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RPTV (TV channel)

RPTV is a Philippine commercial free-to-air television network. It is jointly owned and operated by TV5 Network, Inc., and Nine Media Corporation, with Radio Philippines Network (RPN) serving as its free-to-air broadcaster. RPTV was established through a content distribution, sales, and marketing agreement between TV5 (under its parent company MediaQuest Holdings) and Nine Media. Under this arrangement, TV5 provides programming and related services to Nine Media through its existing airtime lease agreement with RPN.[1]

RPTV officially launched on 1 February 2024, replacing CNN Philippines on its flagship station, DZKB-TV. This followed the termination of the brand licensing agreement between Nine Media and CNN (under its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery), resulting in CNN Philippines' closure on 31 January 2024.

History

Background

Prior to the launch, on December 22, 2023, TV5 Network entered into a blocktime agreement with Nine Media Corporation to air Eat Bulaga!—the Philippines' longest-running noontime variety and entertainment show—along with select games from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) every Saturday and Sunday on CNN Philippines starting January 6, 2024. This marked the return of these programs to RPN, where they had aired previously (with the Eat Bulaga! cases also marking the return of the Mondays to Saturdays noontime programming timeslot on Channel 9 to its origin as ABS-CBN roots, dating back from the premiere of Student Canteen in 1958 on the timeslot and frequency).[2][3][4][5][6]

This blocktime partnership lasted until January 25, 2024 when Nine Media and CNN mutually agreed to terminate their brand licensing agreement amid financial difficulties and loss of advertising support. CNN Philippines announced later that month that it would shut down on January 31, citing financial losses.[7][8]

Launch

On January 31, 2024, after CNN Philippines signed off at 10:00 pm (after airing its last program, Building Bridges), TV5 Network took over the entire RPN-9 airtime. This included a test broadcast unveiling RPTV as its replacement (with RPTV's looping logo played after CNN Philippines signed off).[9] The takeover was later confirmed during TV5's late-night newscast, Frontline Tonight.[10] However, it was not until February 6, 2024, at the TV5 Media Center, that MediaQuest, TV5, and Nine Media formalized a content distribution, sales, and marketing services agreement for the new channel. RPN retains the license and transmission operations for the network, as current ownership restrictions limit the number of stations a franchise holder can own in a specific media market.[1]

RPTV's first commercial broadcast commenced on February 1, 2024, at 6:00 am with Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa Radyo5 as its inaugural program. At the same time, RPTV replaced One PH on DTT subchannels across TV5-owned and Mediascape-affiliated stations, with One PH reverting its availability via Cignal TV and other cable and satellite platforms.

Programming

RPTV's programming consists of simulcasts and reruns of select shows from TV5 and its sister channel One PH, sporting events and programs by One Sports/Sports5 as well as other channels owned by its cable provider Cignal TV. This includes Eat Bulaga!, the PBA, NBA and UAAP games, and content produced and distributed by Viva Communications, which were previously aired on RPN (Eat Bulaga! along with NBA and UAAP games were previously also aired on the original Channel 9 user from 1958 to 1969, ABS-CBN).[4] The network also features TV5's morning show Gud Morning Kapatid (which is cut to live at 6:00 am, the time which the network signs on due to RPN's broadcasting guidelines) as well as flagship newscasts Frontline Pilipinas and Una Sa Lahat. RPTV carries reruns of current affairs programs from CNN Philippines, now handled by Nine Media's parent company, Broadreach Media, through NewsWatch Plus.

The return of One PH programs on RPTV also marks the revival of content previously aired on 105.9 True FM (formerly 92.3 Radyo5 True FM) following the closure of the news and sports channel AksyonTV five years prior.

Technical facilities

RPTV broadcasts from it's studios and main broadcast facilities located at the TV5 Media Center in the corner of Reliance and Sheridan Streets in Mandaluyong. It also maintains relay technical facilities at the Worldwide Corporate Center, located at the corner of Shaw Boulevard and EDSA, also in Mandaluyong. This relay facility is the primary feed for RPN transmitters (some of which were previously used by ABS-CBN),[11][4] pay television providers, and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite providers, including MediaQuest-owned Cignal TV (standard definition feed), ABS-CBN Corporation-owned Sky Cable, Converge ICT-owned Vision, and Streamtech-owned Planet Cable. Meanwhile, DTT transmitters owned by TV5 and Mediascape receive the channel directly from the Reliance master control.

The network operates daily from 6:00 am to 12:00 midnight PHT and goes off-air annually during Holy Week, from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday.

Availability

RPTV is available on RPN's flagship station DZKB-TV (Channel 9) in Metro Manila, as well as on seven regional VHF TV stations. It is also accessible via TV5's main digital TV channels in selected areas in the Philippines in major cities and through Mediascape-owned DTT affiliates. Some time after launch, stations owned by MediaQuest-owned Nation Broadcasting Corporation in Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, and Davao (both previously affiliated as MTV Philippines, AksyonTV, 5 Plus and later One Sports) were converted into mirror feeds of the new channel.

Upon its launch, RPTV was available exclusively in high definition over the air via RPN's digital UHF Channel 19 in Metro Manila. On 14 March 2024, Cignal TV announced via its social media platforms that RPTV, along with its sister sports channel One Sports, would be available in the HD format. The HD feed of RPTV was officially launched on the platform the following day. Unlike the standard definition channel, RPTV HD on Cignal is a direct feed from the TV5 Media Center playout facility.

RPN transmitters outside of Manila are also in the process of launching DTT services for RPTV, with Baguio City being the first provincial DTT outlet, which began broadcasting in May 2024.

See also

External links

References

  1. MediaQuest, TV5, Nine Media team up to launch RPTV Manila Bulletin, February 6, 2024, retrieved February 6, 2024^
  2. CNN PH to air weekend E.A.T., PBA games starting Jan. 2024 CNN Philippines, December 22, 2023, retrieved December 27, 2023^
  3. At 91, Atty. Jake Almeda-Lopez is still fighting for ABS-CBN, the media company he helped shape ANCX, June 22, 2020, retrieved February 6, 2024^
  4. Butch Francisco. The Butcher, The odyssey of Channel 9 Pikapika.ph, February 6, 2024, retrieved March 22, 2025^
  5. Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive Search Google News Archive^
  6. Everybody Loves Leila! Philippine Daily Inquirer, retrieved April 7, 2012^
  7. Amojelar, Darwin G. Nine Media owner confirms CNN Philippines shutdown Manila Standard, January 26, 2024, retrieved January 26, 2024^
  8. Ralf Rivas. CNN Philippines shuts down as losses mount Rappler, January 29, 2024, retrieved January 29, 2024^
  9. From CNN Philippines to RPTV: MVP's TV5 to provide content to Channel 9, possibly including a prime time newscast Bilyonaryo, January 31, 2024, retrieved February 1, 2024^
  10. Ilang programa ng TV5, mapapanood sa RPTV simula Feb. 1 Frontline Tonight, News5, January 1, 2024, retrieved May 16, 2024^
  11. At 91, Atty. Jake Almeda-Lopez is still fighting for ABS-CBN, the media company he helped shape ANCX, June 22, 2020, retrieved February 6, 2024^