TV5 invades Canada

VANCOUVER, CANADA â€” TV5, the fast-rising Kapatid Network in the Philippines, invades Canadian TV and promises to change the viewing habits of Filipinos living in Canada.

“Our goal is to expand all over the world. Para lahat ng Pilipino sa ibang bansa ay makapanood ng quality at variety shows, nakakatanggal ito ng pagka-homesick nila at updated sila sa balita. Vancouver is a great start,” said Manny V. Pangilinan, owner of TV5 Network, who is happy about the recent partnership that the network secured.

TV5 International launched channels Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International in Canada on Nov. 3 during the PNT Singing Idol 2102 Grand Finals in Vancouver.

The said channels are available through the Turbo TV bar, an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television)-powered device that transforms regular TV into a smart TV.

The Turbo TV bar allows users the flexibility to download and install their favorite Apps from the Google Store. Viewers can enjoy both local Canadian programs and TV5’s news and entertainment shows while having the functions of a desktop computer on their television sets. The Turbo TV Android Set top box also comes with a built-in camera, allowing users to surf the web and connect with their family and friends on Twitter, Facebook, Skype and YouTube.

“Turbo TV is the first to offer this kind of cutting-edge technology to Filipinos living overseas, combining entertainment with almost everything one wants to do online. This is truly revolutionary and we are optimistic that our Kapatid in Canada will love this product,” said Claro Ramirez, president of PGN, Ltd.

Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International are the only Filipino channels offered via the Turbo TV Filipino package, powered by Vancouver-based AEBC Internet Corp. and distributed by Reyfort Media Group all over Canada.

The Reyfort Media Group is founded by Rey Fortaleza, one of the phenomenal “boxing brothers” of the country. He was the Philippines’ most outstanding amateur boxer in 1975 and 1976, former Olympic boxer who won six golds, one silver and two bronzes in 11 international boxing competitions. He is now a successful entrepreneur in Vancouver.

The Reyfort Media Group, publishes the newspapers Philippine Asia News Today, Balitang Vancouver and Philippine Showbiz Today, as well as the magazine Living Today. 

“I’d rather attempt to do something big and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed,” said Fortaleza of the recent partnership with TV5.

There are also plans to hold a bigger launch in Canada next year, to reach more Filipinos in the country. More than 400,000 Filipinos work and reside in Canada. In 2001, the Filipino community there was the third largest non-European ethnic group in the country, next to the Chinese and East Indians.