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| (L-R): ABS-CBN Head of Finance Operations Catherine C. Lopez, ABS-CBN Chief Partnership Officer Roberto V. Barreiro, ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer for Broadcast Ma. Socorro V. Vidanes, ABS-CBN President & CEO Carlo L. Katigbak, ABS-CBN Chairman Manny L. Lopez, MediaQuest Holdings Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, TV5 President Guido R. Zaballero, MediaQuest Holdings President & CEO Jane Jimenez-Basas, PLDT Head of Business Transformation Victorico P. Vargas, TV5 Chief Finance Officer Pierre Paul S. Buhay (Image Source: Manila Bulletin) |
June 28, 2023 will be remembered in the history of Philippine television and the local entertainment industry as a monumental milestone for ABS-CBN as the country's premiere media and entertainment company and leading content provider strengthens its continuing partnership with TV5 through a five-year content agreement and signs a historic collaboration deal with Philippine broadcast giant GMA Network to air the Kapamilya network's longest-running noontime show on the Kapuso network's sister channel GTV starting July 1, 2023. These highly important deals further solidify ABS-CBN's position and influence as a content powerhouse and will undoubtedly benefit millions of Filipino households who continue to clamor for more viewing options and unique ways on how to enjoy watching them.
Ensuring the delivery of high-quality TV entertainment to Filipino viewers, the five-year content agreement between ABS-CBN and TV5 signed in the late morning inside the headquarters of the ladder's parent company Mediaquest Holdings Inc. enables the two media giants to continue providing top-rated programs during the weekday and weekend primetime slots. Among the Kapamilya shows that will continue to air on the Kapatid network on weekdays are audience favorites such as “FPJ's Batang Quiapo", "The Iron Heart" and "Dirty Linen". Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s "Everybody Sing", "I Can See Your Voice", "ASAP Natin 'To" and classic Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) movies will fill the weekend and Sunday slots, respectively. “We are very happy to sign this new agreement for the next five years. It’s a partnership which we’ve been very happy with. I think there are a lot of opportunities that we can do together,” said ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez in an interview with ABS-CBN News and News5. He added this new deal is a way to really “solidify” what the two companies aim to do, stating, “I think we have a lot of programs in store for our audience moving forward so tuloy-tuloy lang. We’ll make sure that we make the right content for everyone."
Meanwhile, TV5 president and CEO Guido Zaballero teased that this partnership is just the tip of the iceberg. The two media companies are also joining forces in a co-production arrangement for two upcoming afternoon soap operas, "Pira-Pirasong Paraiso" and "Nagbabagang Damdamin", scheduled for release in July which are slated to reinforce the Kapatid network's Hapon Champion block. This marks the initial venture among many projects that reflect their dedication to fostering creative collaboration. “We are also working with ABS-CBN for co-prods for the afternoon and continue to develop good content together. We intend to strengthen our partnership with ABS-CBN. Like they say, stronger together. It is our firm belief that by solidifying it with the five-year partnership, we can also grow together," Zaballero said. Also present during the contract signing were ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, chief operating officer for broadcast Cory Vidanes, chief partnership officer Roberto Barreiro and head of finance operations Catherine Lopez. Meanwhile, TV5 was also represented by MediaQuest Holdings chairman Manny Pangilinan, MediaQuest president and CEO Jane Jimenez-Basas, PLDT head of business transformation Victorico Vargas and TV5 chief finance officer Pierre Paul Buhay.
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| The hosts of 'It's Showtime!' join (L-R) ABS-CBN chief operating officer for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, GMA senior vice president for programming Annette Gozon-Valdes, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, GMA chairman and CEO Felipe Gozon, ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, GMA president and COO Gilberto Duavit Jr., and executive vice president and chief finance officer Felipe Yalong during the contract signing between the two networks that will bring the popular Kapamilya noontime show to GMA's second free-to-air channel GTV. (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
This was eventually followed by a grand contract signing event for the co-production agreement between ABS-CBN Entertainment and GMA Network, bringing the popular and consistently trending Kapamilya noontime show "It's Showtime" to more viewers through GTV's wider nationwide reach and stronger, clearer signals which is accessible and available on free TV channel 27, digital TV boxes, SKYcable channel 24, Cignal channel 11, Gsat channel 6 and Destiny Cable channel 24. Held inside the Seda Vertis North Hotel in Quezon City, the contract signing event was graced by top ABS-CBN and GMA executives headed by ABS-CBN Chairman Mark L. Lopez, GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo L. Katigbak, GMA Network President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer for Broadcast Cory V. Vidanes, GMA Network Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer Felipe S. Yalung Jr., ABS-CBN Finance Group OIC Vincent Paul Piedad and GMA Network Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group and GMA Films President and CEO Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes as well as It's Showtime hosts Vice Ganda, Ogie Alcasid, Anne Curtis, Kim Chiu, Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Ion Perez, Jackie Gonzaga, Amy Perez, Jugs Jugueta, Cianne Dominguez, MC, Lassy, and Teddy Corpuz.
“Maraming pong salamat sa pagtanggap sa ‘It’s Showtime’ at sa pagyakap niyo muli sa ABS-CBN. Thank you for your kindness, GMA. Nagpapasalamat din kami sa lahat ng ‘It’s Showtime’ hosts at sa buong ‘It’s Showtime’ family dahil hindi kayo bumitaw at hindi kayo sumuko sa pagbibigay ng saya at serbisyo,” said Katigbak. “Sa pirmahan natin with ABS-CBN, sa paglipat ng noontime program na very popular na ‘It’s Showtime [sa GTV], na mag-uumpisa sa July 1, at ‘yung mga nakaraan naming mga [partnership ng] ABS-CBN, siguro pwede na natin sabihin ngayon without any fear of contradiction na ‘yung kompetisyon o ‘TV war’ is finally over,” said Atty. Gozon. The monumental co-production agreement that brings "It's Showtime" to GTV follows previous collaborations between ABS-CBN and GMA which include the Kapuso network's airing of Star Cinema blockbuster hits, the top-rating co-produced primetime drama series "Unbreak My Heart" and GMA international channels and top-rating shows on iWantTFC worldwide (except United States) and it is expected that more collaborations will be announced between the two media giants in the coming months and years that are slated to be beneficial to both them and the Filipino viewing public.
Over the past 14 years, “It’s Showtime” has brought joy and entertainment to the madlang people with its unique and fun segments. Viewers have proudly witnessed the incredible talent of Filipinos through “Tawag ng Tanghalan” for its six editions and will continue to discover aspiring talents bound to make a mark in the Philippine music scene on its seventh season. The show also brings out delightful, heartwarming, and inspiring stories of contestants in its segments like the returning “Mini Ms. U", “Isip Bata” and “Rampanalo". In addition to GTV, “It’s Showtime” will continue to be seen every Monday to Saturday at 12:00 noon on Kapamilya channel, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live, Showtime Online Universe on YouTube, iWantTFC, and TFC.
