TV5 Network
TV5 Network Inc., commonly referred to as TV5, is a Philippine media company headquartered in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. It primarily operates in radio and television broadcasting, and manages several subsidiaries and affiliates in various media-related ventures. TV5 is owned by MediaQuest Holdings, a subsidiary of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund. The company is led by Manuel V. Pangilinan.
TV5 was founded on June 19, 1960, by owner of the Manila Times Joaquin "Chino" Roces as Associated Broadcasting Corporation, The company launched its first radio station DZMT, Its first broadcast on television was launched in July 1962, and the television station was known as DZTM-TV Channel 5.
In 1990, the company became known as Associated Broadcasting Company or ABC Development Corporation led by businessman Edward Tan and Roces' son Edgardo, a group of new shareholders initiated efforts to restore the network's operations. In October 2003, ABC was acquired by a group led by businessman Antonio "Tonyboy" O. Cojuangco Jr.
On August 8, 2008, ABC was rebranded as TV5 as it entered a partnership with MPB Primedia Inc., a local company backed by Media Prima Berhad. On October 20, 2009, MediaQuest Holdings acquired ABC Development Corporation and its blocktimer MPB Primedia Inc. from a joint consortium led by former PLDT Chairman Antonio "Tony Boy" O. Cojuangco Jr. and Malaysia-based media conglomerate Media Prima Berhad. Manuel V. Pangilinan expressed that he had intended to acquire ABC as early as 1999. It then changed its corporate name to TV5 Network Inc. in 2015, when the network identity became TV5.
History
1960-1972: Founding of ABC
, owner of The Manila Times, was granted a radio-TV franchise from Congress under Republic Act No. 2945 on June 19, 1960. He then founded the Associated Broadcasting Corporation, which became the seventh television network in the Philippines when it launched Channel 5 with the call sign DZTM-TV and established its first studios along Pasong Tamo in Makati in July 1962. ABC operated radio and television services from July 1962 until September 23, 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. Both ABC and The Manila Times were shut down as a result.1990–2003: Revival after the revolution
Led by businessman Edward Tan and Roces' son Edgardo, a group of new shareholders initiated efforts to restore the network's operations. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved their application to increase capitalization and amend the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of the Associated Broadcasting Company. The National Telecommunications Commission later granted the group an operation permit.ABC established its studio complex and transmitter tower in San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City in 1990 and began test broadcasts by the end of 1991. On February 21, 1992, it officially returned to the air under the new corporate name, ABC Development Corporation. Its radio counterpart, Kool 106, was launched at the same time. It acquired a new franchise to operate on December 9, 1994, under Republic Act 7831 signed by then-President Fidel V. Ramos.
2003–2009: Cojuangco era, rebranding as TV5
In October 2003, ABC was acquired by a group led by businessman Antonio "Tonyboy" O. Cojuangco Jr.In 2005, ABC received the Outstanding TV Station award at the KBP Golden Dove Awards, with several other programs on the network also earning honors in their respective categories.
In early 2007, ABC implemented a series of budget cuts, primarily directed toward its news department, resulting in 250 job cuts and the axing of the major 7:45 am news bulletin.
In 2008, ABC-5 was rebranded as TV5 as it entered a partnership with MPB Primedia Inc, a local company backed by Media Prima Berhad of Malaysia as part of a long-term strategy to make the station more competitive. This caused a large increase in its ratings from 1.9% in July 2008 to 11.1% in September 2009.
2009–2016: Acquisition by MediaQuest, expansion, relocation, and renaming
On October 20, 2009, Media Prima announced that it would be divesting its 70% share in TV5/MPB Primedia and selling it to the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company's broadcasting arm, MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. as Media Prima had incurred losses during the 2008 financial crisis. MediaQuest also acquired Cojuangco-owned ABC Development Corporation and its television stations by the end of 2009. The two acquisitions were completed on March 2, 2010, as announced by PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, who had previously intended to acquire ABC as early as 1999. TV5 was reformatted on April 4, 2010, with a new lineup of programming and branding as the "Kapatid" network. ABC's radio arm Dream FM was retained under Cojuangco management after the latter had transferred its ownership to Interactive Broadcast Media. By July 2011, Dream FM Network was closed, and its Manila station was sold to Ultrasonic Broadcasting System and relaunched as 106.7 Energy FM.Upon acquisition, TV5 expressed interest in acquiring the 27.24% controlling share of Indosiar Karya Media to transform the network as the pan-regional multimedia leader in Southeast Asia. The agreement was to be reached by 2011, but it was never completed because Indosiar merged with Surya Citra Media, a subsidiary of Emtek, in 2013.
On October 1, 2010, TV5 took over the management of MediaQuest's Nation Broadcasting Corporation stations. DWFM was relaunched as a TV5-branded news radio station on November 8, 2010, and Radyo5 92.3 NewsFM and DWNB-TV were relaunched on February 21, 2011, as AksyonTV, a news channel based on TV5's newscast Aksyon.
