Cignal TV, APT Entertainment to launch 24/7 comedy channel in 2020

MANILA. [From left] Jojo O'Connor, CFO, APT Entertainment; Michael Tuviera, president and CEO, APT Entertainment; Jane Basas, president and CEO, Cignal TV and TV5; Sienna Olaso, VP Channels and Content, Cignal TV; and John Andal, VP and CFO, Cignal TV. (Photo by Edmund Silvestre)
MANILA. [From left] Jojo O'Connor, CFO, APT Entertainment; Michael Tuviera, president and CEO, APT Entertainment; Jane Basas, president and CEO, Cignal TV and TV5; Sienna Olaso, VP Channels and Content, Cignal TV; and John Andal, VP and CFO, Cignal TV. (Photo by Edmund Silvestre)

THE first-ever local comedy channel in the Philippines -- to be known as BuKo (Buhay Komedya) Channel -- will be launched by Cignal TV and TV5 in the first quarter of 2020, featuring some of the shows we grew up watching on Philippine television such as Iskul Bukol, Wow Mali, LokoMokoU and Eat Bulaga’s popular segments like Little Miss Philippines and Pinoy Henyo.

Cignal TV and TV5 president Jane J. Basas and APT Entertainment president and CEO Michael Tuviera led the formal press announcement and signing of a five-year grand partnership between the two organizations to create BuKo Channel.

“Cignal reached out to APT some two years ago for this dream project,” said Basas at the signing ceremony held Wednesday, November 27, at Edsa Shangri La Hotel. “This can be seen on TV all over the world because BuKo Channel will also have its digital streaming service. It will be developed by Cignal and powered by the APT group.”

“We want to make people smile and laugh,” said Tuviera. “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship and partnership.”

Under the agreement, Cignal TV would provide a platform that will exclusively air all-time favorite comedy programs from the archives of APT and TV5. The main goal is “to reintroduce and rewind” the comedy genre on TV through re-runs of the most classic and well-loved local comedy collections through the years.

Though the comedy channel will mostly air “throwback” shows on its initial launch, the two companies expect that this would pave the way for original content to be produced eventually, including new versions of the classic shows that will cater to the present generation.

Among the new shows being considered for BuKo Channel include those that will star Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola, and Maine Mendoza.

“We will definitely come up with more shows to make more people happy,” said Tuviera. “What we are creating is like comedy presence or identity that when you tune in to BuKo Channel it’s light, it’s bright, it’s happy and it’s positive.”

Tuviera added that it is becoming a trend among various producers nowadays to collaborate on a project realizing that “two heads are better than one.”

“If the strength of a company is combined with the strength of another company, they come up with a much better product,” he said. “We are so honored that we have found a great partner in Cignal. This BuKo Channel is just the first of many things that we will do with them.”

BuKo Channel can be accessed by all subscribers of Cignal TV.

Joining Basas and Tuviera at the signing table are Sienna Olaso, VP for Channels and Content at Cignal; John Andal, VP and CFO at Cignal; and Jojo O’Connor, CFO at APT, and other officials of the two entities.

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