Through The "Power Of Storytelling", A Big Challenge ABS-CBN Is Facing

I was often skeptical on the issue posted on social media "news" feeds about the process of current but controversial TV audience measurement system known as "People Meter" made by AGB Nielsen with its major client GMA Network as opposed to a conventional but reliable TV household measurement or "TV Unit Meter" that supposedly apply only on traditional free-to-air analog TV but not on DTT, cable, DTH, and streaming/IPTV. The use of "People Meter", I thought, may not guarantee to claim an accuracy regarding a real world scenario and transparency.

Was that case possibly true that the "low TV audience count admission" to watch several ABS-CBN TV shows on alternative broadcast platforms and blocktime may mean the content may not be so appealing to ordinary Filipino masses? But while the network often prioritize "quality programming" over "quantify audience", should they also focus to regain greed while balancing between commercial interest and a form of public service with ethical conduct?

When ABS-CBN launched ABS-CBN Studios, the network would be a biggest challenge on how to make a satisfying content to offer a changing Filipino TV viewing habit in time of the rise of social media that was susceptible to any form of biases and false information as well as the current political and social climate that often alienate a decent democratic spaces. So in what way to re-strategize their media business in order to regain trust for every audiences?

Firstly, if the network wants to make a TV show in an instant, it's up to their diligence and responsibility to find a "brilliant" scriptwriter not only interested to work for them but have an early craft of storytelling at about one or more with decent literal plot. Whether the genre is drama or comedy, is the crafted story possibly ideal for young or mature audiences depending on the outcome of their personal and social perception?

[MY SIDE INSIGHTS #1: One of the biggest challenge being faced on various entertainment media industry is the controversial but fearful generative AI. Accordingly, although AI-assisted visuals often apply for 3D animated studios and CGI in order to reduce workload redundancy to design a certain detail, the use of that platform by means of chatbot-like function does not guarantee of the quality of story crafting since it does not have cognitive behavior compared to human creativity. The use of AI-generated human figure, on the other hand, only seemed cartoonish that may not so delightful to the audience.]

Secondly, the dependence of brainstorming session may likely a special option if the creative team don't have an idea to produce a brand new TV show in the future. Supposedly, it would balance between "content popularity" and "artistic essence" to make very appealing to the audience. That practice was likely done by GMA-7 15 years back as the answer for competing with the past various ABS-CBN teleseryes. With or without brainstorming, could ABS-CBN be able to re-strategize for making a good content related to an actual reality of today's Philippine society?

[MY SIDE INSIGHTS #2: Adopting a local print novel or even online story from Wattpad may likely a possibility targeted for particular age and gender demographics, whether teen or young adult. Past projects include Wattpad-based She's Dating A Gangster and Bloody Crayons under Star Cinema and Precious Hearts Romances TV series.]

Thirdly, hiring a new artist that may or may not be so appealing to loyal ABS-CBN TV audience depending on their different opinion may be a challenging one. As the network often "feared" it would be overshadowed by, say, a new breed of artists of GMA-7 regardless of acting skills, in what way do ABS-CBN to re-strategize a campaign for an audition to key people who who were interested with the network in spite of the reduction or control of talent fees?

[MY SIDE INSIGHTS #3: Former Star Magic head emeritus Johnny Manahan may don't like to admit people from Pinoy Big Brother as potential line-up of artists to ABS-CBN until this day. Because of his disappointment on that matter, he left and establish his own talent agency with a partnership of GMA Artist Center known as "Sparkle", occurred before or during pandemic.] 

In case the network may find a new scriptwriter and an artists to create a TV show to shown online or on traditional broadcast, will it be ready to have a campaign to the people outside as well giving stickers, brochures, posters/billboards, or print/online ads in order to support their alternative media broadcast  platform, with a 50-50 chance to either praise or criticize or rather pass to support other media outlets as a matter of freedom of choice?

[MY SIDE INSIGHTS #4: Stage caravan may be the norm of engaging a campaign to support the TV show and its artists for many key audiences depending on the side between ABS-CBN and GMA-7.]

[MY SIDE INSIGHTS #5: I don't have a reliable source to show how GMA-7, as well as NET 25 and TV5, spent about, say, millions of pesos in a given time period for outdoor advertising such as tarpaulin billboard or big poster, even print ads. I had often wondered why ABS-CBN don't have to prioritize outdoor advertising because they thought it's so costly and it may deplete their finances for separate (1) talent fees for artists, journalists, and news anchors; (2) salary for employees and part-time workers; and (3) operational costs.]

Time will tell when ABS-CBN would face the challenges, hurdles, and responsibility as to regain slowly the glory days of media broadcast service, shifting from free-to-air analog to a full digital broadcast content.