TV5 and ABS-CBN might enter a blocktime deal if the latter cannot renew its franchise in March 2020.
In an unprecedented move and announcement, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said that the company is open to such a deal. However, he does have his apprehensions at the same time about it.
According to Phil Star, all these are merely up in the air, considering the fact that there are no ongoing talks between the PLDT-backed network and ABS-CBN.
The president explained that on TV5, there are a lot of highways.
Pushing aside politics, he said if ABS-CBN wants to blocktime, they can certainly enter into the necessary discussions. The partnership could work because TV5 does not have much entertainment content.
Since he cannot really overlook the politics of this move, Pangilinan said that he is a bit reluctant about the possibility.
Pangilinan believes that President Duterte will have something to say about such a move, so TV5 is also reluctant.
More so when it is Duterte himself who is adamant that ABS-CBN does not get the desired franchise renewal.
The franchise will expire on March 30, 2020, and Duterte already made repeated threats not to renew it.
ABS-CBN Buy-out? Not Likely
While a blocktime deal is possible, a buy-out deal, should ABS-CBN make an offer, is not likely.
Pangilinan claimed that he does not even want to think about it. He personally does not believe it could happen anyway.
The CEO claimed that he does not want to be presumptuous and would not dare make any suggestion to ABS-CBN.
It’s up to ABS-CBN, and TV 5 will not offer anything too.
On its part, TV5 is already looking to increase more entertainment content into the channel, even though it has no plans of making drastic changes such as giving up its sports content.
Sports is a competitive advantage of TV5 compared to other networks, but entertainment is a weakness.
Pangilinan claimed that this is because the network does not have stars.
TV5 Looking for More Entertainment Content
This is not always the case. It can still be recalled that prior to 2017, the network was already producing its entertainment content, recruiting already established celebrities through attractive talent fees.
However, it did not work out well, as much as when it partnered with multimedia sports entertainment giant ESPN and repositioned its sports content.
Apart from being a sports channel, it is also recognized for its news content.
Speaking with the Star, TV5 president and chief executive officer Jane Basas already said that the network is working hard to generate positive earnings by 2022 and then be more profitable by 2024.
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