No ‘TV Patrol’ and even news advisories are currently aired on channel 11.
As the announcement of the A2Z channel came Tuesday last week, it was already made clear that only entertainment, educational, and religious programs will be aired on the station for the forseeable future. Shows pooled primarily from ABS-CBN, Light TV, CBN Asia, and Knowledge Channel are the ones that led the pack during its initial broadcast week.
Days leading to the inaugural broadcast, the official A2Z grid has been making rounds on social media. The most notable void in the schedule is the apparent news blackout on 11. Yes, what was home to a news channel for 8 years no longer air even news bulletins as of the moment.
So it happened. Upon launch day, no signs of TV Patrol and News Patrol can be found on A2Z.
Usually, a news bulletin comes after It’s Showtime on Kapamilya Channel. However, A2Z directly goes to a movie that is scheuled right after the noontime show.
On primetime, TV Patrol is on simultaneous broadcast on Kapamilya Channel, ANC, TeleRadyo, and TFC every weeknkght at 6:30pm. On A2Z, the Primetime Zinema movie block is instead aired between 6 to 8 in the evening, effectively snubbing the newscast altogether.
Over the past few days, the disparity is especially evident as Primetime Bida on Kapamilya Channel runs FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano behind schedule while A2Z is already airing Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin on its promoted timeslot at 8:40pm.
The reason, however, for this snubbing of news program is not publicly disclosed by both ABS-CBN and ZOE. But several articles circulating online has cited that it can be the Eleven’s defense mechanism and prevent any jab from the side of the current administration.
Whether it was deliberate or not, A2Z’s move to distance themselves from news is a surprising, yet expected development.
On the other hand, Kapamilya fans online have already started disseminating unverified information that newscasts from ABS-CBN News will finally be available on terrestrial television once again beginning next month. A2Z is also yet to clarify this piece of info.
For the past few years, ABS-CBN as whole received attacks from many camps over their alleged biased reporting on certain topics. This has even come to light during the Congressional franchise renewal hearing. Thus, if the deal between ZOE and the Kapamilya network stipulated the non-inclusion of such, it’s a valid concern for the owners of the Christian broadcaster to say the least.
As A2Z is still on its initial broadcasting week, the distinct lack of news output from the channel can still be rectified sometime in the future. Whether it’s by launching TVP on the channel or by standing firm on their current setup amidst the growing clamor from its loyal viewers, no one knows for sure what response to do except for the A2Z team themselves.
Trendrod is open to any clarifications or statement from both ABS-CBN and ZOE.