In June 2011, Sports5 began a deal with the state-run Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation to produce sports programming for the network under the brand AKTV. TV5 continued to use IBC-13's Broadcast City facilities for sports events after the block-time deal ended on May 31, 2023, as MediaQuest Holdings was a potential bidder for IBC-13's privatization.
In co-ownership with Pilipinas Global Network Ltd., international channels Kapatid TV5 and AksyonTV International were launched in April 2011. The channels were available in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Guam, and the United States.
TV5 expanded to social media with the online lifestyle site Kristn.com, the Pinoy online music portal Balut Radio, and the news video content site News5 Everywhere. Kristn.com and Balut Radio have been inactive since December 2014.
Rey Espinosa stepped down as ABC Development Corporation President and CEO on June 1, 2013, to pursue his new post as associate director of the First Pacific Company Ltd, PLDT's majority owner. He was replaced by Noel C. Lorenzana, the Head of the Individual Business for the PLDT Group.
By December 23, 2013, the network had relocated and begun broadcasting from new headquarters, a 6,000 square meter TV5 Media Center located in Reliance, Mandaluyong. This vacated Novaliches complex as well as its studios in Delta Theater, Broadway Centrum, Marajo Tower and the PLDT Locsin Building. The transmitter and corporate offices of TV5 remained in Novaliches, Quezon City. Phase 1 was completed on the same day, while Phase 2 of the building was completed in 2017. It houses TV5, and their sister companies Cignal Digital TV, Voyager Innovations, and Philex Mining.
After failure to acquire a stake in GMA Network, TV5's ultimate parent, PLDT, increased funding for TV5. PLDT's subsidiary, ePLDT, Inc., invested P6 billion in the form of Philippine Depositary Receipts in MediaQuest to sustain the growth of TV5 and affiliate Cignal TV. PLDT also looked to install new platforms and technology that would suit consumers' preferences. TV5 Chairman Manny Pangilinan predicted that TV5 would "break-even" by 2017.
In response to the process of shifting to digital terrestrial television, TV5 invested P500-700 million in the next four years in preparation for its shift to digital TV. Currently, TV5 and AksyonTV are conducting digital test broadcasts on channels 42 and 51, operated by TV5 affiliates Nation Broadcasting Corporation and Mediascape, respectively. It also plans to convert its UHF stations that operate TV5 and AksyonTV, to DTV transmitters.
In December 2014, ABC Development Corporation partnered with Singapore-based studio Brand New Media to launch a multi-channel datacasting service, 4ME Philippines. 4ME will feature original content, produced both in the Philippines and internationally, for a network of lifestyle channels covering food, health, fashion, tech, comedy, travel, home, entertainment, celebrity, sport, outdoor adventure, and music. With the domain name TV4ME.ph, 4ME was targeted to launch in 2015.
In 2015, the company rebranded from ABC Development Corporation to TV5 Network, Inc.
TV5 Network, Inc. also launched its digital library of original online content called Digital5, using the company's online portals to produce exclusive programs that cater to different audiences on different platforms.
On August 3, 2015, TV5 Network, Inc. and Cignal TV collaborated with Viva Communications to form an entertainment network called the Sari-Sari Channel that would air programs and films from both the Viva portfolio and TV5. By October, TV5 partnered with SSN, agreeing to let the latter handle the production of all the entertainment programs of TV5, with Viva's Vic del Rosario Jr. appointed as the network's chief entertainment strategist. The partnership ended in June 2016 due to a lack of success.
After President Rodrigo Duterte came into office on June 30, 2016, many news anchors such as Cherie Mercado and Martin Andanar left the network to work for his administration.
2016–present: Renewed strategy, pandemic, and partnership with Nine Media
On October 1, 2016, Media5 president and former Gilas Pilipinas and PBA head coach Chot Reyes became the network's officer-in-charge, replacing the network's president for four years, Noel Lorenzana, who retired from his position on September 30. In the same year, the network halted production on entertainment programs after it shifted its strategy toward broadcasting American television shows and films dubbed in Filipino, and made a deal with filmmaker Brillante Mendoza to produce television films and series for the network. Sebastian Duterte, son of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, was recruited in January 2017 to star in the unscripted travel show Lakbai for his appeal to the millennial market. By February 2017, more than 100 employees were laid off on short notice, most of whom were members of the ABC Employees Union.On February 17, 2018, TV5 launched its new slogan, "Get It on 5!". Along the launch, the network also started its five-brand strategy, consisting of News5, ESPN5, On5, D5 Studio, and the newly revived Studio5. By March, the network made a deal with Netflix to stream its new action series Amo, directed by Mendoza, becoming the first Philippine-produced series on the platform.
In October 2018, TV5 was acquired by MediaQuest Holdings and discontinued the use of the TV5 Novaliches facilities.
On April 22, 2019, TV5 Network was granted a 25-year legislative franchise extension under Republic Act No. 11320, which lapsed into law after 30 days of inaction by President Duterte. The law grants TV5 Network a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes, radio broadcasting stations and television stations, including digital television systems, with the corresponding facilities such as relay stations, throughout the Philippines.
