ETC on RPN-9 starting March 2

Good news for followers of ETC: Effective March 2, it will be airing on RPN-9 so it will be accessible to a wider audience and market because it will be on free TV.

This was disclosed to Funfare Update last Monday by Wilson Yu Tieng, president and CEO of Solar Entertainment Corporation and RPN-9 chairman, and Peter Chan Liong, SEC Chief Operating Officer.

Solar Entertainment Corporation is the first broadcast media company in the Philippines to have successfully brought to television a rich and diverse selection of entertainment and sports programs through its roster of English-language channels that also includes 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Solar Sports and Basketball TV.

ETC has changed the viewing habits of many people because of its “Match-Airing” campaign launched last year, featuring musical shows Glee; dramas Gossip Girl and Hellcats; sitcom How I Met Your Mother; supernatural drama Vampire Diaries; reality show America’s Next Top Model; and suspense-thriller Pretty Little Liars. Other ETC shows: Project Runway, The Rachel Zoe Project, One Tree Hill, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and TMZ (which has been imitated by other local stations).

Funfare Update did an exclusive interview with Tieng and Liong. Excerpts:

Does the transfer from cable TV to free TV entail a lot of work?

PCL: In the case of RPN, we had to do a lot of shifting, particularly our sports assets. We had to move it, in order to make this happen. So we were able to do that. First, we cleaned up the airtime of RPN to make that whole sale move of ETC over to RPN. The hope and objective is to increase the reach and distribution of our network to our core viewers — the young, female and the ABC market. 

Is ETC accessible only in the Philippines?

WYT: It’s always been only in the Philippines, not outside the Philippines. The other telecast in Shanghai is pirated.

But isn’t free TV airing in the Filipino communities around the world?

PCL: No, no. We’re strictly licensed for the territory of the Philippines.

Does it mean also more space for advertising?

PCL: The fact that we are increasing our reach, increasing our obvious space, means we hope to increase our advertising rates, to the type of reach and ratings we hope to achieve.

So far, ETC is doing well, no?

PCL: Yeah, it is. It’s our flagship channel for the entertainment network. We started off with it and it’s still, for us, the No. 1 canned US entertainment network in the Philippines. We air something like 30 series in a weekly schedule. The top-rater is, of course, Glee. Not far behind are The Vampire Diaries, Hellcats, Gossip Girl, America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway.

WYT: Some of our shows are being copies, one of them TMZ. I just don’t want to say who the copycat is. It’s a form of flattery. You know, what’s great about it is that we are hours behind the U.S.

Of course, the move is for a wider market, no? That’s why you’re going for free TV. Is it also an attempt to compete with the channels 2, 7, and 5?

PCL: No. We understand that that market belongs to them. We’re going after the young market, the female market, particularly those in the A-B-C market. So, we are not here to go after the C-D.

ABS-CBN is Kapamilya, GMA 7 is Kapuso and TV5 is Kapatid. So, what are you going to call ETC? It should start with a “K.”

PCL: Kool! But, you know, we’re really not into competing.

Dapat Kalaban, no? ETC, Kalaban mo. Maganda, ‘di ba? Aggressive, competitive. Do you have any plans of producing local shows?

WYT: We already did Philippine’s Next Top Model and Project Runway Philippines which will have new seasons by 2012.

Still with Ruffa Gutierrez as host?

WYT: Yes, Ruffa for Next Top Model and Teresa Herrera for Project Runway.

What about privatization of RPN?

PCL: Well, I think that’s the goal of the administration. And I think it’s something that should happen. Well, we’re all aware of that, it’s something that they want and we were very supportive of that.

WYT: Yeah, we’ve been with them for, what…five or six years?

Will Solar eventually take over the whole of RPN?

WYT: We would certainly put in our bid for it, for whatever the government has now.

So, ETC is the same. It’s just the transfer...

PCL: And we hope to make it bigger and better than what it is now.

Aside from the wider market, what are the advantages of making ETC a free TV channel?

PCL: Well, I think that’s the most important objective for us. To reach a wider audience, increasing all the share, increasing all the ratings, increase our rates, increase our revenues. That’s the bottom line.

So, the bottom line is making money, no? That’s a good thing.

PCL: Well, yes. Well, that’s what we hope for.

Aerosmith not coming?

There are unverified reports that Aerosmith (photo) is coming for a concert with no date nor venue mentioned.

The truth is that the group is not coming.

Here’s the official statement of Dan Weiner of Paradigm Agency, the management arm of the rock group:

I am the exclusive agent for Aerosmith. There is absolutely no truth to advertisements or rumors that have been appearing lately that Aerosmith will be playing in Manila during the year. We are all very concerned and upset that Aerosmith’s fans are being misled and hope and trust that no one has bought worthless tickets for events that do not exist.

What’s up?

= Condolence to the family of Raoul Tidalgo’s sister Nenette Tidalgo-Supe on the death of Nenette’s husband, Carmelo Supe, 65, of liver cancer last Tuesday, Feb. 22. Carmelo is a retired SVP of the Development Bank of the Philippines Visayas Region. The wake is at the Supe residence in Tagbilaran City. Interment will be tomorrow, Feb. 26, at the Victoria Memorial Park after the 1 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, also in Tagbilaran.

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P-Noy with Young JV

Young JV had the chance to have a picture taken with the first President he campaigned and voted for, Pres. Noynoy ‘P-Noy’ Aquino at the blessing of the DND Mini-Museum marking the 25th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution last Feb. 22. Picture shows Young JV’s album with his composition for President Noynoy’s campaign, Lipad Noypi, Lipad Noynoy, autographed by P-Noy. Young JV’s father is one of EDSA I heroes, Col. Red Kapunan.

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Robin Tomas shirts at Bloomingdale’s

Tessie Tomas has a good reason to be proud for her son Robin (right and with a model, above), a designer based in New York.

Supima will launch Robin’s winning T-shirt design on March 19 with a cocktail reception at Bloomingdale’s department store, in time for the Spring Season kickoff. Guestlist includes members of the New York press and fashion industry. Tessie is attending.

Tomas’ winning design, a V-neck tee in layered tonal Supima cotton knit, was picked as the winning entry among six finalists in last year’s competition. The T-shirts will be sold as a special edition shirt in Bloomingdale’s flasgship store in Manhattan.

Founded in 1954, Supima ( short for Superior Pima Cotton), is a cotton variety unique to the US that produces luxurious cotton fabric used by various luxury brands. As its inspiration, Supima looked to the legendary Wool Secretariat competition that launched the careers of the then–teenaged designers Yves St. Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld.

Robin is a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York, and has interned for designers Anna Sui and Valentino. He is presently showing his Fall 2011 collection in New York.

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