There are a lot of things going for the People’s Television Network at this point.
This was revealed by Joee Guilas, one of the news anchors of PTV Network, when asked to give his message to bashers of the government-owned station based in Quezon City.
"What I believe, we must all brace ourselves for, is the eventual awakening of a sleeping giant," Guilas said, in reference to PTV Network. "The fact that we have a president who actually wants to see both the positive and the negative sides of stories about his administration augurs well for PTV’s mandate to be a reliable news and information source."
During an exclusive online interview, Guilas expressed confidence in the present leadership of the television network which is composed of people familiar with the industry.
"Starting from Malacanang’s official network overseer, PCOO Undersecretary Rocky Ignacio, its Board of Directors to its GM and COO Kat de Castro, are all seasoned broadcasting veterans who actually know how the industry works and are truly committed to ensuring that PTV makes a new, solid mark not just on television, but in the entire media landscape," he said.
Guilas also said that known personalities from other networks are joining the network's pool of talents.
"I see this happening now with the station’s - approach in its talent acquisition efforts, both on- and off-cam. We can now see known personalities from other networks joining PTV’s home-grown talents to actually boost the station’s talent pool," he said.
These two factors, Guilas noted, are now working to the advantage of PTV, "as without many of us noticing it, the station has actually moved up as far as the public’s trust ratings are concerned, especially since the COVID19 outbreak in the first quarter of this year."
According to the 2020 Digital News Report, an annual study conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at Oxford University, Filipino audiences gave People’s Television (PTV) a 61 percent trust rating, which is only behind two other Filipino networks.
The PTV Network score of 61 percent is actually tied with ABS-CBN’S 61 percent. The top 2 were: GMA7 and TV5.
Given its comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the pandemic, the numbers showed how viewers actually started tuning in to and trusting PTV as an information source, he said.
"Now, if the station can sustain its momentum and stay consistent in its drive to improve itself in the days ahead, then it can, in fact, give other networks a run for their money," said Guilas.
PTV Network, given its satellite and affiliate networks, also has the widest presence countrywide.
"If properly tapped, this is another major strength that can actually propel the network to greater heights. Very recently, we have seen how this collaboration of organic and new broadcasting talents have blended well via the new on-air look of PTV’s newscasts," Guilas added.
Guilas said that viewers better stay tuned for many fresh changes that they will witness in the station’s programming in the days and months ahead.
"As far as PTV’s goal to eventually compete with the other private networks is concerned, I don’t see that as being analogous to a David and Goliath situation," he added.