If there is one thing that we are all assured of in Philippine TV as viewers these days, it is nothing but unpredictability.
On October 17, it was announced that the games of the Philippine Basketball Association will transfer from TV5 to ZOE TV’s A2Z channel starting with the league’s 48th season this November.
A2Z, which launched in 2020, currently serves as the primary free TV channel of ABS-CBN’s programs since the main terrestrial network shut down in May of that year.
For entertainment shows, PBA on A2Z would not be a great source of worry, as the usual case these days is that they are also seen on other channels. For example, Primetime Bida dramas ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’ and more are also on TV5, so are the weekend primetime marquee shows.
That is, however, quite the opposite for news. A2Z is currently the only free-to-air home for ABS-CBN News programs like ‘TV Patrol,’ among others.
With its newfound commitment to sports, A2Z is also risking to lose the momentum of ‘TV Patrol,’ which has significantly improved thanks to the spike in TV ratings ‘Batang Quiapo’ has experienced since last month.
Furthermore, there are viewers who are accustomed to having their TV sets tuned to only one channel. Asking them to switchover has no guarantee that they will be doing so. Another dimension to account is the fact that not all areas can properly receive TV5 signal yet, nor does all places have clear reception of A2Z. Leaving them with no option but to shift to other channels, or platforms can end up to be disenfranchising to these viewers.
With these recent developments, is it time for ABS-CBN to have a new primary platform in the free TV space? Should the answer be yes, ABS perhaps should look no further and bring its primary pay TV platform Kapamilya Channel finally to free TV.
Why KapCha?
Bringing Kapamilya Channel to the free-to-air space will be cost-efficient. As one, they will no longer have to build entirely from scratch, and two, the recall is already there. When you say ‘Kapamilya’ and it’s about television, the automatic allusion is ABS-CBN.
It makes sense too that KapCha gets the free TV treatment, as all current major original TV programs of ABS-CBN are aired on the channel.
Set-up
The setup should be that Kapamilya Channel will remain independent from both A2Z and TV5. Ergo, ABS-CBN programming will not be pulled out from both platforms, nor there will be any drastic changes in their respective schedules.
In lieu, this should be seen as a way for loyal Kapamilyas to continue watching ABS-CBN’s line-up in a way that it is seen by pay TV viewers, as well as online streamers (on iWantTFC), without ever having to flick a button.
Next, KapCha as a free-to-air platform would have to contend operating from say 5:30 am until midnight only, due to certain restrictions for FTA channels. With that, the overnight Movie Central Presents can continue airing on pay TV, but the free TV feed has to sign off for the day.
How can it make the FTA leap?
Now, the question is: how can Kapamilya Channel make the jump to free TV?
The first and obvious option is ZOE TV. In the past, ZOE through A2Z’s digital terrestrial frequency added ABS-CBN TeleRadyo as a subchannel via a licensing agreement. This time around, they could also explore the same set-up, but with KapCha on the table. Presuming that there will be no hiccups along the way.
Also, as A2Z’s progressive expansion nationwide covers only DTT, viewers who pick up the digital TV signal in areas where it is available, but are not keen to watch basketball and have no TV5 either, can instead make the switch to KapCha, which (hypothetically speaking) can still be seen on ZOE’s frequency.
Adding that option will also help cushion the ABS-CBN shows from a possible reduction in TV ratings in the said regions, on top of ZOE still keeping that audience. It will then be considered as an additional perk for those who are able to receive both A2Z and TV5, as this means that they will have one more option where to tune in, as well as the order of programs that they watch.
Say you want to watch ‘TV Patrol’ then ‘Batang Quiapo,’ you will gravitate towards Kapamilya Channel. If you want to watch the news, then the PBA, then A2Z is for you.
On days, especially off-seasons, when A2Z and Kapamilya Channel are just nearly mirroring their respective schedules, there should be slight variations done. For example, movie blocks should be parallel between the two channels.
While much farther in most channel lists, BEAM TV, which currently broadcasts both the Knowledge Channel and PIE — which is a multi-party interactive channel co-created by ABS-CBN — can also be possible partner.
Should KapCha be brought onto BEAM’s DTT list, it will be able cover nearly every metropolitan area in the country. Although, it will also have to find a slot for the ABS-owned channel, as BEAM’s slots are all occupied at the moment.
The loss of ABS-CBN’s main TV platform three years ago and its gradual climb to what it has achieved now is a testament to the company’s resilience and its ability to adaptive to the ever-changing dynamics of both the audience, and the general landscape.
With the new programming strategy of one of its longtime partners, the Kapamilya network, too, has to find a way to continue serving the programs that their legion of fans across a wide spectrum.
May it be just because of the way that these audiences would like to consume the shows, or at the other end of it, to provide an option for viewers who are not able to find one in the first place.