A movie block will take its place on the channel.
In new plugs of the youth-oriented talk and current affairs show Y Speak 2.0, a major change in its broadcast setup was seen.
After just three episodes, the show has been axed from ALLTV channel 2, which carries most of ABS-CBN programs on free-to-air television via a licensing agreement.
Instead, starting this evening, May 30, at 10:45 pm, the network will begin airing the Super Kapamilya Blockbusters horror movie block in lieu of the program.
Moving forward, Y Speak 2.0 — which is hosted by Elijah Canlas, Ralph de Leon, River Joseph, KD Estrada, Aya Fernandez, and Robbie Jaworski — will continue to be seen on the same time slot, but only on pay TV via the Kapamilya Channel and on Facebook and YouTube through Kapamilya Online Live.
This development comes days after the takedown of the episode featuring journalist Christian Esguerra, which aired last May 23, from streaming platforms.
In a now-viral segment of that edition, Esguerra played a word association game, where he was asked to described political figures using only a single word.
However, days later, through his Facts First podcast, the former ANC anchor called out the network after he received the news that the episode has been pulled from online platforms like YouTube.
“Medyo nag-viral ata ‘yung sinabi natin doon sa segment na word association (kung saan) nagpapakita sila ng mukha ng mga pulitiko. Tapos, ‘yung unang pumasok na word sa utak mo, sasabihin mo,” he told during his live podcast.
“Eh, mukhang lumalabas na medyo natakot ang mga nasa likod ng programa… mukhang natakot sila sa naging takbo ng discussion… natakot sa possible backlash.”
Esguerra then called its removal “unfortunate” not only because it can no longer be viewed online, but he felt that he is being “censored” anew.
“Sa akin, very unfortunate kasi na-censor na naman ako eh,” the former ANC anchor said. “I’m not blaming anyone, but it sends the wrong message sa mga kabataan na sinisikap nila na hubugin para mas patapangin at mas maging engaged.”
He also said that it was sad, as the youth people he met at Y Speak 2.0, especially its hosts, were all promising.
As for the show, he told them: “Sana next time, mas maging matapang. Mas matutong manindigan.”
At present, the producers have not yet commented on both the episode’s disappearance from streaming platforms and its non-airing on ALLTV starting Saturday night.
Y Speak was first aired by ABS-CBN in 2004 and was later moved to its sister channel Studio 23 in 2005, where it remained on the air until 2010. The pioneering hosts of the program were Karen Davila, Ryan Agoncillo, and Bianca Gonzalez.