TV rant: What TV5 should be doing

When TV5 was launched in 2008, I fully supported it. After all, alternative programming shouldn't be so bad, right? More TV shows on TV means more choices for TV viewers who have no cable connection.

Four years later, and all I can do is shake my head. The fact is, TV5 is floundering. Yes, it is still generating buzz, and its audience share is growing. But its net loss is growing too, perhaps a result of its aggressive pirating of top stars (Sharon Cuneta, Aga Muhlach, and Derek Ramsay come to mind), and its slate of expensive shows with only a few advertisements (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is an example).

So what happened? Simple. Programming became stagnant.

There was a time when TV5 was doing so well in aggressive programming. This was the TV station that brought a noontime program on evening primetime. This was the channel that offered its own Sunday talk show, despite predictions that it won't do so well. This was the channel that had a strong Saturday and Sunday line-up, due to its smart set of weekend programming.

But now, it seems like the powers-that-be at TV5 have backed down and are too cautious to put shows up. Check any set of shows the network announced at the start of a year, and see that a good number of them don't get aired at all. Where's that dance nation show? Where's Kanta Pilipinas? 

Some shows get delayed too much, they should have been canned instead. Extreme Makeover was exciting, until it took a long time before it was aired. Excitement waned by then. Look at Game 'n Go. Wasn't that supposed to be a weekday noontime show? Why wasn't it placed there? It's not like they have another show to put up on weekday noontime, right? (Answer: No, they only have nonperforming koreanovelas right there now.)

TV5's Saturday and Sunday evenings, which the channel had dominated more than a year ago, have also lost their sheen, thanks in part to Talentadong Pinoy. (When will TV5 realize that viewers are tired of this show? It will survive, but only if it is given a long hiatus.)

So what should TV5's people be doing? Be aggressive in programming. Admit that when a show's stagnant, it needs to be taken off the air, or be given a grand makeover.

One grand gesture they could do is to move Willtime Bigtime to a noontime schedule. Yes, versus Eat Bulaga! and It's Showtime. Willtime Bigtime is not anymore winning ratings in primetime anyway, and TV5 is having trouble putting up any show on the noontime block. Willie Revillame's show should have no trouble beefing up TV5's noontime and afternoon block, exciting viewers once again.

Besides, Willtime Bigtime's presence in primetime weakens that programming block for TV5. Getting the variety show out of there leads to exciting possibilities--all of a sudden, TV5 can experiment and put up new shows that can battle GMA-7 and ABS-CBN's set of primetime dramas.

An open primetime leads to good possibilities for the Kapatid network: it can finally air their dramas earlier. Looking back, David Archuleta's mini-soap opera could have gained good ratings if it was aired earlier. I loved that show, but the late primetime schedule was ridiculous.

 It can put up a daily reality show early. Their new artista search will benefit greatly if it can be shown at 8PM, the time when GMA-7 and ABS-CBN are just starting their teleseryes.

Right now, TV5's stagnant weekday primetime is not doing them any good. There are not enough shows to begin with. How can viewers be excited? Hell, how can big stars be excited to become a Kapatid if there are no shows they can go to? Derek Ramsay, Aga Muhlach, and Sharon Cuneta could be doing primetime teleseryes right now, but they aren't. Sayang naman ang malaking talent fee. #rantover