A promise yet to be fulfilled.
It has been over a year since Villar’s ALLTV had its soft launch, but the network that pledged to restore the former glory of Channel 2 remains in the shadows.
In September 2022, AMBS (Advanced Media Broadcasting System) ALLTV made its initial debut, vowing to be the country’s newest alternative channel to the default GMA Network and TV5. Led by comedian-host and businessman Willie Revillame, ALLTV boasted an all-star lineup of shows and celebrities, promising a fresh TV experience for Filipino viewers.
Following the highly anticipated contract signings of controversial stars Toni Gonzaga, Anthony Taberna, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Mariel Rodriguez, the network had its soft launch on September 13, 2022, with a noontime variety show hosted by Revillame and Gonzaga on the rooftop of Will Tower in Quezon City.
While the launch, which coincided with network owner Manny Villar’s birthday, attracted attention, the subsequent days were lackluster for the station, which aspired to regain the audience share that ABS-CBN once held when they had the franchise for channel 2.
This news quickly spread on social media, prompting Willie Revillame to vehemently deny the cancellation of the shows. The comedian-host also had an emotional outburst on his show in the February 4 episode, expressing his disappointment in those who celebrated the temporary cancellation of some ALLTV programs.
In a guilt-inducing tone, the seasoned TV host appealed to the public to pray for their success and set aside politics, saying, “Ipagdasal niyo kami. Sana ipagdasal niyo kami na maging successful ito para maraming mga istasyon na maraming magawa. Marami kayong marinig na kabutihan. Set aside ninyo ‘yung pulitika.”
However, just two months later, in April 2023, Revillame resigned from the network that he had once envisioned as the country’s alternative channel. Prior to his departure, ALLTV had already discontinued the talk show hosted by Toni and the MOMS show featuring Ruffa, Mariel, and Ciara, leaving only reruns of Kapamilya teleseryes and its movie bloc.
As of now, ALLTV remains relatively unknown to viewers as it continues to struggle with low ratings. According to the latest data from the Nielsen NUTAM survey, the network’s average ratings still fall short of 1%.
ALLTV’s story serves as a testament to the saying “Content is King.” Despite acquiring the popular frequency of channel 2, they failed to capture the formula for creating shows that the Kapamilya network had perfected, leaving their promise unfulfilled since their soft launch.
