It has been a year since the debut of the sports-entertainment network.
On February 1, 2024, RPTV signed on at 6:00 am via the frequencies of Radio Philippines Network (RPN) — notably, channel 9 in Mega Manila — and as a subchannel of TV5 Network on digital terrestrial television (DTT).
Its first program on the air was the simulcast of Radyo5’s flagship morning show ‘Ted Failon and DJ Chacha.’
After which, the rest of morning block carried other programs from TV5, such as ‘Gud Morning Kapatid,’ a re-run of gag show ‘Tropa Moko Unli,’ and Cignal TV BuKo channel original ‘Balita One Nan’ and the longest-running noontime show ‘Eat Bulaga.’
TV5 President and CEO Guido Zaballero said that RPTV channel 9 shall carry ‘sports, news, entertainment programming catered to the whole Filipino family,’ as reflected in the channel’s slogan “Para sa Pinoy.”
“February 1 marks another historic milestone in Philippine broadcasting as TV5 launches RPTV.”
Zaballero added, “The birth of RPTV is aligned with our commitment to elevate the standards of entertainment, sports, and public service broadcasting in the Philippines.”
Apart from entertainment programs, RPTV was also primed to be the official free-to-air home of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), which was affected by TV5’s shift to a general entertainment line-up.
Meanwhile, as RPTV made its premiere telecast on RPN’s frequency, Cignal TV’s Filipino-language news and public service channel One PH was also booted off free TV.
The move came nearly four years after One PH started its free TV broadcasts in May 2020.
It was a result of RPTV’s addition as a subchannel on TV5’s digital TV frequency, replacing the Cignal-owned news channel.
One PH continues to air via Cignal TV channel 1, online, with its select programs simulcast over at 105.9 True FM and sister news channel One News.