While it has a few news programs, variety shows, and reruns in the lineup, RPTV is currently dominated by the Philippine Basketball Association.
Just a day after CNN Philippines—the network, its website, and all its social media accounts— vanished from existence, a new channel took its space from Radio Philippines Network (RPN). Channel 9 now has RPTV, a free-to-air television channel owned by Manny V. Pangilinan’s (MVP) TV5.
RPTV is the result of the tycoon’s partnership with RPN, making TV5 the content provider for the channel. As such, its programming lineup currently has simulcast and reruns of certain programs from TV5, One PH (the sister channel of TV5), and Cignal TV.
Some of the notable programs currently airing on the channel include Raffy Tulfo’s Wanted sa Radyo and Eat Bulaga! it’s worth noting that the latter had most of its hosts move to TV5 mid-2023, and its core group of talents—led by Tito Sotto, Joey de Leon, and Vic Sotto (or TVJ)—recently won the right to use the “Eat Bulaga” and “EB” trademarks after a dispute with their former production company, TAPE, Inc.
RPTV is also airing some of its “TeleRadyo” shows, with Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa Radyo5 having the honor of being the first program broadcasted on the new channel at 6AM of February 1, 2024. Reports have also pointed toward a new primetime newscast that may comprise former CNN Philippines anchors.
The elephant in the room here, however, is the extensive allocation of airtime for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), which makes sense when you consider MVP’s massive investment in the sport. He is one of the major patrons of the country’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas; and he currently has three teams in the PBA: the Meralco Bolts, the TNT Tropang Giga, and the NLEX Road Warriors.
It’s also a serendipitous affair for the basketball league, as RPN Channel 9 was the PBA’s first broadcast partner before moving on to other networks like the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), National Broadcasting Network (NBN), and Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC) (which would then become TV5), and A2Z, and other streaming platforms like Pilipinas Rush and Cignal Play, among others.
No word yet has been given regarding future programs (reruns, simulcast, and original shows) on RPTV, but reports are looking at the basketball-focused move as both MVP’s allocation of his sports-related business interests and TV5’s attempt to increase bottomline figures amid a streaming-heavy media consumption climate.
