

Regarding the future of these new channels, it will be up to ABS-CBN management to decide the next course of action. For now, enjoy the latest additions that ABS-CBN TVPlus can offer.

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Shop TV Now on GMA

GMA enters the world of TV shopping when it joined forces with Solar Entertainment’s Shop TV. (Logo courtesy of Shop TV, Solar Entertainment)

GMA Network is now joining the TV shopping bandwagon.

Last night marked GMA’s first foray into the TV shopping genre, when it joined forces with the Solar Entertainment-owned Shop TV. This brings the total number of free TV stations with at least one TV shopping program to ten, the list of which are as follows (parenthesis indicate the TV shopping programs the channel currently airs):

• ABS-CBN (O Shopping)
• PTV-4 (TV Shop, EZ Shop, Shop Japan)
• TV5 (Shop Japan)
• GMA (Shop TV)
• IBC-13 (TV Shop, EZ Shop)
• ETC/SBN-21 (Shop TV)
• Net 25 (EZ Shop)
• 2nd Avenue/RJTV-29 (Shop TV)
• BEAM-31 (O Shopping, Shop Japan, TV Shop)
• AksyonTV (Shop Japan)

Shop TV features products that are advertised on the Home Shopping Network in the United States. The network airs as a standalone cable channel on SkyCable, Cignal and various other outlets, while also acting as a program block on all of its Solar Entertainment sister channels, save for CT.

With the new collaboration, GMA now hopes to compete against its fellow Big Three networks and their TV shopping affiliates. The alliance should also attract a more sizable audience for Shop TV, who look to use GMA as a tool to further promote and advertise its products.

The Shop TV on GMA block currently airs every weekday from 12:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

More Programming Problems on AksyonTV With Entry of Shop Japan

Shop Japan’s entry to AksyonTV only made things worse for the said network. (Logo courtesy of Shop Japan Philippines)

Shop Japan has now infiltrated AksyonTV’s programming.

The infomercial series first aired on weekends at 12:00 p.m., originally in lieu of reruns of the defunct KBO block. Nowadays it airs specifically during most vacant programming hours, replacing the reruns of defunct AksyonTV-produced programs while serving its purpose as filler programming during a lull in sports or news coverage.

Shop Japan was first introduced to TV5 last year in response to ABS-CBN’s establishment of the O Shopping block. The said program currently airs on TV5 every day as the network’s final program prior to sign-off, airing almost at the same time as rival O Shopping.

Shop Japan became the first infomercial program on TV5 since the combination of EZ Shop, Venta5 and Winner TV aired on its predecessor ABC-5.

Shop Japan also airs on BEAM Channel 31, which also happens to broadcast the infomercials of rivals O Shopping and TV Shoppe.

The entry of Shop Japan only furthers the growing gap between AksyonTV and its rival sister stations. There is nothing wrong about TV5’s decision to bring Shop Japan to its sister station, but airing them very often only provided further complications.

For instance, the PBA coverage on TV5, Radyo5 92.3 News FM and AksyonTV forced several Radyo5-simulcast programs to adjust their schedules during weekday doubleheaders. But beginning with the Governors’ Cup, only the final 60 minutes of ‘Punto Asintado’ is simulcast on AksyonTV, giving away the first 30 to Shop Japan instead.

The presence of Shop Japan simply hampered AksyonTV’s hopes of refurbishing what has been a declining product. The said network has depended a lot on Radyo5, News5 and Sports5 programs to keep it afloat, but as it stands, little to no improvement has been made on TV5’s sister station when it comes to its lineup.

Only time will tell when AksyonTV will finally come to its senses. At this point, however, the network has nowhere else to go.