Aksyon's 'aggressiveness' paying off

MANILA, Philippines - Aksyon, new entrant to the primetime newscast landscape, has markedly grown its viewership, according to TV ratings provider Nielsen Media Research.

It was announced in a presscon last week that TV5’s banner news program, which began airing in April 2010, has made a dent in the audience share being enjoyed by its rivals in both ABS-CBN and GMA networks, what with its performance growth in the last four quarters (from Jan. 2011 to present) in national urban and Mega Manila.

Based on a Nielsen Media Research ratings survey, Aksyon spiked from an 11.4 percent audience share in the first quarter to 18.1 percent in the fourth quarter in NuTAM, and from 14.1 percent audience share in the first quarter to 23.9 percent in the fourth quarter in MegaTAM. Aksyon is anchored by Erwin Tulfo and Cheryl Cosim.

This development is expected to further boost the profile of the third major player in the country’s raging network war. “We are more than happy with what we have accomplished so far, even with the many challenges of trying to break into the stranglehold of the competition. Kahit papaano nakasingit kami sa habit ng viewers. Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa mga manonood,” said News5 production head Patrick Paez.

Cheryl, for her part, said, “We are really proud of what we have achieved. It’s not easy to go against two giant networks. As what our chairman, Manny V. Pangilinan, has said, we’re still the undisputed no. 3 — for now. We will continue to work hard to able to match if not surpass the competition.”

Credited to have helped shore up the 30-minute program’s ratings is its conscious placement on a timeslot earlier than the 6:30 p.m. news habit set by other networks. Aksyon is positioned opposite teleseryes — ABS-CBN’s Maria La Del Barrio and GMA’s Daldalita.

Erwin said, “We air earlier and people are eager to get home and hear the news. Also, our approach is different from the traditional newscasts, which are more on national/political issues. We are more on police, crime stories; we really cater to the masses.”

He added that while “it’s been full of pressure,” every day is treated like an opportunity to prove that Aksyon is a worthy challenger. “We really have to be different. But we just do what we have to do, present the news, but (we are) more action-oriented,” he said.

Cheryl said that they also studied the type of audience that tunes in during Aksyon’s timeslot, making adjustments in the news-writing format and news presentation. “Ayaw namin masyadong stiff or maangas sa pagsasalita,” Cheryl said, adding that they balance the crime stories with national issues, but present them in such a way that “they can relate to the Juan de la Cruz… a telenovela type of presenting.”

Among the exclusives of national concern and which they are particularly proud of making include newly-resigned Sen. Miguel Zubiri and Atty. Koko Pimentel’s settling of differences in relation to the contested 2007 senatorial polls, Erwin’s Bilibid drug trade report that led to an investigation, the series on OFWs involved in drug trade in Macau, Singapore and Malaysia, and the Ramgen Revilla slay case with Cheryl securing Janelle Manahan’s video in the hospital room after her operation.

Asked what makes Aksyon anchors different from their counterparts, Erwin said, “At this point, we are still establishing our style as anchors. I remember News5 head Luchi Cruz-Valdez telling me, ‘Erwin, ayoko masyado matapang yung delivery mo,’ and I’m trying to change that. I shifted (my style) and there’s been a good effect. You can be bold and brave enough, pwede ka maging matapang na dili palaaway.”

Erwin has two other shows on TV5 — T3 (with brothers Raffy and Ben) and Tutok Tulfo — but he embraces the workload. “To tell you the truth, when I was asked by Ms. Luchi to transfer to TV5, she said, ‘You wanna join us? But don’t expect parang ABS-CBN ang bayad. Babawi nalang kami pag-one year mo. Alam ko Erwin, you earn six figures.’ Sabi ko sa kanya, yes ma’am, walang problema.’ I really love what I’m doing. This is the profession I want to retire in. I treat this not just as a source of income but also as a way of life.”

Also part of the Aksyon team is Shawn Yao, who takes care of the juiciest stories and scoops from the entertainment scene for the segment Showbiz Aksyon.

Rounding up the program’s frontliners is Lourd de Veyra, who handles Weather or Not, the latest segment added to the show. Apart from dishing out accurate and easy-to-digest weather reports employing the “most advance weather graphics system as powered by Metra,” Lourd weighs in on the socio-political climate with sharp and irreverent commentary.

Patrick explained, “Weather or Not is not a creation of the producer. We look at the kind of talents we have in TV5. We discovered that Lourd has the capability for this kind of segment. If Lourd weren’t with us, there wouldn’t be a segment like Weather or Not. The commentaries are really his.”

Lourd, who first became popular as a rocker having been the frontman of the band Radioactive Sago Project, was asked which he now enjoys more: His music or media career? “Mas masaya rito, kasi mahirap tumanggap ng labada eh,” he mused.

 Meanwhile, Patrick said that with the progress of the network’s flagship newscast, expect intensified efforts across all programs under the news and public affairs arm News5. It’s still a long and tough race ahead, but Patrick said that “there are times that Aksyon is able to beat Maria La Del Barrio. GMA’s show is stronger and tougher to beat. If you see the graphs, statistics and numbers, marami sa mga natatamaan ng shows namin na umaangat ay ang mga shows ng ABS-CBN,” he said. TV5 has the same ratings provider with GMA.

“We were able to achieve our targets. It’s humbling. We are more than happy na nadadala kami ng mother program, Aksyon,” he further said. “It’s been 18 months (and) we are trying to really achieve what took the other networks 20 years to do. Having said that, early this year, we launched Aksyon Bisaya in Cebu, a local newscast. We’re supposed to replicate that in other parts of the country. We’re in the process of doing that.” With the rollout of local news programs, they hope regional awareness and patronage of the network’s national programs will increase.

Patrick also said that TV5 will soon launch brand-new programs that will maximize its roster of talents. He acknowledged that the talents of TV5 are a younger and perhaps, a less experienced set, but “with that youth and inexperience, you also have aggressiveness,” he said. “We’re pretty aggressive in competing with and hopefully, overtaking the competition.”

Aksyon airs Mondays to Fridays at 6 p.m. (with simulcast broadcast on Aksyon TV and Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM).