2008 in Philippine television
The following is a list of events affecting Philippine television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings, as well as information about controversies and carriage disputes.
Events
January
- January 1:
- * All of Solar's channels have ceased to air on Sky Cable, the Philippines' largest cable company. An insider claims that these troubles with SkyCable started when boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, whose fights Solar Entertainment has the exclusive right to air and distribute, moved from ABS-CBN, a sister company of Sky, to rival GMA. However, Solar signed a deal with local terrestrial channels ABC, RPN, SBN and RJTV for block-time programming, ETC, 2nd Avenue and C/S programming are seen on terrestrial TV. Currently, ETC shows can be seen on SBN and 2nd Avenue on RJTV on a test broadcast basis, while C/S will be seen on RPN.
- * ETC ceased to air over Sky Cable as a channel on its own right. However, as part of block-time agreements with various terrestrial channels, ETC carried some of its programs over Southern Broadcasting Network Channel 21, a terrestrial UHF TV Station in Metro Manila and selected cities in the Philippines.
- January 5: Comedian Ruben Gonzaga wins the second season of Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition.
May
- May 5: The 4th originating station of Kapuso Network started airing is GMA Dagupan, which covers Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Benguet, La Union, Abra, Ifugao and Mountain Province after the establishment of Cebu, Iloilo and Davao together with the launching of Balitang Amianan.
- May 11: Miss Philippines Earth 2008, the 8th edition of Miss Philippines Earth pageant, was held at Crowne Plaza Galleria, Ortigas Center, Manila, Philippines. Miss Karla Henry of Cebu won the pageant.
June
August
- August 8: After 16 years of broadcast, ABC 5 ended its commercial operations on Friday evening at 22:00.
- August 9: at 19:00 local time, ABC 5 was rebranded as TV5 and launched its new programs. However, despite the name change, the corporate name will still be Associated Broadcasting Company and Tonyboy Cojuangco will remain its CEO.
- August 17: Gretchen Espina wins the first season of Pinoy Idol.
September
October
- October 1 - ABS-CBN unveils the TV plug "Beyond Television", describing its transformation from a small television network in October 23, 1953 into a full-fledged media conglomerate with businesses beyond television.
- October 5 - Philip Cesar Nadela emerged as the Little Grand Star Dreamer of Pinoy Dream Academy: Little Dreamers.
- October 17: GMA Network opens their new studio complex which was known as the new GMA Network Studios Annex. The opening ceremony is in a red-carpet premiere. The new studio's inaugural is being part of the network's 58th anniversary, the presentation is titled Experience GMA: 58 Years of Glorious Television.
November
December
Premieres
Unknown dates
Unknown
Del Monte Got2BFit Challenge on ABS-CBN 2Palmolive Shining Circle Of 10 Batch 2008 on ABS-CBN 2Harapan on ABS-CBN 2Busog Lusog on ABS-CBN 2Tagamends on IBC 13Asin at Ilaw on IBC 13Lucida DS: United Shelter Health Show on IBC 13Talk Toons on IBC 13@ Ur Serbis on NBN 4America Atbp. on NBN 4Balitalakay on NBN 4Business @ 10 on NBN 4Heart To Heart Talk on NBN 4Mama Mary Holy Mass on NBN 4Meet the Press on NBN 4Music and Memories on NBN 4Neighbours on NBN 4Pananaw on NBN 4Perspectives on NBN 4People's Government Mobile Action on NBN 4Radyo Bandido sa Telebisyon on NBN 4Republic Service on NBN 4Takip Silip on NBN 4Jungle TV on GMA 7Hayate the Combat Butler on GMA 7Bakugan Battle Brawlers on GMA 7A Round Of Golf on C/S 9C/S Blockbusters on C/S 9Fashionistas by Heart on Q 11Fit & Fab on Q 11One Proud Mama on Q 11Philippine Explorer on Q 11Puso Mo sa Amerika on Q 11The Debutante on Q 11Discover Germany on Net 25Global 3000 on Net 25Home Page on Net 25In Good Shape on Net 25Light of Salvation on Net 253rd Row on 2nd Avenue 29Value Vision on ZOE TV 33Winner TV Shopping on ZOE TV 33TV Patrol Northwestern Mindanao on ABS-CBN TV-9 Pagadian
