pinoy tv

growing up in the 70's and '80's, i've come to associate pinoy showbiz star through the studio system. marciel and snooky were regal babies. sharon cuneta was an exclusive viva star. these days, tv networks have replaced movie outfits as star builders. you're either a kapuso or a kapamilya. if you want to become a star, television is the main medium. films have taken a backseat. actors find work through acting and emoting in soap operas or hosting talk and variety shows. regular tv programs sustains a star's little morsels of bread.

when i was home in bacolod recently, only one channel was visible at rolling hills. that was ABS-CBN, whose bacolod offices were nearby. my cousins from isabela in negros occidental have not heard of any kapuso stars. it's the complexity of the satellite feeds in our part of the visayas. unless you subscribe to cable tv, there was a slim chance you were privy to all the richard gutierrez adventures in his fantasy soaps. i'm only talking from the isabela perspective. it was different when we were in an island adjacent to escalante (northern negros) in october last year. captain barbell was the people's choice from that tiny enclave. i sometimes wonder if manila is the philippines. or the whole manila market is bigger than the rest of the country. why couldn't the powers that be publish the whole archipelago ratings rather than just the capital?

in my meek corner in north london, it's TFC, or ABS-CBN now. GMA has not yet penetrated the uk. but you tube is one tool to curb the yearnings of european pinoys. i'm not really keen on either network. following the shenanigans of the star magic contract talents or gma artist center matinee idols has never pierced through my thoughts. i'm too old. i'm stuck in the vilma, sharon, maricel mode or the laughter evoked by joey de leon in his shows.

i became transfixed on mara clara in '95, three years after its premiere. the diary was still in limbo that time and would continue to go on missing until rpn 9's marimar starring thalia beat tv patrol in the ratings game. mara clara had to go on primetime for its book two and laid the ground work for the great soap revival jumping the trail of flordeluna and ana liza in the early 80's. i wasn't there when fantaseryes propelled their vigor and strength. but my mom was and she liked richard gutierrez. i truly miss our tv repartees.