It’s the season for change and before 2020 finishes its last quarter, the Pinoy TV industry gets another make-over with the migration of the several artists from ABS-CBN Channel 2 to TV5. This is courtesy of one of TV5’s current blocktimers, Brightlight Productions – a TV production company founded and currently owned by former Negros Occidental 3rd district representative, Albee Benitez.
Long time speculations of “the move” came to an end with articles of some of the stars including former Kapamilya big wig Johnny Manahan more popularly known as Mr. M were revealed in an Inquirer.Net release in October.
Mr. M has been with the Kapamilya network for more than 30 years will be directing TV5’s new Sunday noontime show top-billed by Piolo Pascual and Catriona Gray.
Joining Piolo and Catriona in TV5 are Maja Salvador and Asia’s Nightingale, Lani Misalucha in the Sunday noon time show billed “Live@5: Ultimate Sunday Party”, Billy Crawford, Alex Gonzaga and Bayani Agbayani will headline the channel’s noontime show weekdays, hearththrob Ian Veneracion and Dimples Romana will be in a wholesome family sitcom, Jason Gainza, Miles Ocampo and returning TV5 celeb Ritz Azul with a group of TV5 celebrities will be in an Edgar Mortiz’ directed Sunday afternoon show and Korina Sanchez brings her award-winning magazine show with “Rated Korina.” Aga Muhlach is also slated to be one of the judges in the network's upcoming talent show.
This comes after a number of celebrities became available with ABSCBN Channel 2 stopped broadcast several weeks ago. As the former free TV giant strengthens its programming for the digital platform, it seems that celebrities have been given freedom to do projects outside of the network. This has become beneficial to the Brightlight productions' block time efforts to fill out open timeslots on the Kapatid Network. This strategic move is reminiscent of the early 90's when GMA7 had blocktimers creating content for different timeslots while developing their manpower to produce their own. Hopefully this breathes new life into the TV5's programming lungs which would only be more beneficial to the Filipino viewing public.