Finales
Unknown dates
Unknown
Del Monte Got2BFit Challenge Palmolive Shining Circle Of 10 Batch 2008 Pinoy Mano Mano: Celebrity Boxing Challenge Serbis on the Go Amerika Atbp. Krusada Kontra Korupsyon Ratsada E Mommy Academy IBCinema Nights Primetime Sinemax Talk Toons Astig PBA Buhay PBA Community Mass on ABC ABC 5)EZ Shop Family Land Children's Show Island Flavors Kapatid with Joel Mendez Pool Showdown Star sa Kusina Text 2 Win Three Minutes a Day with Fr. James Reuter, S.J. Winner TV Shopping W.O.W.: What's On Weekend World Class Boxing Ang Say ng Kabataan Boses Business @ 10 Katapatan sa Watawat at Lipunan Makabayang Doktor Music and Memories Radyo Bandido sa Telebisyon Serbisyo Muna Sing! Sing! Talk Ko 'To! Taas Noo, Bulakenyo! Taas Noo, Pilipino! Finishline Kol TV Shoot That Babe Jungle TV Combattler V Dahil sa Iyong Paglisan Elementar Gerad Final Fantasy: Unlimited Last Woman Standing Mga Waging Kuwento ng OFW Planet Q Puso Mo sa Amerika RX Men Sunday Super Sine The Debutante The Sobrang Gud Nite Show With Jojo A All the Way!
- Those Who Hunt Elves Kami Naman! Maestra Viajes Bihasa: Bibliya Hamon Sa'yo Believer TV Gabay sa Kalusugan Kapatid sa Hanapbuhay TV Patrol Pagadian
- ''Spin 2 Win''
Networks
Launches
Unknown dates
Unknown
SouthSpot
The following is a list of television stations that have made or will make noteworthy network affiliation changes in 2008.
| Date | Station | Channel | Prior affiliation | New affiliation | Source |
| January 1 | RPN | 9 | - | C/S 9 | |
| January 1 | SBN | 21 | - | ETC | |
| January 1 | RJTV | 29 | - | 2nd Avenue | - |
Rebranded
The following is a list of television stations that have made or will make noteworthy network rebranded in 2008.
| Date | Rebranded from | Rebranded to | Channel | Source |
| March 10 | UniversiTV | ZOE TV | 33 | |
| August 9 | ABC 5 | TV5 | 5 | |
Closures
Cable Channel reassignments
Births
- January 24: Chlaui Malayao, actress
- February 7: Antonio Vinzon, actor
- July 31: Raikko Mateo, actor
- September 7: Charlie Fleming, actress
- September 18: Chunsa Jung, actress
- October 10: Sophia Reola, actress
- November 10: Caprice Cayetano, actress
- December 18: Lee Victor, actor
Deaths
- March 8: Carol Varga, 80, FAMAS-award-winning actress
- April 27: Marcos Mataro, 40, former member of Iglesia ni Cristo and ex-host of D'X-Man
- May 16: Henry Canoy, 74, founder of Radio Mindanao Network; grandfather of ABS-CBN reporter Jeff Canoy
- May 26: Dolly Aglay, 42, journalist with Reuters and Philippine Star
- June 7: Rudy Fernandez, 56, Filipino actor
- July 22: Gilbert Perez, 49, movie and TV director
- August 28: Zorayda Sanchez, 56, film and TV comedian
- September 1: Dely Magpayo, 88, radio host best known as "Tia Dely"
- September 21: Roger Mercado, 69, adoptive father and uncle of Jennylyn Mercado
- October 13: Khryss Adalia, 62, film and television director
- December 4: Manuel Yan, 88, former AFP Chief of Staff and diplomat; grandfather of the late Rico Yan
- December 7: Marky Cielo, 20, StarStruck 3's Ultimate Male Survivor and Ultimate Soul Survivor
- December 31: Rosendo delas Alas, 88, father of comedian Ai-Ai delas Alas