RPTV (TV Channel)

RPTV is a free-to-air television network in the Philippines. 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.

RPTV officially launched on February 1, 2024, replacing CNN Philippines in its channel space. 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 January 31, 2024.

History

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.

On January 29, 2024, CNN Philippines confirmed that it had ceased live news production immediately and would shut down entirely on January 31 due to financial losses. In a separate statement, Nine Media president Benjamin Ramos announced that affected employees had received their severance packages and salaries for the full month of February.

On January 31, 2024, the day before RPTV's official launch, TV5 Network took over RPN-9's airtime after CNN Philippines signed off at 10:00 p.m. This included a test broadcast unveiling RPTV as its replacement. The takeover was later confirmed during TV5's late-night newscast, '' Frontline Tonight''. However, it wasn’t until February 6, 2024, at the TV5 Media Center that MediaQuest, TV5, and Nine Media formally signed a memorandum of agreement covering the content distribution, sales, and marketing aspects of RPTV. 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.

RPTV’s first broadcast aired on February 1, 2024, at 6:00 a.m. 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, though One PH remains available on 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, as well as other channels owned by its cable provider Cignal TV. This includes ''Eat Bulaga!'' along with the PBA and NBA basketball games, which were previously aired on RPN. The network also features TV5's morning show '' Gud Morning Kapatid'' (which is cut to live at 6:00 a.m., the time which the network signs on due to RPN's broadcasting guidelines) and flagship newscast ''Frontline Pilipinas'', as well as game show '' Wil To Win''. 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 ago.

Technical facilities

RPTV's local programming and master control originate from the TV5 Media Center located at 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, pay television providers, and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite providers, including MediaQuest-owned Cignal TV, ABS-CBN Corporation-owned Sky Cable (ABS-CBN, ironically, was also own, operating, and using several broadcasting facilities, channel frequencies and transmitter stations which what are currently being owned, operated, and used by RPN), Converge ICT-owned Vision, and Streamtech-owned Planet Cable. The network operates daily from 6:00 a.m. 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 DTT signal on UHF Channel 18 in major cities and through Mediascape-owned DTT affiliates.

Upon its launch, RPTV was available exclusively in high definition over the air via RPN’s digital UHF Channel 19 in Metro Manila. On March 14, 2024, Cignal TV announced via its social media platforms that RPTV, along with its sister sports channel One Sports, would be available in HD format. The HD feed of RPTV was officially launched the following day.

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

* TV5
* One News
*One Sports
*One PH
*Radio Philippines Network
* CNN Philippines
*Solar TV
* C/S 9
*Solar News Channel
* 9TV
* AKTV
* AksyonTV
*Fox Filipino
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation
* Aliw Channel 23

References

External links

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{{Television in the Philippines

2024 establishments in the Philippines
TV5 Network channels
Radio Philippines Network
Television networks in the Philippines
Television channels and stations established in 2024
Filipino-language television stations
Joint ventures