Can ABS-CBN shake up ratings race with return to free TV on ALLTV2?

After nearly six years off free-to-air television, ABS-CBN is back on Channel 2 — this time through a licensing agreement with Manny Villar’s Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS). Beginning January 2, the network’s Kapamilya Channel started airing on ALLTV2, marking ABS-CBN’s most visible return yet to the broadcast platform it once dominated. 

Although ABS-CBN no longer owns the Channel 2 frequency, its programs airing on ALLTV2 revive the number long associated with the network’s historical dominance in Philippine free TV.

The deal comes after the end of ABS-CBN’s content partnership with TV5, which had carried Kapamilya programs in select weekday primetime and weekend slots from 2021 until 2026. With that arrangement concluded, the ALLTV2 partnership signals a renewed push for mass reach, despite a very different media environment from the one ABS-CBN left behind.

But while the channel number may be familiar, the media environment ABS-CBN is re-entering is not. Today’s television landscape is smaller, more fragmented, and increasingly shaped by streaming, mobile viewing, and platform convergence — raising questions not only about ratings, but about what success in free TV now looks like.

A strategic and symbolic return

Ned Legaspi, former assistant vice president for Global Creative Services and Business Unit Head for TFC News at ABS-CBN Global, described the move as “strategically significant, but not transformative on its own.”

“It signals ABS-CBN’s continued intent to maintain mass reach despite losing its broadcast franchise. Free TV still offers scale, visibility, and cultural presence that digital platforms alone cannot replicate. However, this return should be seen as one element of a broader multi-platform strategy rather than a standalone comeback,” explained Legaspi, a lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Communication.

Ateneo Department of Communication chair Dr. Christine Cox said that while some may see it as a restoration of the pre-2020 media landscape, it is unlikely that it will return to the same setup.

“It’s more like a strategic recalibration within a platform, which is more complicated and convergent. ABS-CBN has already demonstrated that [it] can survive outside traditional broadcast. This is just an upgrade, or more of an extension of what they’re trying to do.” 

She added that the symbolic value is significant: The network is reasserting its presence in everyday Filipino life, particularly for audiences who still treat television as the default medium.

Legaspi, meanwhile, noted that the challenge lies in relevance. “Audience habits have shifted, competitors have consolidated their positions, and advertising budgets have become more cautious. ABS-CBN must rebuild viewing routines, station identity, and advertiser confidence, all while operating without full network control and with limited distribution.”

Where are Filipino audiences really going?

Streaming and online platforms continue to transform how Filipinos consume content. A 2025 ABS-CBN News report found that more than half of Filipino households watch YouTube on TV — 76% access YouTube via smartphones, while 54% watch it on television sets.

Yet, this shift does not signal the end of free TV, but rather a redefinition of its role.

“It is clearly a hybrid model. Younger, urban audiences lean toward streaming and mobile viewing, while older and provincial audiences remain loyal to free TV. Many households now combine free TV for communal viewing and news with streaming for personal and on-demand consumption,” Legaspi said.

Cox noted that today’s television environment has transformed significantly. Viewing used to be bound to a stricter schedule. Students would rush home to make it in time for their favorite shows’ airing time, while families would often watch the same primetime show over weekday dinners.

“Now, it’s more on-demand, it’s more personalized, it’s on mobile, so it’s a mobile consumption type. So you have platforms like YouTube, like Netflix, and ABS-CBN has [its] embedded services like iWant,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Algorithms also play a role in discovery, and smartphones have become a dominant device for media consumption, especially among younger Filipinos. But despite the rise of streaming, Cox says broadcast TV still remains the default.

“It’s still the most reliable source of news entertainment. And especially in the rural areas, I think TV would still outperform streaming in terms of reach and regular use,” she said.

Cox noted that free TV continues to matter during national events such as elections, typhoons, or other crises, when audiences turn to broadcast news. She also emphasized that it “still has an enduring role in public service and risk communication.”

Beyond viewership: advertisers and industry confidence

The network also continues to collaborate with other media companies to maintain audience engagement. Months after its franchise was not renewed, ABS-CBN signed a blocktime agreement with Zoe Broadcasting Network’s A2Z in 2020.

In 2023, ABS-CBN partnered with GMA Network to air the noontime show It’s Showtime on GTV. The program’s reach expanded on April 6, 2024, when it began airing on GMA’s main channel, reaching a broader audience beyond its sister network, GTV. The GTV simulcast ended on December 31, 2024, but the show continues to air on GMA channel 7.

Meanwhile, on April 15, 2024, ABS-CBN collaborated with ALLTV to air its flagship newscast TV Patrol, which continues to air today, as well as select programs from the Jeepney TV block, which ended on January 1, 2026. On May 6, 2024, TV Patrol also began simulcasting on select Favorite Music Radio (FMR) stations nationwide.

The network even teamed up with GMA for the Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition, with the first and second editions airing in 2025.

Legaspi said that advertisers are still watching ABS-CBN’s return because the Lopez-owned network has been known to make a strong creative impact and ignite audience engagement. 

“Advertisers are less concerned with raw ratings today and more interested in reach, brand safety, and cross-platform amplification. ABS-CBN’s performance signals whether it can still influence mass audiences and integrate effectively with digital campaigns,” Legaspi said.

Cox added that this competitive pressure could push networks to develop content designed not just for television viewing, but also for clipping, sharing, and circulation on social media.

Early ratings and renewed competition

Early ratings offer a glimpse of the reshaped primetime competition, but should be interpreted cautiously.

On January 2, the first day Kapamilya programs exited TV5 and debuted on ALLTV2, the action series FPJ’s Batang Quiapo recorded a 5.6% average minute rating (AMR) — a measure of the percentage of viewers tuned in at any given minute — based on combined viewership from A2Z and Kapamilya Channel only. According to figures shared by X user Yera Calma, the rating was nearly half the show’s usual performance when it still had a TV5 simulcast and had not yet included ALLTV2 data.

By comparison, GMA’s Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre, which airs on Channel 7 with a delayed telecast on GTV, posted an 8.6% AMR based on the same data.

On TV5, Carlo J. Caparas’ Totoy Bato — which replaced FPJ’s Batang Quiapo in its former timeslot — logged a 4.0% AMR. The series also airs on One PH, based on the same data.

TV5, meanwhile, relaunched its primetime programming lineup starting January 19. Its newscasts Una sa Lahat and Frontline Pilipinas continue to air at 5:30 pm and 6:15 pm, respectively. The action-drama Totoy Bato airs at 8:00 pm, followed by reruns of ABS-CBN Studios and TV5 shows Nag-aapoy na Damdamin at 8:45 pm and Pira-pirasong Paraiso at 9:30 pm.

“Initial spikes often reflect curiosity, brand recall, and sampling rather than sustained loyalty. The more meaningful indicators will be consistency over time, audience retention, and cross-platform performance rather than isolated early numbers,” Legaspi said.

As viewing habits shift and broadcasters adapt to a fragmented audience, ABS-CBN’s return raises broader questions about the future of television in the Philippines.

“Free TV remains relevant but no longer dominant,” said Legaspi. “The future of Philippine television is platform agnostic, where broadcast, streaming, mobile, and international distribution coexist. Success will depend less on channel ownership and more on content strength, brand trust, and cross-platform integration.” – Rappler.com

Alfon Cabanilla is a Rappler intern studying AB Communication at Ateneo de Manila University.