Published - TV5 willing to back Willie Revillame; Hit game show to resume with new look and feel

By Paolo Montecillo, Philippine Daily Inquirer

TV5 sees no reason to axe its controversial show host Willie Revillame who, network officials said, had been unfairly cast in the public eye as a child abuser.

TV5, however, was drafting guidelines on the appearance of children on its entertainment and news programs, according to president and CEO Ray C. Espinosa.

Revillame’s TV show, “Willing Willie,” was temporarily taken off the air starting on Monday amid the uproar over a 6-year-old boy’s tearful performance of a “macho dance” in its March 12 episode.

The child was later handed P10,000 by Revillame.

Espinosa agreed that “Willing Willie” could use some improvement, but said “the incident is definitely not a reason for [Revillame] to be taken off the air.”

The network said it was confident that advertisers who had pulled out would return to support “Willing Willie,” the hit game show hosted by the 50-year-old Revillame who is currently on voluntary leave.

A significant portion of TV5’s revenues comes from the prime-time show coproduced by the network and Revillame’s WilProductions, according to Espinosa.

“Definitely, ‘Willing Willie’ is our flagship program,” Espinosa told Philippine Daily Inquirer editors and reporters on Wednesday night. But he also said “Talentadong Pinoy” is TV5’s highest rating program.

“Obviously, we are in discussion with the advertisers. They pulled out because of the pressure coming from social networking sites.”

Espinosa said certain changes would have to be made to improve the quality of the show’s content.

He did not go into detail, but said the network planned to change the show’s “look and feel.” He stressed that the show—so far one of the few making a profit in the young, aggressive network—would continue to be aired.

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