After the retirement of Chot Reyes as TV5's president and CEO, he was replaced by Media5 President Jane Basas.
On February 4, 2020, Robert P. Galang was appointed as the new president and CEO of TV5 Network and Cignal TV, replacing Basas, who was appointed as the new Chief Marketing Officer of Smart Communications.
On August 15, 2020, TV5 Network announced a partnership with its sister company, Cignal TV, to become TV5's main content provider. This focus on the network's programming efforts signaled the willingness of TV5 to compete again with the GMA Network, TV5's longtime rival among other TV networks in the Philippines after the expiration of the congressional franchise of ABS-CBN in May 2020. In 2021, TV5 and rival network ABS-CBN signed a deal that lets ABS-CBN programs to be broadcast in TV5 along with its own shows and also released a new cable channel named BuKo that airs comedy shows which is only available in Cignal.
TV5 also released a new digital TV set-top box called Sulit TV, which transmits TV5's digital frequencies as well as other available digital channels, competing with ABS-CBN TV Plus and GMA Affordabox.
In September of the same year, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines inked a deal with Cignal to launch the UAAP Varsity Channel to air UAAP basketball and volleyball events simulcast on TV5 and One Sports.
In January 2021, TV5 started broadcasting selected programming produced by ABS-CBN to expand its nationwide reach, following the shutdown of ABS-CBN's free-to-air network on May 5, 2020. On January 24, the Kapatid network began to simulcast ABS-CBN's Sunday noontime programming block, followed by ABS-CBN's prime time block on March 5, 2021, the noontime show It's Showtime on July 16, 2022, and afternoon block on July 25, 2023.
In June 2022, ABS-CBN engaged in advanced talks with TV5's parent company, MediaQuest Holdings, to allow its resources to combine after Villar Group-backed Advanced Media Broadcasting System acquired ABS-CBN's former frequency. Operations were slated to begin in October 2022 as ALLTV-2, becoming the flagship station of ALLTV. On August 10, 2022, ABS-CBN and MediaQuest Holdings signed a "convertible note agreement" for the ABS-CBN's investment into TV5 Network. ABS-CBN acquired 34.99% of TV5's common shares, with an option to increase its stake to 49.92% within the following eight years, with MediaQuest remaining TV5's controlling shareholder with 64.79% of its common shares. Meanwhile, MediaQuest Holdings executed a "debt instruments agreement," in which they would acquire a 38.88% minority stake of ABS-CBN's cable TV arm Sky Cable Corporation through Cignal TV, with an option to acquire an additional 61.12% of Sky Cable shares within the following eight years. After ABS-CBN and TV5 had a partnership deal, the House of Representatives set a briefing, and SAGIP Representative Rodante Marcoleta commented that TV5 violated the broadcasting franchise with the ABS-CBN deal. The scheduled briefing was canceled at the last minute. On August 24, the two broadcasting companies agreed to pause their closing preparations for the deal, following concerns from politicians and some government agencies. On September 1, 2022, both parties announced the termination of the proposed investment.
On February 1, 2023, Guido R. Zaballero was appointed president and chief executive officer of TV5 Network. Zaballero, formerly the product manager of Smart Communications' Talk 'N Text cellular service and the vice president and head of marketing for Cignal TV, assumed the position following the retirement of Robert P. Galang, who headed Cignal TV and TV5 since 2020. Basas assumed the post of president and CEO of Cignal TV, concurrently with her role as the president and CEO of MediaQuest.
On April 1, 2023, the high-definition feed of TV5 was launched on Cignal Channel 15, as announced on March 21, 2023.
On April 16, 2023, the main channel switched its airing on the channel feed and its programming to a widescreen format, as opposed to a full-screen format.
In June 2023, the comedy trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon signed a "long-term" agreement with MediaQuest to produce content for TV5 and other MediaQuest properties. On July 1, 2023, TVJ's noontime variety show, E.A.T., premiered on TV5 and eventually returned to its original name, Eat Bulaga!
In October 2023, TV5 President Guido Zaballero announced that the broadcast of the PBA games would be transferred to A2Z, with TV5's programming focusing more on entertainment and news programs. That same year, TV5 entered into an acquired agreement with Nine Media Corporation to broadcast Eat Bulaga! on Saturdays and select PBA games on Saturdays and Sundays, both on CNN Philippines, starting January 6, 2024 to expand channel's weekend programming lineup.
On February 1, 2024, following the closure of CNN Philippines, TV5 launched a new free-to-air channel RPTV in partnership with NMC and Radio Philippines Network.
On November 4, 2024, TV5 entered an airtime lease with Bright Star Broadcasting Network Corporation for the transfer of its radio division, True FM to 105.9 FM. Before this, Radyo5 was on NBC's 92.3 FM from November 8, 2010, to November 3, 2024, until Philippine Collective Media Corporation took over the operations of this frequency and rebranded as Favorite Music Radio.