By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
SKYCABLE is geared up and good to go.
With Solar Entertainment discontinuing the airing of its shows at SkyCable come January 2008, the latter has decided to put up new entertainment channels “that are equally high in entertainment value, if not better [than Solar Entertainment channels],” according to SkyCable’s official website. The new channels — Velvet, Balls, and Maxxx — have begun airing “previews” as early as Nov. 7.
Come next year, SkyCable will officially launch these three channels, plus five more including Fox Crime, AXN Beyond, Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney, and Kids Co.
Solar Entertainment has announced that it will be pulling out its channels from SkyCable, which includes ETC, 2nd Avenue, Basketball TV, Solar Sports, Crime/Suspense, and Jack TV. This could be a potential turnoff for SkyCable patrons, as Basketball TV airs live NBA games, preferred, particularly, by male patrons.
Nevertheless, SkyCable has a potential replacement in the form of Balls. Although Balls does not air live NBA games, it does air other popular sports tournaments like Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) tourneys, NCAA games, and professional football leagues. Meanwhile, Velvet is a channel that targets women audiences. It mainly airs American TV shows, including popular morning show “Good Morning America” (GMA), “The View,” “Dirt,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” and “I Want To Be a Hilton,” among others. Notably, Velvet will also be airing “America’s Next Top Model,” a show first seen on Solar Channel’s ETC.
Maxxx channel is geared for the male audience, with “guy shows” such as “Bullrun,” “American Inventor,” “Destination X,” “Friday Night Project,” “World Poker Tour,” “Cheat!,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “Kingdom Hospital,” “Cinematech,” “Just Joking!,” “Behind The Music That Sucks,” and “Fear Factor.” SkyCable is also taking pride in finally being able to air Disney Channel, completing its kiddie channel lineup.
One thing worth noticing is that some of the new channels’ shows are already being aired on other SkyCable existing channels. Lifestyle Network, for example, is already airing “E! News Weekend,” while AXN is airing “Fear Factor.” But how the programs will fare in the next few months is worth observing. ETC and Basketball TV have become household names now, and removing them will make a huge dent in the viewing audience of SkyCable.
SkyCable is owned by the Lopezes. An alleged dispute between the SkyCable management and Solar Entertainment is believed to be the cause of the pull-out. However, the real reasons remain undisclosed. One thing SkyCable promises, though, is an improvement in the shows and the cable service’s overall quality. But the audiences will be the judge, of course. Just hearing the pullout of Basketball TV and Solar Sports will probably cause some male viewers to shift cable loyalties.
Browsing through some online discussion sites, I came across some people asking if the new channels are owned or operated by Solar Entertainment. This is interesting. Maybe SkyCable should boost their PR and make people know that the channels are owned by them, else Solar Entertainment will have the last laugh in this whole mess.
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Meanwhile, Warner Brothers (WB) has announced that it will be airing the 5th season of “One Tree Hill” (OTH) next year. The two-hour season premier will air in January in America.
The show kicks off four years after the end of the last season, where the show’s characters — Nathan, Haley, Lucas, Peyton, and Brooke — have just graduated from high school and are venturing off into college. At the end of the 4th season, these friends promised to return to Tree Hill after college.
During the 5th season, four years have passed and the “OTH” gang have graduated from college (well, not all of them). They return to Tree Hill and look back on the events that happened in their lives and look ahead to the future, once again reunited as friends.
Controversy has surrounded the teen show when it marked the end of its 4th season. Rumors spread that the 4th season will be the last, prompting some teens to launch an online petition for the show to continue on with its 5th season. The newest promo for OTH’s 5th season has been released.
Expect to see “OTH” Season 5 on local cable soon!
January 20th, 2008 at 11:31 am
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January 14th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
What’s stupid is that the hosts of Hardball always promote Balls because ANC is a Sky channel.
Bill Velasco, where is your objectivity.
Also, Sev Sarmenta — a legend in local sportscasting — is the station manager of Balls.
Sev, you’re my idol — but if you’re managing a sports cable channel that has no NBA, I’ve lost some respect for you.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THE PBA INSTEAD!!!!!
January 8th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Guys, PROTEST TAYO!! Di dapat tong mangyari sa aten.. May right tayo para mag reklamo as their subscribers!!
January 8th, 2008 at 12:38 am
No offense to the other channels like maxxx and velvet but, nothing really beats Solar Entertainment. They captured majority of the viewers’ viewing pleasure. After hearing the announcement, I was really disappointed on Sky Cable.. Why did they do this?? Have they got no concern on their loyal subscribers?? In my own prediction, this could turn things around. Many subscribers could shift to another cable company unless sky cable can do something about it.. Really, sky should and they have to!! Solar should have been their most valuable asset..
January 7th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
the new channels are P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C. the only ones i watch on cable are the ones Solar offered: South Park, etc on Jack; Leno and Conan on ETC; and a daily dose of NBA and news/top plays. thank God Nat Geo and a couple of weekend live NBA airs by ESPN…
Sky Cable sucks BIG TIME.
bili na lang ako maraming DVDs and discontinue subscription. may iba bang cable option sa Rizal/Cainta?